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Master Richard Kopf is a highly accomplished martial artist and
member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and past
Chairman
of the Tang Soo Do Mi
Guk Kwan Association. He is also the
Association's highest ranking individual.
This year Master Kopf
celebrates his 35th year in the martial arts and 30
years as a school owner. In addition to Tang Soo Do,
he also holds a 4th Dan ranking in Shiho Karano
Ju Jitsu. He has a long competitive history and was a team
captain in both forms and sparring. He can be seen performing demonstrations with
Master Jeff Talavera at many Nationals events.
Click for video. He
runs the North Haven branch of the West Haven
Academy of Karate which he established in 1978, and
has eight Master Instructors who also teach at the dojang.
Master Kopf graduated
from Yale University School of Medicine in 1982 with
a Physician Associate degree. Since then he has
practiced both Internal Medicine / Primary Care and
Orthopedic Surgery / Sports Medicine. He is
certified by the American College of Sports Medicine
as a 'Health Fitness Instructor'. Inspired by his
Neh Gong training, he pursued his training in
hypnosis while at Yale and has practiced clinical
hypnosis at his medical practice for the past 18
years. He is currently a part of the medical staff
at the Danbury Medical Group and is also the
Administrative Director for the practice. He also
serves as a clinical instructor for interns at the
Danbury Hospital and for medical students from both
Yale and UConn medical schools.
He currently lives
with his wife Karen and two daughters in Oxford, Connecticut and his
hobby involves what he calls a 'car disease'. He
attributes his success and the ability to stay
focused while handling the multiple aspects of his
life to the self-discipline and concentration he has
learned through his training.
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