Hall of Fame                           

Click one of the class names below to reveal all members, past and present. The names with * indicate special contributions (some of this site is still under construction but all members of AJS Self Defence are listed here).                                                                 (Updated on 12/12/11)- Next update due on 15/02/12

Blacktown Hapkido

This class was started by Sung Soo Lee in 1983. It was hand over to Michael Grinyer, 2nd dan students in 1988 then handed to Andrew Sands in early 1989

In 1999 the Blacktown class closed.

It was re- opened in 2001 by Kevin Laing and newly named TKL Hapkido and Taekwondo. The class has since transferred to Shelley Public School during 2006. In 2008, the class was re- named "The Australian Hapkido & Taekwondo Academy."

Dundas/ Ermington

This class was started by Grand Master Sung Soo Lee in 1982. It was passed onto Andrew Sands in 1989. It was then transferred to Ermington Community Centre in 1994; but transferred back to Dundas Community Centre in late 2005 and is still active.

Blacktown Taekwondo

This class was started by Grand Master Sung Soo Lee in February 1988. It was passed onto Andrew Sands in September 1988 and is still active.

On 4/02/10, this class was transferred to the new Blacktown Fulltime Centre

Dundas Taekwondo

This class was started by Andrew Sands on 1/03/07 at Dundas Community Centre.. The class transferred to Rydalmere East Public School (Ermington) on 1/05/08.

Vardys Road Taekwondo

This class was started on 15/08/07 by Andrew sands with assistant instructor Donn Avila.

On 4/02/10, this class was transferred to the new Blacktown Fulltime Centre

New Blacktown Taekwondo

All students from the previous Blacktown and Vardys Road classes have transferred to this class.

New Blacktown Hapkido

Andrew Sands

Competed in only 3 contact tournaments between 1981 and 1989 but without success. Andrew can be very aggressive but he controls quite well. In the early years of learning TKD, the emphasis was on hurting the opponent. But in terms of tournaments he was not interested in hitting the opponents until he was angry/ hit. However, as the founder of AJS Self Defence his student success has been measured as 60% first place and the next 20% second place getters. This included 2 world champions, 4 Australian Taekwondo champions, 12 Australian full contact Hapkido champions, and many state champions.

He has also been the main organizer of tournaments for the NSW Taekwondo Association, Australian Hapkido Federation Inc', NSW TKD (1991).

While touring Korea with Grand Master Sung Soo Lee in 1996, he met another "Australian Taekwondo Team" visiting Korea. After much discussion, Andrew learnt that this "Australian Team" was actually pre- selected for the Sydney Olympic games due in the year 2000. At the time, one of Andrew's students, Craig McPherson, was the undefeated middle weight black belt for the previous 3 years under the Australian national Taekwondo body, yet he was not approached to contest Olympic selection. This lead to a complete lack of interest in tournaments. In 1998, he and the organizing committee produced an international tournament at Sydney Olympic Park. There were contestants from all over Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand and India. In all there were 180 competitors. The tournament ran very smoothly which was common with Grand Master Lee and Andrew Sands' management. But for Andrew, it was the last that he organized. Although he ran the 1999 NSW TKD state tournament, he didn't mean to; he was asked to do some work as the MC, but on his arrival, the organising Master departed and left Andrew to run the 3 sparring courts with no other managerial assistance. He was next asked to organise a tournament in 1999 that was to fund the dignitaries that were coming from Korea to watch the Sydney Olympic, but declined.

In 2003, Grand Master Lee asked Andrew to organise a Hapkido Tournament. This was a one day seminar and non contact/ self defence display- not an actual full contact tournament. This went ahead. Then so did one in Brisbane in 2004 and Melbourne in 2005 and Cairns in 2009. The next is due in Sydney in 2012.

Craig McPherson

Here is a true champion. Craig was the reining Australian middle weight black belt champion in both Taekwondo and Hapkido between 1993 to 1996- undefeated in all tournaments during this time. His two primary weapons was his remarkable hand speed in defence and a fast and powerful left leg. He was practically untouchable.

Alwyn Phillips

A true master of Taekwondo. He was the original instructor of Andrew Sands between 1980 and 1983. Alwyn's perfection of movements was drilled into Andrew and this has been passed onto Andrew's students; ensuring the basic are correct to build platforms that can launch the students to what ever they choose.

Alwyn was also part of the NSW Taekwondo Association committee for 20 years.

Bradley Timmins

Pure danger! This is the most gifted student that has been trained under AJS Self Defence. Where do you start? Speed, power, flexibility, agility, mental calmness, highly intelligent; he has it all. Andrew Sands was once quoted as saying, "I remember one day when Brad asked me to show him how to do a reverse turning kick. He was only yellow belt at the time. So I showed him in slow motion, then slightly faster then at full speed. Then I said, 'OK you try it'; and he tried. I was quite amazed and simply said to him- 'yep that's how you do it.'

In 1993, Bradley was selected to go to Northern Cypress (Turkey). He he fought the world Taekwondo champion who was undefeated in 12 years. Brad lost by  half a point.

In Australia, especially NSW, Brad had a reputation. he was scary. In the class, if you had a chance to spar Brad you knew you were about to find out what mistakes you were making in defence; didn't matter who you are, he'd get you.

*Paul Xiberras

Mean! Paul was actually quite the gentleman. However, put in a sparring competition and gentleman goes out the window. The feature to his sparring was strong defence, and bones like steel. If you throw a kick at him, you could guarantee a nice black, painful bruise. Now that that leg doesn't work, you won't want to try and hit with the other one.

*Ben Wright

He was only 14 years old when he competed and held his ground well and protected the centre of the competition area. Used the simple things that worked rather than fancy kicks that get you into trouble, not out of it.

*Brett Patrick

Brett was never a great tournament champion, but a champion competitor. Used simple rather than tricky, but his defence would let him down.

He was part of a demonstration team in the early development of Hapkido Tournaments with a devastating routine of throwing and break falling; you could hear a pin drop in the crowd.

*Nathan Patrick

At 6 foot 6 inches and 105kg, Nathan was unstoppable in his attack. The only way to stop him hitting you was to get the hell out of the way. But what a pure gentleman off the mat.

*Simon Muscat

Master of the push kick. On three separate occasions, Simon used his devastating push kick to fell his opponents. Unfortunately for Simon, he tended to jump too often which often resulted in him getting counter kicked to the groin; this also pumped him up though. One of those competitors where by if the referee doesn't say stop, he won't. Many of his later bouts he won by TKO. He was also very successful using the lower reverse turning kick in Hapkido full contact competition.

*Sylvio Mizzi

The human bulldozer. At 5 feet 10 inches and 100kg, Sylvio had very powerful upper body strength. Typically he would up and down in fighting stance and wait for his opposition. When they attacked he would use his superior blocking techniques and deliver a body punch that would 9 time out of 10 break their ribs' From there the bouts were pretty much over.

Kevin Laing

World Champion!!! Kevin has a reputation at the National and International ISKA Championships- awesome!. At 184cm and 90kg of swinging muscle, Kevin was the standing heavy weight World Champion for 2 years.

Previous to this, he put his mouth guard away for a few years. But before he did, he represented Australia in Taekwondo and was the Australian Champion in full contact Hapkido and long list of local and state titles.

He also competed at the Australian Hapkido Federation Inc' demonstration tournament in Brisbane in 2004 coming in at 3rd place.

These days he is concentrating on creating his own league of champions teaching Hapkido at Shelly Primary School in Blacktown. Last year he was promoted to 5th dan Hapkido; the highest promoted under Andrew Sands.

Paul McDermott

"The Beaver". Paul once said, "I'm a bit like a puppy dog. Pat my on the head and I'll be good, but kick me in guts and I'll bite". That about sums him up. He was the most determine and brave fighters you'll ever come across. In his early teen age years he ran out of competitors- turned out that hey didn't like getting hit. So he had to be placed into the seniors. At age 13 he beat a 17 year old. At the next tournament he was 14 and beat a 19 year old.

His key to success was controlled anger, extremely high threshold to pain, high intelligence and impeccable defence. No matter who is was, the more you try and hit him, the harder and faster he would hit you.

He went on to establish Hassall Grove Taekwondo which one of his students, Greg Lind, runs today.

George Craft

George was never a special type of fighter. Just kept it simple and usually won. With Paul McDermott as his sparring partner, he rarely came across any one that was tougher; unless is was Paul McDermott in his fighting division.

*Wayne Downes

Wayne was one of the more determined fighters. Unfortunately, Wayne started Taekwondo with a somewhat poor instructor that taught him incorrect basic techniques. These became habits that could not be corrected. As a result, he unfortunately was never very successful at tournaments.

*Phillip Ryman

Phil was about 55 - 60kg and lightning fast. Being left footed caught out many of his opponents at the right time because Andrew Sands coached him heavily to use his right foot as a regular stance, then to switch when the opponent started to get any rhythm. A great tactic that worked time and time again.

*Craig Smithers

The axe. Craig won the Australian Taekwondo championships in Perth in 1994. He got the nick name "Axe" after he learned to control this devastating kick and regularly delivered it to any opponent that got too close. He went on to train with another instructor and disappeared off the tournament radar.

Alessandra Teunisse

With 7 years of dancing before starting Hapkido, Alessa is the back bone of  demonstration choreograph for the Ermington/ Dundas class at the Australian Hapkido Federation Inc' National tournaments. Alessa Both at the Brisbane and Cairn tournaments', Alessa's team came forth at the Nationals. We are now looking forward to the next National Tournament in Sydney 2012.

Steve Best

Having trained with Master Sands for 8 years, Steve is now 3rd dan Hapkido. Steve has proven to be the most consistent of students under AJS Self Defence. His next goal is to compete in the ISKA Nationals next year (2009). This will be his first martial arts tournament (+40 years). Steve has a history of helping class members in life situations- a true mentor and gentleman!

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