Masters Alliance
9th Dan BlackBelt and Olympic Gold Medalist Herb Perez visit with the best and brightest to bring clarity to the future of Martial arts.
Masters Alliance
Preserving the Heritage of Military Taekwondo with Grandmaster Bennett and Coach Davis
Can military discipline shape the best Taekwondo champions? Join us for a special edition of the Masters Alliance podcast as we uncover the compelling stories of Coach Louis Davis and Grandmaster Michael Bennett, two towering figures in the U.S. Armed Forces Taekwondo team. Coach Davis takes us through his early passion for martial arts, ignited by icons like Bruce Lee, leading him to the prestigious All-Army Taekwondo Team. Grandmaster Bennett, whose career journey began in Louisiana, shares his significant contributions to developing military Taekwondo teams and mentoring athletes like Davis. Together, they emphasize how military discipline has been a cornerstone of their Taekwondo careers and personal growth.
What does it take to transition from a celebrated athlete to an impactful coach? Hear firsthand from Coach Davis and Grandmaster Bennett about the complexities and sacrifices required. Davis, inspired by mentors such as Grandmaster Bobby Clayton and Master Reginald Perry, is committed to documenting the rich history of military Taekwondo to honor its pioneers. Bennett, reflecting on his own shift from a 24-year Army career to law enforcement, credits his resilience to his upbringing and early martial arts influences. Their stories reveal the often unseen political nuances and dedication necessary to support and motivate the next generation of athletes.
Looking towards the future, our guests share their aspirations for the Taekwondo community within the military context. Despite challenges like budget cuts, figures such as Grandmaster Bennett and Master Bernard Grant continue to elevate the sport through roles in refereeing, mentoring, and storytelling. They discuss the importance of continuous learning, personal growth, and preserving the legacy of military Taekwondo. This heartfelt conversation is a tribute to the warriors of Taekwondo and military service, offering an inspiring and powerful message for all listeners. Tune in to honor the past, celebrate the present, and envision the future of military Taekwondo.
Welcome to the Masters Alliance podcast uncut, and I am Herb Perez. Today we are joined by two authors of the book One Team, One Fight, One Family the story of the US Armed Forces Taekwondo team's creation and success over the past couple of decades. Coach Louis Davis and Grandmaster Michael Bennett talk about their friendship, their history and the long legacy of warriors who compete not only for America on the battlefield, but in taekwondo arenas where they forge the skills that will help them be successful in both. This interview takes place on Memorial Day. I couldn't think of a better day where we honor America's fallen heroes and those who survive to continue the traditions that we learn to love, respect and allow us to be who we are. So strap in and enjoy this awesome podcast. So strap in and enjoy this awesome podcast.
Herb Perez:Okay, welcome to the Masters Alliance. And I'm honored and just extremely overjoyed to be joined by these two amazing individuals who I've known for so many years and have done so many amazing things in the martial arts. So today we're just going to dive right into it, get some questions answered about their motivation, who they were and why they chose this extraordinary path, which included service for the country, service for the sport and the art and, quite frankly, service for the community as a whole. I'd like to welcome Coach Davis and Grandmaster Bennett to the podcast. How are you guys doing today, sir?
Master Davis:Blessed sir.
Master Davis:It's an honor and a privilege to be here. Well, it's always a pleasure to be here with greatness already, which is Herb Perez.
Herb Perez:No, you're too kind, sir, you're too kind, but I appreciate those kind words. I'm going to start just by asking some basic questions about each of you in turn. I'm going to ask my first question for Coach Davis Could you share with us a story about how you first became interested in taekwondo and how that led to your journey to joining the All-Army Taekwondo Team?
Master Davis:Yes, sir, first I'd like to thank you for having us here. My journey, like most people, was influenced by the Green Hornet and Bruce Lee and, of course, my father, who was a practitioner of Jido Quan when we lived in Chicago. It wasn't until years later that my stepfather, solomon Suggs, gave me my first lesson. But moving forward, it was the 1993 USTU National Championships. I was a Greenbelt at the time and I was a volunteer, and I remember wandering the halls of the St Paul Civic Center and that's where I bumped into the all-Army team coming out of the venue in two columns.
Master Davis:I was in awe and I found myself searching the stands and I found out that the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines, they all had a. They all had a Taekwondo team. And I quietly promised myself if I am, if I get in the ranks, I'm getting on one of these teams. As fate would have it, I got stationed at Fort Hood, which is now known as Fort Casablanca. If I messed that up, I apologize. If I messed that up, I apologize. This is where I met Grandmaster Bennett, who offered me an opportunity to train with him as a member of the Fort Hood Taekwondo team and that, following year 1996, he and Todd Angel trained me for one year straight and in 1997, that was my first year standing beside him as a member of the all-army team- Well, that's amazing.
Herb Perez:That's a great start to a great career. And then, grandmaster Bennett, you have also had an equally impressive career in both the martial arts and the military. Could you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming a Grandmaster in Taekwondo and other martial art disciplines?
Master Davis:Well, herb, that could take really a long time, but I will say in the book, in Chapter 14, it gives you a lot of information about me and my journey and how I was able to develop other teams and have a concept to give people like Lewis Davis an opportunity to participate and understand the sport and develop their own dreams, which I like to say.
Master Davis:But to make it a shorter story, I'm just trying to say, basically, coming from Louisiana at the time, where I've already got into martial arts at a young age actually in junior high and just develop, I didn't have a certain inspiration, develop. I didn't have a certain inspiration, but I did have some great individuals who led me into this direction about martial arts, which is Taekwondo at the time, and that's how I was able to join the military, because I was looking for the Taekwondo team to join when I joined the military. And that's how I got hooked into Master Harris at the time, who was the coach, and I made contact through the sports office and he gave me the opportunity to come up and try out and that led from there to where I'm at today, retired and enjoying the idea that I don't have to work as hard, if that makes any sense there you go.
Herb Perez:Well, you know, coach Davis, you've had the opportunity to train with some renowned coaches, including Master Bennett, master Angel, master Medina and actually George Strife, a good friend of mine. How did these mentorships shape your Taekwondo career and contribute to your personal success?
Master Davis:Well, each of them wore the uniform. Each of those men that you've just mentioned wore the uniform and each of them imprinted on me the importance of being a soldier first. That was the first thing Beneath it all. I was a military athlete, but I was a soldier first. That, if my nation calls, I've got to put all that to the side and move forward. The other part of it was they believed in my abilities. They coached, trained, mentored me and gave me the tools I needed to move forward and become successful. It's a long list of people that we don't have the time for me to go over that list, but I am grateful to all of them, especially Grandmaster Bennett, who gave me my chance initially.
Herb Perez:Well, that leads me to Master Bennett and Grandmaster Bennett, as all-Army coach and athlete, you played a crucial role in training numerous national champions. What were some of the key points or principles and strategies that you implied in your coaching to help these athletes reach their true and full potential?
Master Davis:Well, herb, that's a very good point. Every coach has to go through some form of understanding their athletes, as well as the sport and the ability to figure a way to help improve the athlete. All I did was take what other coaches taught me, which is Coach Clayton and Coach Raphael Medina. They gave me some inspiration and told me how to be a coach, and that's the funny on that back story, because I wasn't trying to be a head all army coach, believe it or not. I enjoyed the idea of being an athlete and at that time, coach Medina and Coach Clayton actually put me in to DA to become the next coach, because I was training in other posts that I started Taekwondo teams at and I had most of the athletes that came from these places was able to become all army athletes. So they felt that I had a, I guess, a winning concept of selecting great athletes to join, because most of the all army team was trained by me at the time, and so that's when they offered me the job in 98. I didn't really want the job because I still was trying to make it to the next level of an Olympic athlete to fight for the military as well as for my country, but in this case, they made me a coach and retired me, and that's OK. So I gave each player an opportunity to figure out their goal. It's like they brought their dream to me and all I did was give them the tools to be successful, and what I mean by that I always put in their head.
Master Davis:I do this for the program and I told every athlete one thing you have to be successful at is not be able to treat people different. As a fighter, when you get in the ring, you have to show that competitor that you're just as good as he is. So in order to do that, you have to treat them like they're all national champions. You're here to show them that you can take their job, and that's what it's all about. And those things and it's a lot more.
Master Davis:Of course, the training, but first you have to get into the philosophy of the mind, the way I was taught, and they gave me a lot of inspiration on how to give other athletes the inspiration to go forward, because each one has a unique story, how they came onto the team and how I recognized them and made them who they are. Well, I'm going to say make, gave them opportunity to become great athletes and Louis Davis one of them, kevin Williams, eric Lawrence the list can go on, because a lot of people and I won't call our names there was actually at the point where I may have to cut somebody, but I was able to give them an opportunity to show me and they went out there and showed me. They went out there and got a meal and they've been thankful, but it wasn't me, it was their hard work. So it's kind of hard to sit there and say I came up with a great strategy than any other coach, but I had a concept of being able to motivate an athlete to be great, if that makes sense.
Herb Perez:There you go. Great, well said sir, well, sir, well. Let me go back to Coach Davis for a minute your time in South Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division and the 6th Republic of Korea Army Division, called the Commander's Cup.
Master Davis:My very first one. That's when I first appeared on a newspaper. My victory did and I was overjoyed, but it was also my first major injury. I tore my meniscus during that competition but I kept on fighting Again, that mindset, that mental toughness that I brought to the 2ID team. That is thanks to the gentleman that's joining me on this call. He put that in me and I carried that forward.
Master Davis:Grandmaster Bennett gave me those tools, as did many of his former teammates, predecessors, and I took that with me into the ring. I have said it many times it wasn't physically, it was me, but it was their spirit that was fighting beside me in that ring and so my opponent was facing all of them. I was never, ever alone. The other was when Grandmaster Bennett returned to Korea in 2004, and I fought beside him as an equal, even though he was coaching. He was sitting in the coach's chair during the Eighth Army Championship. I fought beside him as an equal and it was one of the greatest honors of my life. As far as memories of training, first off, meeting your friend Professor Stephen Kaepner. You know it was an opportunity to train with one of the legends, one of the people that built the road that I was walking on and to receive guidance, instruction, encouragement and friendship from him. That's priceless, you can't. That's something money can't buy.
Herb Perez:That's true. Dr Kaepner is certainly an inspirational individual and we spend a lot of time together and still to this day and I remember you training with him and you've had a great legacy, training with great athletes and, obviously, great coaches, including the gentleman on the phone with us today. And then I want to talk to you a little bit about that grandmaster. In your book you mentioned 50 all army athletes and 10 of whom became national US champions. Can you share some insights into the challenges and rewards of coaching at such a high level?
Master Davis:Well, not to make me sound great, but really it was more than just 50 athletes. But I try to be humble and, as a grandmaster, which I've learned so much from other mentors, humbleness is what you should always look at being a great coach, because you have to reach your athlete on the mental stage as well as the physical stage, and I believe in not so much of just putting numbers out there quantity. But I will say that 50 is a good round number to let you know I train a lot of athletes, that 50 is a good round number to let you know I train a lot of athletes, and out of those athletes, 10 is a reasonable number to give. Have there been a lot of national competitors? Yes, there are a lot more that made medals in place, but I try not to look at that 10 is the one safest number that I can say I can use to actually give those individuals an opportunity. One of my, some of my better athletes that may want it two times or are at least one to two times as a national champion and then went on to fight other major competition. I just want them to know that they did the work.
Master Davis:So the important part is being a coach and this was asked to me one day. They asked me do you really want to be a coach? Do you know what it takes to be a coach? Of course I was trying to figure out. I thought coaching was something just tell people what to do. But I found out through those coaches that told me on how to be a coach. There there's a political game that you have to play. I think you know a little bit about that, herb. Oh yeah, you have to be able to motivate your athletes and take care of your athletes. So you have to sacrifice where they don't know it, but you sacrifice for the greater good of the team. In this case, the athlete don't know you playing some games some political games, should I say in order to make sure they have a fair opportunity in competition. And once you give them that and they get, then you try to make sure that they understand you can't fight forever, but you become great leaders by being providing coaching experience to other athletes. That's coming behind you. Those are things I would always say.
Master Davis:One of the things I would tell I think Lewis would contest to this is that I'm here to train true black belts, true coaches and true athletes. Those are things I put in their head. In order to be a true martial artist. You just can't go out there and kick, kick, kick. You got to have some type of discipline and philosophy behind it. In order to be a successful, whether you take it to the streets or take it in competition, you have to live an everyday life, and if you don't have this, then you're not going to be successful at this sport. It's almost saying, like it's, I would say, a way of life. You don't have that way of understanding, you're not going to be successful. And these are things I put my athletes through. They didn't see it at the time, because it's a lot of work, but the rewards are at the end, they're not at the beginning, and that's what I always inspired them to do.
Herb Perez:Those are great words. I I always inspire them to do those are great words. I've got to be honest. Every time I come to a podcast and I speak to someone certainly of your stature, I come away with something that I take away and remember. And those last words are something that I'm going to jot down after this podcast, because those words are profound and meaningful and I really appreciate those words for our audience to learn from. Coach Davis after retiring from competition, you dedicated your time to coaching and researching the history of the all-army and armed force taekwondo programs. What motivated you to give back to the taekwondo community in this way and what were some of the key discoveries you made during your research community?
Master Davis:in this way, and what were some of the key discoveries you made during your research? Well, my motivation were the gentlemen that trained me. There is a list in the book that shows all of our DA-recognized coaches, and I had the opportunity to learn from quite a few of them. Quite a few of them either coached me, trained me or mentored me in some way, shape or form. One individual I forgot to mention was Grandmaster Bobby Clayton. That man, even to this day, that man, is light years ahead in his thinking, his reasoning, how he sees things, and I felt compelled to honor their legacy.
Master Davis:When I started this project, it started with a visit to one of my former teammates, or one of my predecessors, grandmaster Reginald Perry, or Master Reginald Perry, excuse me. Reginald Perry was very passionate about all-army Taekwondo, so it led me to ask this question where'd all this come from? How did it happen? And I took to Google. I thought that that information would be on the internet, and very, very little of it was, and so I recognized a need to document our history, to go back to the source, find out why it happened.
Master Davis:Along the way, I found out that what started off as Service members from different branches at almost the same time, were just seeking simple support, because this sport costs money and they just wanted support from the military, from the units, to be able to pursue their dreams. And that blossomed into our program, into the Armed Forces Taekwondo program, into the All-Army Taekwondo team, the Navy team, the Air Force team, the Marine Corps team, and I was proud to find myself a part of that legacy. So how could I not honor their memory, how could I not honor the hard work that these men put into it?
Herb Perez:Those are great words and obviously a great inspiration for yourself and for others who came before you. With that said, grandmaster Bennett, can you tell us a little bit about how you transitioned from a 24 year career in the army to a federal police officer, cause it's quite a change and how did your martial art background and military experience prepare you for this new role?
Master Davis:Well, you know, I would say, when you look at that it really goes back to my mom and I hate to say it like that because I know we're on the topic of Taekwondo but it was my mom that actually pushed me in that direction of martial arts because I had brothers that was in college and she was worried about me having to defend myself. We'll say it like that because I'm brought up in that neighborhood which, when you don't have a lot of things, you have to fight All right. So I don't know how much you know about that, but that's why I came to the neighborhood. But anyway, the bottom line with that, I think that was the inspiration for me to start this journey off. And then I had some great uncles who was in the military, which got me set up where I wanted to be like them, because I wanted to wear the beret, I wanted to have all the accolades like they had as a soldier. Now, did I know that I was going to go to war zones? No, I didn't. But I was fortunate to learn my skill set, which is the MOS, and be able to accomplish those tasks and lead men into battle and even though everybody's not going to come out, but those things I take with me as a leader, which led me into which I would say as a martial arts, coming up with those parent guidelines and, of course, with the military forcing me to understand about leadership and decision-making, which make me stand up front, because military teach you how to be up front and you have to lead from the front, not from the back, and I know it's a little different in today's society, but for us who've been military trained, you know how to be a leader. You're taught to be a leader on day one in boot camp and that's what helped me inspire my 24 years of staying in there, with five engagements in Iraq, one engagement in Afghanistan, just cars in Panama, barbados, in 83.
Master Davis:I had a fun field experience. I say it that way because I really don't like to say I pulled triggers. That's the easy way of saying the other words. So I pulled some triggers and I'm one of the few lucky ones to come back. We'll say that. And so I try to live every day as if they was here and what would they do? So I tried to achieve those objectives and I think that's one of the reasons why I spent that long in the military and then, when I got out, knowing that I had an obligation to the individuals that paid the ultimate sacrifice, that's when I decided to become a law enforcement. Law enforcement at that time gave me another aspiration of the community and then, plus, I was doing the Taekwondo and it helped me teach a lot of people who didn't have the privilege to pay them high prices at the time, but I was able to give them guidance and become Matter of fact.
Master Davis:Some of the people that came in the military came to our alarm camp through the same type program that I put them through as a police officer and from there I got an opportunity. Or somebody approached me and asked me did I want to go for the federal police officer? And I said yes because I wanted to see what it felt like. So I had an opportunity to transition from the lawman side of patrolman to a federal police officer, where it was another exciting because even my partner who I was working with was one of the undercovers that went in and took seven kilos of money, and he's one of them undercovers that I got a chance. Good friends still know each other. He came out OK, but it just, and he was a marine, come to think of it, but yeah, we had a great, a great uh relationship, uh.
Master Davis:But for me that's how my transition went in, from being in the military for 24 years preparing me to become a federal police officer until now, which helped me get my other part of my education, see, because now I just graduated with my doctorate degree here, so now I'm Dr Michael Bennett. But that's people like Steve Dr Capener himself, who I got a fortunate opportunity to train with him in career, with Coach Clayton at the same time. So that was great too. I think that's what broke my eyes to make me a better athlete to win the national championship.
Master Davis:So that's why I enjoyed that opportunity being with those individuals and brothers, because we have a sort of band together and I always made my athletes understand you have to know your MOS and be prepared to go to war. Don't be sitting back there thinking, just because you do Taekwondo, you're not going to know your MOS and be prepared to go to war. Don't be sitting back there thinking, just because you do Taekwondo, you're not going to know your skill level, because I need you to be able to come back home. I can't let you go out there and think you're just going to kick your way into the enemy. It ain't going to happen. You have to know.
Master Davis:Can't kick a bullet.
Master Davis:Right. So those are the things that I helped instill and which actually gave me that information of knowledge for those 24 years in the military and then being another 10 to 17 years of being in law enforcement to be where I'm at today.
Herb Perez:Excellent. Well, coach Davis, the book that you guys called authored right, there's three of you and it's one team, one fight, one family, and I suggest everybody get on Amazon tomorrow and order it, because it sheds light on the unsung heroes of the military taekwondo programs. Could you elaborate on the importance of documenting this history and the impact that you hope the book will have on readers and our taekwondo community at large?
Master Davis:Well, start off with sir. Grandmaster. Medina has often said when we pass away, everything that we've done, if it's not properly documented, will pass away with us, even in the information age. If you haven't noticed a lot of the greats from your era, they they aren't. It's not well, and I wanted to make sure that people understood that, aside from our war fighting abilities in the United States Armed Forces, that there are heroes on the field of competition that act as unofficial ambassadors also want to do this to honor, like I said earlier, my predecessors, the people that gave me the chance to build the road that I walked on as a competitor and the road that I'm walking on, both as an author and as a budding coach. I want to honor their memory. I want to honor their hard work and their sacrifice.
Master Davis:As an example, the late Mr Paul Bolts. Paul J Bolts was our sports specialist, our sports director, and that man fought tooth and nail to ensure that we had everything we needed to do the job right, and it's very few people. If you were to ask anyone outside of our family, outside of our circle, who Paul J Bolts is, nobody would know, and this book stands to remind people of who he was. Some people are like, oh, I remember him and it's also to set the record straight, there is information in there to where, if someone comes forward and says, oh yeah, I was a part of the army team, I really win. Who was on the team? It's those kinds of questions. Now, this book right here, this is setting the record straight.
Herb Perez:Understood. Yeah, I think it's important to do that, because there's no doubt that there's an old adage that says if you want to go quickly, go by yourself. If you want to go far, bring others. And your attempt to document the others that brought you and brought all of you to a place of national prominence, and then certainly prominence within our sport, is important to document. And then, more importantly, it's important to remember those individuals, like you spoke of. Master Boltz laid the groundwork in the pathway, which is another great quote. They laid the road upon which you all walked. I think it's, I think it's memorable and certainly notable. And, grandmaster bennett, what are your thoughts on the importance of preserving the history of military taekwondo and how do you think that this book contributes to that effort?
Master Davis:Wow. Well, the book itself has a lot to inform a person if they purchase the book to read more about it. I can only give a small, brief synopsis of what I think of the book and me. I need to step back one step and remember if it wasn't for coach Raphael Medina and a group of guys back there in Fort Bragg at the time which tells a little bit about that in the book these guys was one of those instruments to help us move forward. Chief boat uh, boat, I think that's Baldwin, that name, baldwin, baldwin.
Master Davis:There you go, that I'm saying the last name, right, but these guys were some of the instrumental factors that helped start the military side of Taekwondo and establishing those found like armed forces and world citizens. These guys were the ones that got in there, made the connections, like we had the Canada that got in there and made the connections. We had the Canada friendship matches. We had a lot of, shall I say, a government body that made us into who we are today. And this book really gives us a telltale story about individuals, how they had to strive to get to where we're at, some of the accomplishments, some of the letdowns, but yet we're able to go out there and continue. Nobody can safely say they fought for this country in two different ways. We fought as soldiers and we fought as athletes. We're one of the unique type of athletes as today that we're in the sport of taekwondo that had to fight two fronts and they can be kind of tough because we you know, most athletes in the military don't really get a lot of support. We basically have to do a lot of this work on our own time. So I think the book expresses a lot and I think anybody in the military should want to purchase and see that there's a history, because you'd be surprised how many people don't realize that there was a Taekwondo team in the military. So it's just stuff like this that I'm glad that we was able to get with Lewis Davis and help him create this book the way he wanted, give him some information to help him do the research and, I think, giving him some names of our understanding of history, because see, uh, coach Medina's first generation of the military taekwondo team. I'm second generation and Lewis is third generation. So it's a factor there that how it came about and really Lewis is a part of that history. Uh, up to up to this point. So with me about this book. That's why I think the efforts in the book itself it's not really I did anything, it really was a joint thing with the knowledge of Coach Medina being first generation and me being second Giving Lewis the knowledge that he needs to be able to put the book out successfully and make sure we have the right information Not some hearsay, but actually have the right and Louis Davis traveling to these locations and doing interviews with these guys and making sure that we had the right information and have documentation, which is all in the book, which, as Louis said earlier, the book would tell it all.
Master Davis:That's why I suggest to people, if you purchase the book, you'll see the documentation, you'll see the first set of orders, you'll see who instrumented all this for armed forces, that gave us the government body to stand at the time when USAT was one thing and then STU was another thing. So we have all that documentation in the book to show how the travel came from that time to this point and that's back in 80, something I think 83, 85. Which one was?
Master Davis:it, it started. It started with a letter to Chief Baldwin.
Master Davis:Yeah, and that was 1983.
Master Davis:with a letter to Chief Baldwin and. Captain Kabatsu, that was 1983.
Master Davis:83, okay, I was right by 83. Okay, but that's what I think, the effort that I look to, contribution that I look at, not because I started different armed forces team at different location or different basis, but I did what I had to do to keep the program running with athletes and developing athletes, and that's what I did. That's how I found lewis, because I had the green light to go out there and set these programs up. And that's how I found lewis, which I'm not gonna get into that. I'm gonna let lewis tell you if you ever want to. But that's how I found lewis and I found a lot of athletes. Like I said earlier, it's just been my pleasure to train with some great athletes Drew Roberts, howard Clayton, kevin Williams. You know a lot of those guys I had fun training with and being able to see them develop, like Kevin Williams. Now he's also in Kille clean trying to set up his program um there and hopefully he'll do well in clean uh with this aerobic uh taekwondo that he has set up there and clean.
Master Davis:So that's something that's like window well, it's not.
Master Davis:That's just one business. He has another one that actually he's trying to push too. But those guys, I just wanted to make sure they, they know, go out there and reach for the stars. Don't just be a fighter. There's something you can do after fighting, because you can't fight forever Like you yourself. Herb, let me just put this in there. If it wasn't for you in 98 to help us get a good deal on essential equipment if you remember, I had to order a whole lot that you helped me get- kind, kind words, sir.
Herb Perez:You, you guys do amazing work and then you know we are a community, we need to help each other so we can all be successful. But I, I, uh, I appreciate the kind words but, um, without you, nothing would have happened with what you guys have done. And coach, coach davis, I want to ask you a question what are your future goals and aspirations for the All-Army Taekwondo Program and the broader taekwondo community, and are there any specific projects or initiatives you're currently working on that you'd like to share with us?
Master Davis:Well, sir, I want to continue my research because there is quite a bit of information. This book serves as the genesis. There is more information I would like to share with everyone in the upcoming volumes. Two I have been working behind the scenes with Grandmaster Bennett, with his cousin, master Bernard Grant, and assisting him with the Taekwondo school they have set up in Shreveport. And, as needed, I try to work as a referee. I have aspirations of becoming an international referee, following in the footsteps of Grandmaster Medina and Grandmaster Harris. And then, lastly, I can continue to give back to the Taekwondo community any way I can, and to me that's in the form of storytelling.
Master Davis:Last month, when we were in Puerto Rico presenting the book, I came to the realization that the art of storytelling is seeing life through the eyes of another and sharing their story and that vision with the world. And I want to continue on that path. I enjoy writing, I enjoy the art of storytelling. I would, in the future, like to see our book be placed in film format so people can see recreations of how this program came into being and subsequent athletes that made it shine. That's, that's what I would.
Herb Perez:uh, that's what I'm working on at this moment those are great goals and, grandmaster bennett, I I want to ask you, just as you look ahead and you've done an amazing amount of work in this and you've created a legacy that you've talked about for second and third generations what are your personal goals and aspirations for the future of military Taekwondo, and what projects would you like to focus on, or any other new initiatives?
Master Davis:Well, that's another tough one, Herb. There's a lot of things that's going on in the military right now, and one of them is basically budget cuts.
Master Davis:What I would like is to make sure that all Army is still around. Right now, wcaps is the only one that's functioning. All Army is put on hold due to financial strains. We'll say that. So those athletes have to be moved over to world class. That means you have to make a medal or win some type of formal medal before you get to that. So that means now those individual soldiers have to work even harder to try to get a medal, just to get placed in the WCAP, and it's very physical as well as demanding and financial when you're doing it by yourself and no support. Now the good thing I want to see in the future is that a lot of the commanders have enough knowledge now about sports taekwondo that they can actually participate and understand when the athletes say, hey, I want to train and I'm trying to do this, and a lot of commanders will work with those soldiers. But they also have to remember if you're not a part of the team, you still have to do your duties as a soldier, and that's something that we always stress on, because one day that call may come and you have to deal with. Like Lewis said earlier, you may have to make that call and hopefully the training gives you the confidence to go out there and make the tough decisions as leaders.
Master Davis:But my future goal plans what I really want, which I've been talking to Micah J White who's I guess, since I've been knowing him, he seems to be a pretty good guy, and him and his wife, so I got a chance to do a little facetime with him a few times, uh, and and I enjoy. He has a great aspiration to do movies and, like lewis was saying, I'm still talking to him about how can I fit this book and it's just something that it's not guaranteed but it's just something that I think we can pretty much work in the future. There's another guy named Lee Young who also does some type of illustration. There's people he would love to put in his animation cartoon characters as a martial artist that he's looking into now. So if I can get some martial artists who want to do voice makers, those voiceovers.
Master Davis:That's that's what I want to actually help a goal to give those young marshals the opportunity to have a long legacy of history that will always be a part of your history when you pass on to the next level. But those are what I look at as a goal and the programs that I do. I do a lot of mentor, so I always try to make sure a martial artist has an opportunity, whether they're young or old. But don't let nothing tell you you can't do nothing. You can do anything you want. That's why I try to push education For me to have the education that I have. That's because I have to go back.
Master Davis:Age is not a deterrent for you to achieve anything. I always try to tell my athletes go to school, educate, continue your higher education. Don't just settle for a high school diploma, get you a bachelor's, get a master's. I'm proud of the athletes I know today who have reached those goals. That's all I ask them to do is to be better than what I was, because I'm nobody to make it seem like I'm important.
Master Davis:I don't put my position over nobody. Sometimes I just tell I don't put my position over nobody. Sometimes I just tell them don't just call me coach, because it's easy. I want you to be comfortable when you're training with me and I want you to understand this is what this really means. This is not about me having a title. Titles are great, but not to when it's time to achieve your goals. This is your goal, not mine. Because I met my goals, I need you to continue to build your bucket list and those are the aspirations that I'm going to end on and let you know I appreciate everything that any athlete has shown me and gave me opportunity to train.
Herb Perez:Those are great words, and one of the things that I've always respected about you, and certainly both of you, is that, besides your service for the country and people may or may not know what day maintain a certain ethical and emotional fortitude, persevere and then be willing to put themselves on the line at the discretion of the leader of the country and the country's needs and greater vision, and then be able to come back home and share that journey with others and the learnings from it. You, gentlemen, have done your additional passion in doing martial arts to such a high level with some of my friends and some of the people that I know that I have a tremendous amount of respect, and so, as a result, you have attained the highest level of training you could under those individuals and as colleagues of those individuals. Then, to continue your passion, as you have now, to share that journey so that others may be inspired to do something greater than they're called upon, whether that's service to the country, services in athlete or service to the sport, but it's a service mindset, and that's something that's missing these days. In general in people. It's not a we first mentality, but a me first mentality, and you have demonstrated the we matters more than the me, than the me and you're both are too humble in my estimation of what you've done, but, more importantly, the importance it has and has had and will continue to have.
Herb Perez:Don't give up on your dream to take this to the next step further, because there is a story to be told and that story would be well documented in film in many different ways.
Herb Perez:So I'm hopeful that, with your perseverance and your determination, that that goal will become a reality. And, as always you know, stay strong and stay in there. Gentlemen, I can't say anything more than I want to appreciate you for taking the time on this special day, but, more importantly, just taking the time in general to share your journey, your outcomes, because it should be realized that publishing a book is no small feat and no small outcome. And then the people in that book that you took the time to interview and honor and share, I'm sure are extremely grateful. But I am grateful for the time that you spent with us today and I will always be here for you, and I'm glad that you serve as a role model for many others. And, on behalf of the podcast itself, masters Alliance Uncut, and the people that helped put this together. I want to thank you again today for joining us.
Master Davis:Yes, sir, it's been an honor. Thank you sir. Thank you sir.
Master Davis:And same thing, Herb. I appreciate it. I'm always with God as a friend from day one.
Herb Perez:Thank you, we'll see you soon, sir. I'm always with God as a friend from day one. Thank you, we'll see you soon, sir. Well, that was Coach Davis and Grandmaster Bennett, warriors both in real life and warriors in taekwondo, which is also real life. Their passion for their friends, their family, their, their colleagues and those that brought them to the place they could be is unparalleled. They created that success based on friendship, based on seniors and juniors in the martial arts and based on the traditions that are inherent in US military service. They have always stood ready to tell the story and remember those who came before them and inspire others to be just as they are. Hopefully that was as inspirational for you as it was for me on this very special day and this very special podcast. Again, I am Herb Perez. This has been the Masters Alliance podcast, uncut. Please check out our other podcast with Olympic champions and coaches and inspirational people that are sure to serve as role models for you.