Background
The Eastgate Martial Arts Club
comes from a long and distinguished line of great martial artists. First,
Gichin Funakoshi brought Karate from Okinawa to Japan and established the
Shotokan. Then Gramdmaster Byung Jik Ro studied under Grandmaster Funakoshi and founded the
Song Moo Kwan in Korea shortly after the end of World War II. Grandmaster Il-Kwon Kim left Korea
and after some years left Song Moo Kwan and founded the Ja Be Ryu.
The Eastgate Martial Arts Club was founded in 2002 by Master Donald MacFarland
in association with the Ja Be Ryu, but Master MacFarland had serious
philosophical differences with Grandmaster Kim's waning commitment to tradition, and
left his organization soon thereafter. Several former Ja Be Ryu masters
joined him: Grandmaster Ray Witte, Master Jeff
Schare and Master Ray Fay. Shortly after joining the Eastgate Martial Arts
Club, Master Kent Bole suggested affiliating with Grandmaster Carl Stolberg of
the Muskegon Tae Kwon Do Center.
Master
Donald MacFarland is a 6th degree black belt and the owner and head instructor
of the Eastgate Martial Arts Club
Eastgate Martial Arts Club is
affiliated with the Kang Duk Won Taekwondo organization under Grandmaster Carl
Stolberg and Grandmaster Hwa Chong.
Grandmaster
Hwa Chong is a past President of the USTU and he was the US Olympic Team Manager
1988
Grandmaster Hwa
Chong has traveled world teaching Tae Kwon Do.
Below
is the Grandmaster linage of the Kang Duk Won organization
