About
World Class Taekwondo offers Taekwondo classes that include a curriculum balancing traditional Taekwondo forms, practical self defense, and Olympic style sparring skills. The program also offers birthday parties that feature Taekwondo basics, demonstrations, and board breaking, as well as summer camps that include games, arts & crafts, and field trips.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Open 6 days a week with flexible scheduling and different class times; Taekwondo classes available for children, adults, and families from ages 4 and up.
• Price: $20 Beginner Class
World Class Taekwondo includes a Little Tigers program for preschoolers and kindergartners (4- and 5-year-olds), kids classes for children ages 6–12, a teens and adults program, and family classes where parents and children train side-by-side. Summer camps are open to both students and non-students, and no martial arts experience is required. Parents and friends are welcome to watch classes from a guest viewing area.
World Class Taekwondo has been a staple in the Western New York community since 1993 and has trained thousands of students of all ages, and its staff is now teaching the children and grandchildren of original students. The story of World Class Taekwondo began in 1983 when Grandmaster Sun Ki Chong opened his first school in Syracuse, New York, and in 1993 the first World Class Taekwondo Center opened in Williamsville, New York, followed by four additional locations over the next 15 years. World Class Taekwondo is described as a premier martial arts school in Western New York and a training ground for dozens of aspiring instructors, with over 35 former staff members opening their own independent Taekwondo schools across the United States. World Class Taekwondo has five dojangs in Western New York providing Taekwondo instruction.
The leadership team includes Founder Grandmaster Sun Ki Chong, an 8th Degree Black Belt, and Co-Founder and Executive Director Master Michael Mertens, a 7th Degree Black Belt. Grandmaster Chong has over 60 years of experience, is a former Korean champion, and was a 5 Time Head Coach for the US National Taekwondo Team and former head coach for the U.S. National Taekwondo team. Master Mertens is a former national level competitor with over 40 years of Taekwondo experience, is a senior student of Grandmaster Chong, a three-time New York State sparring champion, a two-time bronze medalist at the Collegiate National Taekwondo Championships, former captain of the Cornell University sparring team, and a graduate of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations with a focus on Organizational Behavior. World Class Taekwondo has an experienced staff of professional black belt instructors.
Grand Master Chong’s philosophy is that Taekwondo is about self improvement as well as self defense, and instructors focus on teaching “life skills” just as much as physical techniques, with an emphasis on helping students gain increased focus, confidence, and determination that they can apply to all areas of their life.
Last updated May 30, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Open 6 days a week with flexible scheduling and different class times; Taekwondo classes available for children, adults, and families from ages 4 and up.
• Price: $20 Beginner Class
World Class Taekwondo includes a Little Tigers program for preschoolers and kindergartners (4- and 5-year-olds), kids classes for children ages 6–12, a teens and adults program, and family classes where parents and children train side-by-side. Summer camps are open to both students and non-students, and no martial arts experience is required. Parents and friends are welcome to watch classes from a guest viewing area.
World Class Taekwondo has been a staple in the Western New York community since 1993 and has trained thousands of students of all ages, and its staff is now teaching the children and grandchildren of original students. The story of World Class Taekwondo began in 1983 when Grandmaster Sun Ki Chong opened his first school in Syracuse, New York, and in 1993 the first World Class Taekwondo Center opened in Williamsville, New York, followed by four additional locations over the next 15 years. World Class Taekwondo is described as a premier martial arts school in Western New York and a training ground for dozens of aspiring instructors, with over 35 former staff members opening their own independent Taekwondo schools across the United States. World Class Taekwondo has five dojangs in Western New York providing Taekwondo instruction.
The leadership team includes Founder Grandmaster Sun Ki Chong, an 8th Degree Black Belt, and Co-Founder and Executive Director Master Michael Mertens, a 7th Degree Black Belt. Grandmaster Chong has over 60 years of experience, is a former Korean champion, and was a 5 Time Head Coach for the US National Taekwondo Team and former head coach for the U.S. National Taekwondo team. Master Mertens is a former national level competitor with over 40 years of Taekwondo experience, is a senior student of Grandmaster Chong, a three-time New York State sparring champion, a two-time bronze medalist at the Collegiate National Taekwondo Championships, former captain of the Cornell University sparring team, and a graduate of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations with a focus on Organizational Behavior. World Class Taekwondo has an experienced staff of professional black belt instructors.
Grand Master Chong’s philosophy is that Taekwondo is about self improvement as well as self defense, and instructors focus on teaching “life skills” just as much as physical techniques, with an emphasis on helping students gain increased focus, confidence, and determination that they can apply to all areas of their life.
Last updated May 30, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.