About
Brookings TaeKwonDo offers TaeKwonDo classes, including Little Bobcats (pre-skills), a Traditional Program, an Adults Program, and a Competition Team. The program also offers Haidong Gumdo (Way of the Korean Sword), K.N.O.W. Personal Awareness & Defense, private lessons, birthday parties that teach practical self-defense techniques, and self-defense seminars.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
Brookings TaeKwonDo includes Little Bobcats (pre-skills) for ages 3–6, a Traditional Program for ages 6 and up, an Adults Program for ages 18 and up, and a Competition Team for all ages. The school offers a FREE Trial Evaluation, a college students’ discount, and a military and first responders discount. It is the only internationally certified Kukkiwon School in the state, and students who dedicate themselves through perseverance and training can achieve an International Kukkiwon Black Belt Certificate. The Haidong Gumdo program includes basic techniques, forms, step sparring, energy building exercises, and cutting practice, and K.N.O.W. Personal Awareness & Defense is a standardized self-defense training program that is not martial arts or TaeKwonDo training.
Brookings TaeKwonDo states that everything it does focuses on making students better people in a safe space through practical self-defense and real-world training, using the Five Tenants of TaeKwonDo: Courtesy (Respect), Integrity, Perseverance, Self-control, and Indomitable Spirit. The program states that its environment allows students to be themselves and use these tenants to guide them to find themselves and grow, and that it works to develop students to their fullest potential and to teach them to deal with adversities in life, not just on the mat. Owners Mark and Kelli Anawski state that they are entirely built to support students, allowing them a place to fall and picking them back up, and that they strive to stimulate personal growth with honesty, integrity, social/charitable events, and demonstrating the Five Tenants of TaeKwonDo.
Brookings TaeKwonDo is led by Head Instructor Mr. Mark Anawski, Master Instructor and Master Examiner, and Lead Instructor Mrs. Kelli Anawski, Master Instructor. Additional Lead Instructors are Ms. Erica De Rycke (Master), Ms. Jasmine Anawski (Master), Mr. Jeff Ladegaard, Mr. Garrett VanderWal, and Mr. David Owens Jr. (Haidong Gumdo). Mark and Kelli Anawski have been co-owners of Brookings TaeKwonDo since 2011, the school moved to a larger training area in 2016, and in 2021 Mark transitioned to full-time instruction.
Brookings TaeKwonDo is the only internationally certified Kukkiwon School in the state. Mark Anawski is the Head Instructor, co-owner since 2011, Primary Instructor and creator of K.N.O.W. Self-Awareness and Defense, has spent over 25 years in Law Enforcement and 40 years in Martial Arts, is an internationally Certified Kukkiwon Master Instructor, has international and national certifications in Defensive Tactics with several certifications in different areas of Self-Defense, is one of the state’s Defensive Tactics Instructors, and is a Police Officer working part-time as one of the department’s Training Officers. Mrs. Kelli Anawski is an internationally Certified Kukkiwon Master and Self-Defense Instructor, and Mr. and Mrs. Anawski are two internationally recognized Master Instructors.
Mr. and Mrs. Anawski teach to area daycares and schools from kindergarten through college and inform them regarding situational awareness, dangers of strangers, school bullying, anti-rape, and anti-abduction. They also host self-defense seminars for individuals, their families, and corporate businesses in the area, welcome people from Brookings and nearby communities such as Elkton, Arlington, White, and Aurora, and engage in social and charitable events.
Parent comments about Brookings TaeKwonDo include that “Mr Anawski is a passionate instructor and he loves to work with every age group,” “This place feels like a second home,” and “The people who run this place are amazing and super supportive!”
Last updated March 18, 2026.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
Brookings TaeKwonDo includes Little Bobcats (pre-skills) for ages 3–6, a Traditional Program for ages 6 and up, an Adults Program for ages 18 and up, and a Competition Team for all ages. The school offers a FREE Trial Evaluation, a college students’ discount, and a military and first responders discount. It is the only internationally certified Kukkiwon School in the state, and students who dedicate themselves through perseverance and training can achieve an International Kukkiwon Black Belt Certificate. The Haidong Gumdo program includes basic techniques, forms, step sparring, energy building exercises, and cutting practice, and K.N.O.W. Personal Awareness & Defense is a standardized self-defense training program that is not martial arts or TaeKwonDo training.
Brookings TaeKwonDo states that everything it does focuses on making students better people in a safe space through practical self-defense and real-world training, using the Five Tenants of TaeKwonDo: Courtesy (Respect), Integrity, Perseverance, Self-control, and Indomitable Spirit. The program states that its environment allows students to be themselves and use these tenants to guide them to find themselves and grow, and that it works to develop students to their fullest potential and to teach them to deal with adversities in life, not just on the mat. Owners Mark and Kelli Anawski state that they are entirely built to support students, allowing them a place to fall and picking them back up, and that they strive to stimulate personal growth with honesty, integrity, social/charitable events, and demonstrating the Five Tenants of TaeKwonDo.
Brookings TaeKwonDo is led by Head Instructor Mr. Mark Anawski, Master Instructor and Master Examiner, and Lead Instructor Mrs. Kelli Anawski, Master Instructor. Additional Lead Instructors are Ms. Erica De Rycke (Master), Ms. Jasmine Anawski (Master), Mr. Jeff Ladegaard, Mr. Garrett VanderWal, and Mr. David Owens Jr. (Haidong Gumdo). Mark and Kelli Anawski have been co-owners of Brookings TaeKwonDo since 2011, the school moved to a larger training area in 2016, and in 2021 Mark transitioned to full-time instruction.
Brookings TaeKwonDo is the only internationally certified Kukkiwon School in the state. Mark Anawski is the Head Instructor, co-owner since 2011, Primary Instructor and creator of K.N.O.W. Self-Awareness and Defense, has spent over 25 years in Law Enforcement and 40 years in Martial Arts, is an internationally Certified Kukkiwon Master Instructor, has international and national certifications in Defensive Tactics with several certifications in different areas of Self-Defense, is one of the state’s Defensive Tactics Instructors, and is a Police Officer working part-time as one of the department’s Training Officers. Mrs. Kelli Anawski is an internationally Certified Kukkiwon Master and Self-Defense Instructor, and Mr. and Mrs. Anawski are two internationally recognized Master Instructors.
Mr. and Mrs. Anawski teach to area daycares and schools from kindergarten through college and inform them regarding situational awareness, dangers of strangers, school bullying, anti-rape, and anti-abduction. They also host self-defense seminars for individuals, their families, and corporate businesses in the area, welcome people from Brookings and nearby communities such as Elkton, Arlington, White, and Aurora, and engage in social and charitable events.
Parent comments about Brookings TaeKwonDo include that “Mr Anawski is a passionate instructor and he loves to work with every age group,” “This place feels like a second home,” and “The people who run this place are amazing and super supportive!”
Last updated March 18, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.