Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared Godfrey.
Jared, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started Taekwondo as a 9-10 yr old boy and fell in love with it. I continued it until I got up to jr. Black belt.. I took a break after getting injured and didn’t go back until My wife and I were looking for a martial arts experience for our children. We looked at a couple of places and I got involved with taekwondo again at a rec center going 2 days a week. I earned my 2nd dan Blackbelt there and then searched out my old Master Kim and found out that he was semi retired, and now a 9th Dan blackbelt Grand Master only teaching a handful of students. I got in contact with him and started training with him and he reignited my passion for taekwondo. After years of training with him, he promoted me to 4th Dan, black belt, and he asked me to take over his school, Kim’s Academy, so he could take a step back. I have been running the school for 2 years now and enjoying continuing Grandmaster Kim’s Legacy. I am currently a 4th Dan blackbelt in both world style taekwondo and International style taekwondo. In my martial arts journey, I was able to train in Hawaii under Grandmaster Hee IL Cho, who retired in November in 2025. And was entered into the Martial arts Hall of fame. Before he retired he asked me to take over his school as he was retiring. It was a great honor to be entrusted to his legacy. I wanted to make it happen and possibly in an alternate reality, that was the course of my journey, but not this reality. I love this art because it transforms lives. I love watching my students grow in their abilities, their coordination, their strength, and their character. pushing past limits they told me was too hard or they could not do. Anything is possible, and training your mind and body to know this is the biggest part of martial arts. Taekwondo has transformed my life to give back to my community in the ability to teach a philosophy of life, self defense techniques, a healthy lifestyle, and much much more. I would like to honor a couple of influential people in my journey here. Grand Master Yong Woo Kim, grand Master Hee IL Cho, Master Bill Morrison, and Master Brandon Williams, and Master Rich, Alexander, & Jerry Montgomery.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have had several injuries along the way and points in my life where I had to dig deep in order to continue. The injuries to my leg caused me to quit for quite a long time. I am fortunate enough to have children who pointed me back to tae kwon do. Part of tae kwon do philosophy is to finish what you start. And I feel that is what I’m doing. The path that is too simple to achieve is not worth achieving, but an honorable goal of hard work, dedication, pushing past your mental and physical limits is more than a goal, it is a journey. I have often heard, “it is not the destination, but the journey itself is the prize”. This is true in my journey. In every journey expect trials along the way and take joy in overcoming those challenges, that is the stuff that builds character.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The thing I am most proud of is continuing the legacy of tae kwon do under a magnificent grandmaster. Grandmaster Kim was the first taekwondo school in Utah. Grand Master Kim served as the taekwondo president for Utah for over 10 years and has promoted hundreds of black belts. Grandmaster Master Kim was a pro karate champion Until he got injured and then he started the first school here in Utah in 1984. What sets us apart is his legacy and incorporating the old traditions of tae kwon do. We have modernized to the world style tae kwon do but keeping the traditional values and self-defense techniques of what tae kwon do is known for. Kim‘s Academy is a very small school now as Grand Master Kim has taken a step back. His school in Centerville closed during the pandemic and never reopened. I have opened a new location at the sugar house park garden center at 1602 east 2100 south in salt lake. Taking over his school is a proud moment for me. I love that I have a rich tradition in Utah and have the honor to continue his legacy. I am proud that I am one of GrandMaster Kim’s legacy schools (in fact his only current one)
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other hobbies that you enjoy?
I love tae kwon do and martial arts in many forms. I love watching YouTube Instagram and Facebook martial arts where I continue to learn new techniques and watch tremendous athletes perform martial arts. Some of the first books I had were of Bruce Lee, and grandmaster Hee IL Cho as well as grandmaster Jhoon Rhee. Other interests and hobbies are Basketball, Chess, nutrition, and Tai Chi. Some of the podcasts I listen to are Joe Rogan, Dr. Bryan Ardis, Jordan Peterson, Wesley Huff, and Jesse the Karate Nerd
Pricing:
- *$125/ monthly membership (12 month commitment)
- $135/ monthly membership (6month commitment)
- (Other membership options)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kimsacademytkd.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kims.academytkd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/@kimsacademytkd.2023
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mastergodfreyTKD
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kims-academy-of-taekwondo-salt-lake-city?osq=Taekwondo
