Mr. Barry Weisberg

 

4rd Degree Black Belt
Certified International ITF Taekwon-Do Instructor
 

In my professional life outside of Taekwon-Do, I was a public school teacher and administrator for 32 years up to my retirement in June of 2018. I taught middle school for eleven years and then the remainder of my career I taught high school and then was a high school administrator and principal. I possess both a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Master’s Degree in School Leadership plus additional graduate hours of coursework after that.

A brief background of myself as it relates to Taekwon-Do starts with a life altering journey beginning in 1975. That was the year I started my Taekwon-Do training which has continued over the years and decades as a student and instructor. 

This journey began with first training in Moo Duk Kwon. I was taught by Manual Rodriguez, starting in 1975 at the age of seventeen. Mr. Rodriguez moved from New York City to my area in Illinois, USA. Mr. Rodriguez was a direct student of Grand Master Richard Chun and trained at the Richard Chun Taekwondo Institute in New York City. I also traveled to New York to train on occasion with Grand Master Richard Chun and his students.

After watching a local demonstration in 1978 by Mr. Mack Newton and his students from the Newton Taekwon-Do Center, I immediately inquired and ultimately joined Mr. Newton’s school that same year. Mr. Newton and the Newton Taekwon-Do Center were members of the International Taekwon-Do Federation back when there was one ITF. My instructor, Mack Newton, also coached the USA team at the 3rd World ITF Championships in Argentina in 1981. Shortly thereafter, Grand Masters Mack Newton and Gwen Hall formed the American Taekwon-Do Coalition (ATC). 

In 1981 I received my 1st Degree Black Belt. In 1983, I received my 2nd Degree Black Belt. Within a few months after that, my instructor moved out of state. I continued to train with my instructor by traveling several times to his new out of state location. My instructor Grand Master Mack Newton passed away in 2024.

Even though I continued to train and teach after my instructor relocated, being tested for promotion was not important to me. Training, teaching, sharing the art of Taekwon-Do, and having disciplined students that reflected strict Taekwon-Do expectations and high standards was my barometer for success.  Though I did test successfully for 3rd Degree Black Belt in 2020, thirty seven years after my last promotion. Grand Master Marcel Bedard tested and promoted me for 3rd Degree.

On August 2nd, 2025, I was tested and successfully passed for 4th Degree Black Belt by Grand Master Vjacheslav Semenkov, who is the President of the Latvian Taekwon-Do Federation. Assisting Grandmaster Semenkov during this 4.5 hour examination was Mr. Oleksandr Dymtruv, 5th Degree ITF Black Belt. 

On September 27th through 28th, 2025, I completed the respective International Instructor Course (IIC) and examination to become an International Instructor in the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) and the corresponding privileges and responsibilities associated with this title. 

My Taekwon-Do teaching career began in 1979 through 1985 at a branch school of the Newton Taekwon-Do Center.

I then started my own school in 1987, the Weisberg Taekwon-Do Center. I taught through 2005. Due to my position and time commitments in public education as an administrator and later high school principal, I had to stop teaching in 2005, though I continued to train on my own. I would like to emphasize that I never stopped training, never took time off. Of course, later when I had my two hips replaced, I took time to heal and rehabilitate and then resumed my training. In 2018 I returned to teaching Taekwon-Do and reopened the Weisberg Taekwon-Do Center and continue to this day. 

Over the years in addition to Taekwon-Do, I taught kickboxing classes, fitness classes, and Women’s Self Defense classes and workshops. I was also a high school Cheerleading coach. Taekwon-Do contributed to my success for all these endeavers.

I am currently sixty-seven years old, and my physical abilities basically have not changed over the years. My passion and “never give up” attitude have continued in Taekwon-Do. My instructor instilled with us the philosophy of Pil Sung.

I have taught hundreds of students of all ages over the years. I continue to train and teach others to be their best, have goals, and to never give up in any aspect of their life.