Melinda Bear?

[pesilat]

Hey all. I began training in TKD back in '78 in Anderson, Indiana at the YWCA under a woman named Melinda Bear (that's how her name was pronounced - it may have been spelled different but I don't remember).

If memory serves, she had to quit teaching because of her job (I don't remember the specifics after all this time).

Anyway, I occasionally wonder what happened to her. This time around when I wondered what had happened to her I realized that I've got access to a large group of TKD stylists here and some of you may have more recent news about her.

Thanks, Mike

 

[Kacey]

I don't know her, or know of her - but hopefully someone on the board can help you. Do you recall any other details? Which association she was with, or what form set she did? Anything might help.

 

[GlassJaw]

Hey all. I began training in TKD back in '78 in Anderson, Indiana at the YWCA under a woman named Melinda Bear (that's how her name was pronounced - it may have been spelled different but I don't remember).

Hunt through all the boxes in your Ma's attic to see if you can find one of your rank certificates from back then. Should help you with the spelling of her name and maybe what association(s) she worked through.

Dan

 

[pesilat]

Her instructor was an old Korean who lived in Illinois (Peoria, I think) named Choi - I know, that's shocking, right? Bear in mind that when I say "old" that's coming from the memory of a child's perception (I was 7 or 8 when I met him). He didn't speak any English - though may have learned it later. He had a few sons and I think one of them was named "Young" or "Yoon" (only heard it said and never saw it spelled).

Another detail - she had a son named Donnie who was, I think, about my age which would put him in his mid to late 30s now.

No clue what organization - and I didn't start hearing talk about different organizations until the mid-80s when I was no longer training in TKD. Based on what I remember and talking to other people, though, I would guess that we were doing WTF. I vaguely remember the terms Palgwe and Taeguk and the 8th Gup Taeguk outlined here seems like the first form I learned - again, though, we're talking about 30 years ago so my memory may be fuzzy and I've discussed TKD forms with quite a few people over the years so those conversations may have colored my memory but I'm pretty sure that's the form I learned.

I don't have any of my rank certificates from then but a few years ago my mom pulled out my TKD yellow belt cert. I don't know if she still has it or not. I'll have to see if she still has it or any others.

Mike

 

[terryl965]

I remember a Melinda Bahr that did tournaments fighting back in the late seventy and early eighties, which was Olympic style and she was in direct linage of GM Choi out of Minnisota, I knew she was from Indiana, but I do not remember if she tought out of the YWCA, she was part of the A.A.U and USAT scene for a while and then kinda just faded out around 1987 and have never really given it a second thought . If it is the same woman she was a three time National Champion and was one heck of a fighter.

 

[pesilat]

I remember a Melinda Bahr that did tournaments fighting back in the late seventy and early eighties, which was Olympic style and she was in direct linage of GM Choi out of Minnisota, I knew she was from Indiana, but I do not remember if she tought out of the YWCA, she was part of the A.A.U and USAT scene for a while and then kinda just faded out around 1987 and have never really given it a second thought . If it is the same woman she was a three time National Champion and was one heck of a fighter.

Interesting. Though the way we were taught to spar doesn't resemble any of the Olympic style TKD I've seen recently. Have the Olympic rules changed any? We were taught about 60% kicks & 40% hand strikes and striking to the head was legal. The way we sparred in class and the tournaments we attended all allowed head shots. The Olympic style TKD guys I've sparred in the past 10 or so years have used almost no hand strikes and several of them didn't even keep their hands up because, I assume, they didn't train with head strikes.

Mike

 

[Kacey]

Interesting. Though the way we were taught to spar doesn't resemble any of the Olympic style TKD I've seen recently. Have the Olympic rules changed any? We were taught about 60% kicks & 40% hand strikes and striking to the head was legal. The way we sparred in class and the tournaments we attended all allowed head shots. The Olympic style TKD guys I've sparred in the past 10 or so years have used almost no hand strikes and several of them didn't even keep their hands up because, I assume, they didn't train with head strikes.

Mike

That sounds more like ITF rules than WTF rules - however, there were a lot of independents at the time you're talking about too. If you could remember that names of some of your forms, that might help us narrow it down.

 

[pesilat]

Cool. I never heard her mention an affiliation with ITF or WTF.

I'll talk to my mom and see if she still has that yellow belt cert. I'll get back to you guys then.

Thanks for the help so far.

Mike