Hollywood, CA (For Release) – The Masters Hall of Fame inducted Kancho John Chang, a 4th Degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate, at the 2015 Awards Banquet sponsored by Monster Energy on Saturday, June 6. The historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the site of the first Academy Awards ceremony, was the venue for this signature event. Martial arts actor T.J. Storm hosted the evening as Master of Ceremonies, and Martial Arts History Museum President Michael Matsuda presented the keynote address.
“This award is special for me because it acknowledges my years of hard work combining these different styles to form Chan Tai Do.” Kancho John Chang
Kancho Chang first studied Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Chin na and Kung Fu while a Chinese refugee in Malaysia, forced to leave Vietnam, after the Vietnam War. At the age of eight his family immigrated to the United States, where his father forbad his study of the martial arts in the fear that he might injure another child and possibly lead to the family’s deportation. To get around this, Kancho Chang became involved in grappling in junior and senior high school, joining the school wrestling teams. Unable to afford a four-year institution, he attended Foothill Junior College where he found a thriving Shotokan Karate group, eventually working his way up to 4th Degree Black Belt.
In 2003 Kancho Chang brought all of his martial arts experiences together to found Chang Tai Do, a martial arts form based on a mixture of Kung Fu, Karate, and the grappling methods of wrestling and Chin na. His Chang Tai Do group now holds classes in the Bay Area cities of Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Los Altos and Menlo Park.
“I am very honored to accept this award from the Masters Hall of Fame,” says Kancho Chang. “I would like to thank my family, especially my wife and daughter, for their support, dedication and patience. I would also like to thank Senseis Rick Roberts, Brian Keats and Gene Tibon for their mentoring and friendship. Thank you also to all the parents, students, friends and families that have made Chang Tai Do unique and special. There are no words to express how humbled and honored I have been for all their help.”
The Masters Hall of Fame was founded in 1999 and is recognized as one of the premier Martial Arts events on the West Coast. The association recognizes exceptional Martial Arts Leaders and Legends through induction into the Masters Hall of Fame. Honorees are chosen for their dedication to the martial arts and their work in the community, as well as their individual successes.
To learn more about Chang Tai Do, visit the website at http://changtaido.com. For more information on the Masters Hall of Fame, visit the website at http://www.mastershalloffame.org. For media information contact Kamatoy Media Group at 844-526-2869 (844-KAMATOY) or [email protected].
