Congratulations to Craig MacDonald on achieving the rank of GrandMaster. This is an impressive title that has many different connotations. Some will look at it as the number in front of the Dan Ranking, 6th Dan, 7th Dan, 8th Dan etc. Different systems even with in the confines of Tae Kwon Do will have different criteria. Some will say a GrandMaster is someone that has students that are themselves Masters! A good way to look at it!  Surely if an Instructor teaches to and mentors other Masters, he can be looked upon as a "Grand Master". My own personal view of GrandMaster MacDonald, is a man that has dedicated his life to giving to others. He is the kind of man that chooses to remain in the background, teaching, promoting, and always encouraging others, never speaking of his own accomplishments, of which there are more than we could possibly list here. He is a man for whom Martial Arts is not a hobby, an activity, or a sport, but rather an intricate part of his daily life. I can not imaging Martial Arts not being a part of his day. Grand Master Mac Donald is someone that has given far more back to the Martial Arts than the Martial Arts could ever give to him, being the humble person he is, he would probably not agree. In any event we will "attempt" in the documentation below to follow the path of Grand Master Mac Donald's long and complex life as a Martial Artist, this is in no way to suggest he has completed the journey, in his view he is just getting started.

Master Noguera

About GrandMaster MacDonald: By Adam Grogin

   Those of you that have attended any of our CaRMAA events the past few years or other local martial arts events may have noticed a particular master hanging below the radar. Not one to be on the microphone or in the center of the action, this distinguished gentleman can always be picked out of the crowd by his huge smile and warm approachable demeanor. Of course I am referring to Master Craig MacDonald, the owner of Glens Falls Tae Kwon Do. MacDonald recently earned his seventh degree black belt in tae kwon do and the very prestigious title of Grandmaster. Being the humble martial artist he is, many of us probably don’t know much about this modest man who has been quietly involved in our martial arts community for over three decades. In the past few years I have been fortunate to get to know Grandmaster MacDonald and to be inspired and motivated by his experiences and his positive attitude. I feel that it is time for him to come out of his humble place behind the microphone speakers and into the spotlight where he belongs! So who is this man in the shadows? The following are some of the facts and recollections of over thirty years of martial arts and a retrace of the path that one man took in achieving one of the most prestigious accomplishments in the martial arts world.

   Grandmaster MacDonald first started training in Tae Kwon Do in 1975 under Master Byung Hak Choi in Glens Falls, NY. Master Choi was a World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) stylist and taught the Pal Gye forms series. After fourteen years of training GM MacDonald decided he wanted to open his own Tae Kwon Do school. When he approached his instructor to discuss his interest in owning his own school, Master Choi offered to sell him their current school and GM MacDonald agreed, renaming the school Glens Falls Tae Kwon Do in 1989.

   In that first year, GM MacDonald held a Break-a-thon fundraiser. This was the start of a commitment to help the community through fundraising which would continue to this day, each and every year. These fundraising efforts started out benefiting non-for profit organizations such as D.A.R.E, MDA, St. Judes, CF, and CP. In recent years he has changed the focus to assist individuals with terminal illnesses and families with financial disabilities. Within the course of twenty years GM MacDonald has helped raise over $100,000!

   From 1989 to 1991 GM MacDonald continued to run and operate Glens Falls TKD at its original location. He continued to train and extend his knowledge as a student under Mike Friello out of Delmar, NY, learning the Chun Han International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF) series of forms. During that time Friello helped MacDonald develop his newly founded school while Friello also re-established the AAU. MacDonald earned his 4^th Dan in 1992 under Friello and Al Canella also signed off on it.

   GM MacDonald continued to impact the martial arts community with the introduction of two significant changes. First he obtained a beautiful four thousand square foot facility in Midtown Plaza which would eventually become the home of Glens Falls TKD until 2006. Secondly, GM MacDonald began training with Glen Smits out of Ellenville, NY.  GM MacDonald would frequently travel one hundred and thirty miles each way to Ellenville twice a week to train in an unheated garage on a concrete floor (or sometimes even outside in the winter in boots). While he wanted to, MacDonald couldn’t do this every week as e was running his school at the same time, but more often then not, he committed to his continued training.  Glen Smits taught GM MacDonald the Tae Geuk form patterns (from the WTF system) as well as the  Pinyans (pyung-ahns) series of forms, an older more traditional Japanese based series of forms from which the ITF forms were based. In addition Master Smits shared with MacDonald GrandMaster Lee’s entire Eagle Tae Kwon Do system, including his 3-steps, one-steps, stick, knife and gun defenses, bo staff drills and forms. Master Smits did all of this over countless hours at no charge for MacDonald. In 1997, the then New Jersey president of the USTU Kwan Jae Lee tested GM MacDonald for his fifth dan.

   In 2002, a seasoned GM MacDonald found himself ready for his next rank. However at this point in his life he found himself without an instructor. He made a brave move and “Cold Called” Grand Master Yeon Hwan Park in Long Island. GM Park holds a 9^th degree Black Belt and is the former coach of the U.S. Olympic and Pan-American Tae Kwon Do team. He has been featured in The New York Times, NewsDay, and on the covers of nearly every major martial arts magazine. In addition, he has written many of the Tae Kwon Do reference books viewed in the martial arts world as the gold standard on the subject. GM Park took in MacDonald with open arms. At 54 years old, GM MacDonald drove to Long Island where he underwent a 10 hour training and testing day. Immediately upon arrival and after the 5 hour drive he was asked to take the floor with GM Park’s students and review all material. GM Park wanted to acclimate MacDonald to the small differences and details as to how he liked things done. After the conclusion of the review, GM Macdonald was asked to stand up on front of all of GM Park’s students, a crowd of which GM MacDonald knew no one and commence his rank testing. GM MacDonald was required to perform all of his forms, not the way he learned them but rather the way GM Park wanted them done. He wrapped up his 6^th dan test with a five board solid speed ridgehand break (five boards held only on one side, and strike the boards with the thumb side of his hand).  As if the power/speed ridgehand strike wasn’t impressive enough, GM MacDonald followed it with a double jump front kick (two simultaneous front kicks with both legs at the same time in the air) breaking a solid 3 boards with each leg! After his five hour drive to Long Island, and his ten hours on the workout floor, GM MacDonald returned home to his family, another five hours, with no rest or breaks…a twenty hour straight Tae Kwon Do commitment.

   In 2003 GM MacDonald re-connected with long time friend GM Frank Noguera. At this time GM Noguera had become widely known for his Hapkido skills (a more street practical self-defense style of martial arts) and GM MacDonald started training in this style under GM Noguera.

   On June 5^th 2009, after 35 years training in Tae Kwon Do, a now 61 year old MacDonald performed the unheard of.  Just as he did seven years earlier, he drove the five hour trip to Long Island, and immediately, without rest physically tested for 7^th dan.  Martial Artists often reach such high levels of Black Belt at a mature age due to the time it takes to achieve these ranks. Most higher ranking levels are awarded based on knowledge and having “given back” and not physical abilities. Typical high ranking masters do not go through physical tests for such high ranking degrees. For GM MacDonald, who constantly preaches to his students to never let your age be an excuse, this was not an option. GM MacDonald, having just driven five hours, arrived in Long Island with a hurt knee from using the clutch in his car (caused by a torn ligament in his leg). He stopped on the way to GM Park’s school and picked up a cheap knee brace at a near by pharmacy, but by the time he arrived to GM Park’s school it had swelled up so much he could barely stand.  He proceeded to physically test, bad knee and all for his 7^th degree. Prior to starting this exam, GM Park warned him not to make one mistake during the test or else “NO BELT” as recalled by GM MacDonald. In addition to all of his forms, GM MacDonald was required to defend himself against a multitude of attackers with unplanned self-defense, including a multitude of attackers with knives & guns. He attributes his success with this portion of the exam to the Hapkido training from GM Noguera the past 6 years.

   GM MacDonald has always shared his passion for Martial arts with his family. In 1984 at the age of seven GM MacDonald’s son Matthew started training with him in Tae Kwon Do. Together in 1991 they traveled to Florida for the 1^st AAU Jr. Olympics. After driving twenty four hours they arrived to find their room reservations lost with no place to sleep. GM MacDonald pleaded with the hotel staff, eventually offering accommodations in their dining room on the floor. The next day Matthew won the gold medal in sparring in the fourteen year old division! Three years later Matthew went on to win the AAU National title for the seventeen year old division in both forms and sparring. Today his wife Tamsin and youngest son Aidan continue to train with him and are a daily presence at his school. Mrs. MacDonald will test for her black belt in June of 2010 and Aidan is already a second degree black belt at the age of ten, having started before he was four years old.

   Beginning as a green belt in 1976 GM MacDonald started competing in Tae Kwon Do Tournaments. Over the span of his training he has competed in over one hundred tournaments all over the country, including; New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Canada, Texas, Florida and others he can't even remember.  He won numerous gold and silver medals in both Forms and Sparring divisions in very prestigious tournaments such as; NYS USTU, the US Open Cup, Americas Cup, The Governor's Cup, and AAU Nationals.

   GrandMaster MacDonald continues furthering his knowledge to this day. He currently trains with Master Tom Mazzaferro in the advanced Chun Hans and in Tai Chi.

   GrandMaster MacDonald says that his “Greatest joy is watching our students’ progress and success in TKD and in life.  Many have won medals at national competitions over the years.  Some have become members of the military.  We have numerous Iraq War veterans who were children here, including my son, Matthew, who ended up as a platoon leader in the Marines, and is now on a SWAT team for the Nevada Test Site in Las Vegas. Each one says how great our training came in when it came to confidence and leadership skills. Many of our students have gone on to successful college and working careers.

   To me, Tae Kwon Do is about personal development, self-esteem, goal setting, personal fitness, leadership, confidence and a sense of accomplishment.  Winning is an extra reward for those fortunate enough to do so.  Everyone who stays wins.”

In conclusion GM MacDonald would like to "thank all of my teachers, and those who tested me over the past 34 years:  In order,  GM Byung Hak Choi, Master Michael Friello, Master Glen Smits, GM  Kwang Jae Lee, GM Frank Noguera, GM Y.H. Park and Master Tom Mazzaferro, without whose help and patience, I would never have progressed or succeeded. No one does it alone. And, as always, my students are my teachers every day." 

   On September 9^th 2009 GrandMaster MacDonald’s school celebrated its 20^th Anniversary. For all of these accomplishments and all he has done for us as martial artists and community members, I hope you will all join me in congratulating, not master MacDonald, but GrandMaster MacDonald!