Success Story
Training in Taekwondo can be the beginning of something far greater than learning kicks, techniques and self-defence. It can build confidence, discipline, resilience, determination and self-belief — qualities that can influence every aspect of your life and help you achieve things you may once have believed were beyond your reach.
For some, that journey can lead to remarkable achievements far beyond the dojang.
This is the story of one of our members — and how the lessons learned through Taekwondo helped shape a remarkable journey of success.
From Young Beginner to the Big Screen
Where The Journey Begins
In the mid-1980s, a young boy named William Mickleburgh walked into Grand Master Davies’ club as a complete beginner, beginning a journey that would ultimately take him far beyond his first expectations.
From the outset, William demonstrated genuine commitment, enthusiasm and dedication, training regularly and embracing every challenge placed before him. His hard work soon began to produce results — progressing steadily through the grades, developing his skills and confidence, and eventually earning his Black Belt.
Along the way, his dedication was rewarded with success in tournament competition, providing an early glimpse of what could be achieved through determination, perseverance and a willingness to keep learning.
But this was only the beginning of William’s remarkable journey…
From Taekwondo to TV & Film
As William grew older, his interests expanded into Drama and Dance, while his passion for Taekwondo continued to develop. The discipline, physical conditioning and mental determination gained through years of martial arts training helped give him the confidence, resilience and drive to pursue new challenges and succeed in the performing arts.
William went on to establish a successful career as a TV and Film Actor, as well as becoming a Stage Fight Coordinator, combining his martial arts expertise with his professional performance skills.
His Taekwondo abilities also opened the door to roles in martial arts productions, including Underground, where he portrayed one of twelve elite fighters competing in a brutal underground, bare-knuckle, no-holds-barred contest.
But William's Taekwondo journey never ended.
Today, many years after first walking into the club as a young beginner, William continues to train and has achieved the exceptional rank of 8th Dan Grand Master with the World Taekwondo Chung Do Kwan in Korea.
He also remains Grand Master Davies' longest-serving student and a personal friend, demonstrating a remarkable connection that has endured across generations. Their relationship continues today through regular contact and their shared involvement in a national Chung Do Kwan Alliance.
From a young beginner taking his first steps in Taekwondo, to the world of TV, film and the highest levels of martial arts — William's story is a powerful example of where dedication, opportunity and perseverance can take you.