ABOUT | Taekwondo Louisville

THE OWNERS

Taekwondo Louisville's Instructors offer expert guidance, tailoring instruction to each student's unique pace and skill level.

SR. INSTRUCTOR

Matt Brown

For Sr. Instructor Matt Brown, martial arts is a pursuit of sharpening both mind and body. His path began at age nine, took him through various martial art systems in his twenties, and eventually led him back to training at Kentucky Karate Club. Following the school's transition to Taekwondo Louisville, Matt achieved his Black Belt rank at age 52.

When their former school closed its doors, Matt and a dedicated core of adult students stepped up to ensure authentic training remained in the community. Over the past two years as Sr. Instructor of Taekwondo Louisville, Matt has focused on building a dojang culture where ego is left at the door. His mission remains absolute: delivering high-quality, real-world martial arts that prioritizes skills over status.

INSTRUCTOR

Shelly Brown

Shelly's martial arts journey began at Hester's Kentucky Karate Club in December 2018 when she enrolled her granddaughter, Regan (5), in the Lil' Dragons class, followed by her grandson (3) in March 2019. In June 2021, her grandson Donovan earned his green belt and challenged Shelly to join the adult class. Initially hesitant, Shelly was persuaded by a friendly bet: who could reach black belt first?

Three years later, Shelly and Donovan tested for their school black belts together on September 26, 2024. Upon learning of Hester's Family Fitness sale, Shelly joined fellow students to transition Kentucky Karate Club into Taekwondo Louisville. As an owner, Shelly attributes her children's personal growth and achievements to karate's discipline and lessons. She's committed to guiding students toward success in martial arts and beyond.

INSTRUCTOR

Cephas Idan

Growing up, I’ve always been interested in martial arts. Unfortunately, there were no schools near where I lived, so I was unable to start training until I got to university. Our martial arts club at the university offered both WTF style taekwondo and Shotokan Karate which gave me the opportunity to learn both arts; however, my focus was more on Taekwondo. In 1998 I earned my

school black belt in WT Taekwondo.

I moved to Nottingham (UK) for further studies and got introduced to ITF style Taekwondo. While in England, I had some health issues and stopped training for some time.

I started training again in 2017, and in 2021 I joined Master Frank Rowe’s School. When Master Rowe retired, we decided to keep the school open, with me as the head instructor. In 2023, I got my Kukkiwon certification (DAN# 50012279), through Grandmaster Lolly. My goal is to continue to grow in my martial arts journey and help others with the little knowledge that I have acquired on the way.