Inducted into the A.M.A.H.O.F.(Inc) for 2012
Instructor of the Year – Taekwondo Australia
Inducted into the W.K.U.H.O.F. for 2012
Instructor of the Year – Taekwondo Australia
Website: https://www.southernitf.com/
Steve Weston, is the Eighth degree black belt Master Instructor/Examiner of Southern ITF Taekwon-Do. He has been teaching Taekwon-Do for over forty years. Apart from his professional qualifications as a medical scientist and science teacher he has also completed courses in fitness instruction, coaching and first aid. He is the currently Vice-President of “Evolutionary International Taekwon-Do Federation” and has been the Chair of the Umpire Committee for ITF HQ Korea, the President of the Tasmanian Martial Arts Council, and the Secretary General of ITF Taekwon-Do (Australia). He has been involved with setting up and running Umpire courses Internationally and coaching courses for Martial Arts instructors in Tasmania. He has spent time living in Korea and working at the International Taekwon-Do Federation Headquarters Korea, offices developing policy and direction for the body.
He began his martial arts career in 1981 in Rhee Taekwon-Do (Australia) and achieved the rank of first degree in November 1986. In 1993 he joined the ITF and performed a recognition grading for first degree. He has subsequently passed gradings for 2nd and 3rd degree and was graded for fourth degree in 1999 and fifth degree in January 2003 by the son of the founder of Taekwon-Do, Master Choi Jung Hwa. He tested for 6th degree under the ITF Technical committee on the 27th July 2008, 7th degree in 2015 and 8th degree in 2022. Since Joining the ITF he has attended five International courses with General Choi, one with Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha, four with Master Choi Jung Hwa, one with Master Nestor Gallaraga, more recently four with the ITF Technical committee and many national seminars with International Instructors.
Steve has also competed in National and International competitions and has consistently won medals each time he has entered. In 1996 he took out the gold medal in the black belt patterns division of the Australasian Championships. He has also coached many students that have won significant events in competition including several Australian, Australasian and Oceanic champions. Many of his students have also competed in the ITF World Championships with three winning medals at this level. He has acted as the Australian Coach in Argentina in 1999 and as a World Championship referee/umpire in Italy, Quebec, Mar del plata and Wellington. In 2000 he was awarded a medal by the Australian government for his contribution to sport in Australia.
As senior instructor for Southern ITF Taekwon-Do he has personally enrolled over 1000 students and trained over 100 black belts. He runs classes each week night at a dedicated dojang in new Town, Hobart. Master Weston has been a significant member of AMAHOF since being inducted in 2012 having held positions on the Management Committee, was Secretary, and was Vice Chairman of Sokeship Council, and is the Current President of AMAHOF (2025-2029).
Despite his competition awards Steve believes that apart from its obvious self defence aspect, the purpose of Taekwon-Do is to allow students to develop self-confidence and attain their chosen goals. As General Choi points out “Though it is a martial art, its discipline, techniques, and mental training are the mortar for building a strong sense of justice, humility and resolve. It is this mental conditioning that separates the true practitioner from the sensationalist content with mastering only the fighting aspects of the art.”