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Maurice Orange was born in Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma on the 18th April 1955.
He had his first Martial Arts experience
at the age of 12 years. Unfortunately,
his experience was one of disgust because
the instructor beat him up. Subsequently,
he told his mother that he would never
do the Martial Arts ever. He was most
upset with the manner in which the instructor
treated him, but he was quite impressed
by the fact of how skilled he was. He
moved to California in 1973, and joined
the United States Navy and became trained
in the study of speech and hearing.
He was stationed at a Naval Hospital
in San Diego until December, 1976 after
which he was transferred to Guam, in
the Marianas for the remainder of his
active tour of duty. He started the
Martial Arts seriously under an instructor
named John Rossette. Mr Rossette was
a teacher of the style Wing Chung Kung
- Fu. He
trained with Mr Rossette for two
years. One day he took up a Black
Belt magazine. On the cover he saw
someone doing a very spectacular
kick. He took the magazine to Mr
Rossette to have him teach kicks
to him of that nature. Mr Rossette
told him that these kick techniques
are unique to Taekwondo and he should
seek a Taekwondo instructor. On Mr
Rossette's recommendation he started
under his first Taekwondo instructor,
Mr Chuck Hawkins. Mr Hawkins was
a student of Pat Burlesson and Alen
Steen . Their instructor was Grand
Master Jhoon Rhee. Thirteen months
after starting Taekwondo he attained
the rank of first Degree Black Belt.
He taught Taekwondo while in Guam
to civilian and military personnel
abroad. He was discharged from the
military in 1979 after which he tested
for the rank of 2nd Degree and began
entering tournaments. He broke into
the U.S.A. Top Ten as a result of
tournament participation and later
moved up into the top 3, this was
about the time he was due for 3rd
Degree testing. He tested and won
1st place both in Pattern and Free
Fighting in the U.S Grand National
that year. He was notified later
that he had gotten a no change in
his testing. This was one of the
most disappointing moments in his
Taekwondo career. He could not understand
how he could have performed so well
physically and receive no change
on the test. Later he discovered
it was his attitude, being too cocky.
His superiors thought that his attitude
needed to be adjusted before he could
be promoted . He got his 3rd Degree
on a second testing. Sabum
Orange's first school was opened
in National City, California. This
has been a love affair since, He
currently has over 300 active students
He opened two other schools, one
in Spring Valley, the other in Chula
Vista, both in California. Later
he sold both locations to two A.T.A.
Junior instructors who wished to
follow in his path. He now concentrates
all his efforts on the school in
National City, and his branch here
in Kingston Jamaica. He has 150 Black
Belts presently under his portfolio
that are active in training. Sabum
Orange offers his life according
to his Taekwondo philosophy. He visited
Korea on many occasions. He went
to the A.T.A./S.T.F
Leadership Training Camp held in Korea
at the Hae-in-sa Temple. 196 Certified
Black Belt instructors attended the
camp headed by Master H.U. Lee President
and founder of American Taekwondo Association
/Songahm Taekwondo Federation. This
was the largest contingency of Black
Belts ever to visit Korea from the U.S.A. In
1990 Mr. Orange resigned from the American
Taekwondo Association. He now spends
time maintaining contracts teaching
combat applications to the United States
Navy Seals and Law Enforcement Officers
in the state of California. He founded
the SideKickS Martial Arts Academy and
continue to teach regular Taekwondo
classes. He visits Jamaica at least
once per year to give Mr. Delroy McDowell
(senior instructor of the local Sidekicks
Taekwondo Association) support with
the association to see that good techniques
and organizational procedures are maintained
Master Orange currently holds the rank
of 6th degree black belt, and he lives
in San Diego California. |