Staff photo / J.T. Whitehouse He still has it. At age 70, Grand Master Moon Park is showing no signs of slowing down.

BOARDMAN — When people enter their senior years, there is a phrase often used when asked how one is doing.

“Still kicking,” is the often-heard response, but for one Boardman businessman, it could read “still kicking … high.”

Grand Master Moon Park, 70, owner and founder of Master Park Martial Arts International in Boardman, has passed the 55-year teaching mark and is showing no signs of slowing down. He is still active in his Boardman studio and still giving back in the community he calls home.

Park was born in Tae Joon, South Korea, in 1955. He began the study of martial arts with an uncle in Tae Jon when he was around 5 years old.

Like many young South Koreans, Park went through high school and finished college in Seoul. While in high school, he started teaching.

“I started the first Leo’s Club in South Korea,” Park said. “I was the charter president.”

He also continued teaching martial arts and started a high school / college program boasting 500 members.

Park also played baseball while in school, giving him an understanding of what teamwork is all about. He was the founder of the Samsung Baseball Team and a city-wide baseball league in Korea.

“After school, I went to work as an engineer for Samsung in the quality control department,” Park said. “It was a great company to work for. (During my time there), I won citywide, regional and national quality control competitions in South Korea.”

Park also served in the South Korean Army in a special division unit. He saw his unit win competitions in physical, academic and special drills and performances. He placed first in the Korean Army Ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling) competition.

With other family members in the U.S., Park made the decision to move here and become a U.S. citizen. He came to the U.S. in 1984 to open up a karate studio and continue teaching martial arts.

“I opened the first location in New Castle in 1984,” he said. “Then about two years later, I opened one in Boardman and one in Austintown.”

His studios continued to grow with five Boardman locations, two in Austintown, six in New Castle, two in Salem, two in Niles and one location each in Warren, New Brighton, Pa., Chippewa, Pa., Youngstown and Norfolk, Va.

It didn’t take Park long to see what the real need is for the country. He said there is a lack of discipline, which is a large part of what he teaches.

“The most important part is the mind,” Park said. “One needs to learn to respect self, build confidence and build fundamental life skills.”

He said many children enter his classes and have a hard time with mental skills. Within three months, their lives change as they develop discipline.

Park expanded his teaching to include entire sports teams.He trained the four-time national championship Youngstown State University football team for 23 years, ice hockey teams that won National Championship for 20 years, and various other sports teams and individuals in soccer, baseball, football, track, cross country, golf, swimming, bowling and figure skating.

“I use my engineering skills in martial arts training,” he said. “Martial arts depends on structure and how to use the body.”

He said simple things like proper breathing are of the utmost importance, along with posture, if one wants to improve strength and mentality.

“I don’t teach fighters,” he said. “I teach you how to be successful in life. That is my mission — changing people.”

“I remember having a young boy in class and he was crying,” Park said. “His parents were getting a divorce and his sister was going with his mom. He said he was crying because he missed his sister. I told him God made crying and it’s ok to cry. I sat down with him and cried with him, then we prayed and afterward, he felt better.”

While he focuses his programs on high standards of discipline, education, value, quality, decency, respect, confidence, leadership, health and well-being to improve and empower human life, he always has a heart to understand what others are going through.

He combines the teaching of mind, body and beyond with Hapkiyudo, Taekwondo, Karate, Yudo, Judo, Jujitsu, Hapkido, Aikido, Hwarangdo, Dahn, Self-Defense, Krav Maga, Taichi, breathing, relaxation, circulation, focus, agility, speed, balance, flexibility, meditation, Yoga, stretching and Ki-Gong. His training sessions cover people of all ages, including the elderly.

Park’s success in the area, combined with his mission of improving lives, has seen him train hundreds in the sports arena, in corporate programs and in his many performances he does locally and around the nation. He also serves as director of the World Taekwondo Championship and Women’s Taekwondo Championship demonstrations and performances in Hong Kong, is president of World Sports, Martial Arts & Expo / Miss Martial Arts, Mr. Martial Arts / U.S. Martial Arts Championship / United States Martial Arts Championship / Master Park Martial Arts International / World Hapkiyudo and World Hi-Ya. He is president of the Hapkido Association, is a board member of Korean Hapkido and serves as president of Citizens, Communities & More Inc.

Park can be seen at many community functions, as he strongly believes in giving back. He participates in various Rotary and Lions Club activities, including distributing winter coats to children in need. Additionally, he is involved with the Kiwanis Club, where he distributes dictionaries to third graders in Boardman.

He stepped out on the dance floor and won the “Dancing with the Valley Stars” for Children’s Hospitals by performing a hip-hop dance to the tune of “Kung Fu Fighting.”

He has also volunteered as a runway model for various hospital fundraising events.

“I teach more than just fighting,” he said. “Education, service in the military and working are all important in life. I am not interested in fighting or even the Olympics. This is all about improving life.”

He said one area of concern is discipline.

“America has a discipline problem,” he said. “So many lack discipline, and discipline is needed to be successful, productive and to live a good life. Discipline is important in the way I teach.”