Steve Rosbarsky

The start of Steve Rosbarsky’s taekwondo career is the result of him looking up to his older brother, Matt. (Which by the way he still does.) His older brother was immersed in an era of new martial arts movies such as Revenge of the Ninja. These new movies then raised awareness of the older classics like Enter the Dragon. Steve’s older brother began Taekwondo as a result of this. And As a result, Steve later followed his brother to class.

Steve began Taekwondo under the tutelage of Sheehan Shigeki Umamoto, an instructor who held dan rank in many martial arts. In these early years Steve was trained in a very traditional form of taekwondo, one with a limited emphasis on taekwondo sparring. Steve excelled at this but, two years later, due to a dojang split his instructor changed to be Stephen Capener. Although he remembers little of the actual details of the split other that a new dobok with new patches, this one event changed his life. Steve Capener was a World Medalist and a Pan American Gold Medalist. He helped Steve begin his journey into the world of Olympic style sparring, something he would continue to compete in and coach in for the rest of his life. Steve first competed at Junior Nationals in 1985 when he was only 9years old. Although only a blue belt at the time, he was allowed to compete as a red belt and was officially awarded that rank after his competition. Steve won bronze medals at the Junior Olympics in 1988 and 1989. He continued under Capener until 1989 when a new instructor came to the school to instruct while Capener was in Korea persuing his doctorate degrees.

In 1990, Steve’s life again changed for the better. Bong Kwon Park was the new instructor. He was a Olympic Gold Medalist and a World Champion. To this day he is still the coach that Steve has the most respect for as far as his taekwondo knowledge. In 1991 Steve began competing in the senior nationals and other national level tournaments as a senior. Independent of one bronze medal at the U.S. Open in 1992, his success past quarter finals began in 1994 when he won the U.C. Open in Berkeley, CA. This led to being a 1995 National Collegiate Silver Medalist. This tournament in New York was not an easy one. Steve had his jaw dislocated with a hook kick in his first round of competition. He continued to win the fight and went to the medical area. The doctor said that there was no way he was going to allow him to continue. So, when he went to get the clip board to write down his information, Steve slipped out the curtain and continued the tournament through three more fights eventually losing the final to Raphael Park. This taught him a lot about perseverance and helped to create more faith in his abilities. This brings up the most influential person in his taekwondo life, Nick Terstenjak. Nick was Steve’s training partner from 1990 on, and his exclusive coach from 1995-2000, his most successful years to date. Nick was an incredible athlete whose US Team career was challenged early and continually by injury after injury. Steve’s success during this time was a result of trying to keep up with his “big brother” in taekwondo.

In 2001, Steve opened his own taekwondo school, Missoula Taekwondo Center. When he and his wife first opened MTC, about 35 students that had trained with Steve previously, migrated to the new school. With these students counting on him, his new focus changed from being only about himself to providing for all levels of his students. His goal was to provide guidance in pursuing a better way of life with traditional and sport taekwondo. He rapidly pursued more education not only in taekwondo but also in judo, hapkido, and jujitsu. His willingness to share information and his respect of others knowledge quickly built relationships with many instructors. Some being Jim “Ronin” Harrison (Hall of Fame), Tim Ghormely (Stanford Head TKD Coach), J.R. Reynolds (6th Dan Judo).

Then a full circle came, combining not only Steve’s past, but also all of his instructors past with Steve’s future. At a 2002 Junior Nationals, Steve and Amanda sat and talked to James Park, someone who also competed at U.S. Team Trials in 1997. In talking to James, Steve said that he didn’t currently have a connection to the kukkiwon for his black belts. The kukkiwon is the headquarters of the World Taekwondo Federation, the world governing body recognized by the I.O.C. In basic terms, the recognized certification process for blackbelts in Olympic style sparring. James said that his dad might be able to help. Little did Steve know how much his life was about to change.

Steve had met Jae Ho Park when he was a child at a tournament in Billings, Montana. He new he was an instructor in Montana long ago but didn’t know the history.

The history is, Ken Min started the Taekwondo movement in Montana in 1966. In 1969 Ken Min left to assume a position at the University of California, Berkeley and selected Jae ho Park as his successor. He began the Dae Myung Federation under which Shigeki Umamoto tested for his first dan. When Jae Ho Park left Billings, and Dae Myung split into two schools, Dae Myung Tendokan, under Karlo Fujiwara, and Dae Myung Toushi Kan, under Shigeki Umemoto. Steve Capener was trained by Shegeki Umamoto. Etcetera, etcetera until Steve met with Jae Ho Park and completed the circle.

Since then, Missoula Taekwondo center boasts over 35 black belts and 160 students. Steve was selected by Herb Perez, to be a Level One Coaching Presenter for the newly adopted Coach Identification and Development Program for USA Taekwondo. He was an assistant coach for an Athlete Development Camp at the Olympic Training Center, and an assistant coach for the Stanford Taekwondo Summer Camp in 2006. His hope is to continue this path and use all of his new knowledge to continue to change the lives of his students and prepare them for all life has to offer, good and bad.