Master Garth Charland
TSDMA #005

Master Charland was on a U.S. team in 1990, visiting Poland and Russia for friendship tournaments and demonstrations. He was frequent competitor and very successful on the tournament scene mainly in forms, fighting and breaking. Recalling his most memorable moments he cites the 1992 Green Mountain Challenge where he won the largest Middleweight division he had ever seen, then won the Grand Champion in fighting and then with the help of his teammates (Richard Hoyt and Fred Bushy), won the team fighting division against teams as far away as Russia.

He runs one of the largest karate training facilities in New England and was co-founder of the United States Tang Soo Do Association.

He began his martial arts instruction career in 1988 teaching a karate program for the Watertown, CT Parks and Recreation. After making it the most popular program outside of Pop Warner Football (120 students) with the help of Master Scott Hanson, he gave the program to its current instructor and opened full time in 1992, later that same year he was married to 2nd dan black belt Teresa (Mongillo) Charland. They are still happily married (yes, these days that is worth mentioning).

On December 1 of 1996, he was promoted to the rank of 4th dan by a large American based Tang Soo Do style.

Master Charland was our Best of the Best Champion for 2002, and was promoted to 5th dan on Saturday, August 3rd, 2002 by the TSDMA masters, and invited masters in attendance.

On Monday, September 30 2002, Master David L. Sgro also promoted him to 5th dan in the San Kil Tang Soo Do organization. 

He is one of the cofounders of this organization the T.S.D.M.A. In 2006, Master Charland was named Chairman of the Board of Advisors of the United States Goodwill Tang Soo Do Association.

In November of 2007 Master Charland tested for the rank of Yuk Dan (6th) and was promoted in March of 2008 by Master David Sgro through San Kil Tang Soo Do. This promotion has no bearing on the directorship of the organization, the senior masters remain Charland, Daniels and K. Laliberte. We have no interest in a monarchy, history has proven that a democratic society is best.