AGMA FOUNDER

- COMPETITION TEAMS HEAD COACH -

- MASTER INSTRUCTOR -

MASTER JET THORNTON

4th DEGREE BLACKBELT - TAE KWON DO

BLACKBELT - IADO/KENDO

"Coach Jet" is the proud developer, founder and Head Coach of the Avengers Competition teams, which began with the foundation work in 2002 and became a reality in 2003.  While training his son, Taylor, Coach Jet realized that there was little training and promotion of Olympic-style taekwondo competition at the National/International level, in the Hampton Roads area in 2002.  Having been an avid athlete and martial artist in his youth, Coach Jet realized the Hampton Roads youth were at a big disadvantage if they had dreams of competing in the Junior Olympics and hopes of making it to the Olympics in taekwondo.  While others talked of making changes, Coach Jet and his family decided to dedicate themselves to making a difference for young hopefuls by developing a premier martial arts program in Hampton Roads that would bring the opportunities to many other children that he was already providing for his son.  Coach Jet defied the local martial arts status quo by denouncing that there was not one person who had "all of the answers" and worked with accomplished martial artists from a diversity of styles to develop our unique training program.  Unlike some other programs, Coach Jet encouraged and embraced the support and participation of the competitor's parents, whether they had a martial arts background or not.  Many had experience in other sports or professional knowledge that was valuable to the growth and development of our athletes.  This belief is apparently similar to that of the Amateur Athlete Union (AAU) who also encourages parents to become supportive and involved certified coaches.

Since 2003, Coach Jet has freely volunteered his time as Head Coach and had the pleasure to develop his dedicated volunteer coaching staff of martial artists and parents.  To date, they have trained, coached and earned hundreds of Local, District, State, Regional, National and International Olympic-style Taekwondo championship titles and medals.  Unfortunately, some of the Avengers have moved on to other sports, hobbies or geographic locations;  however, none have been forgotten as an Avenger.  Once you have become an Avenger, you will always be an Avenger in Coach Jet's heart.  Whether or not you are the best athlete or martial artist during class or participation in the bi-annual team trials does not determine your success in making the team or succeeding on the team.  Coach Jet looks for students who have a good personal work ethic, a sense of team comradery and a sincere desire to train and succeed as an individual athlete and as a member of the Avengers.  These attributes will make a champion out of the less gifted athlete while the gifted athlete is apt to quit when the work gets tough or the attention is not focused on him or her.  Believing all of your team has the ability to succeed if they have the foundation to build on and parental support is the sign of a championship coaching staff and team.  Coach Jet and his coaching staff are Nationally certified Coaches, Referees and Officials in the Amateur Athlete Union (AAU) and USA Taekwondo (USAT / USTU) organizations, which compete in the Olympic-style (WTF) of Taekwondo.

Coach Jet openly invites former and current martial artists who want the opportunity to seriously compete at the National and International levels of Olympic-style Taekwondo to visit AGMA in order to meet with the coaching staff in an attempt to find out if we can provide you with a chance to achieve your dreams.  The Avengers style of fighting or coaching may be different than you are accustomed to and you must have the ability to adapt and learn new ways that will help improve what you already know.  This long athletic journey requires your dedication to your sport, team and coaches, as well as the support of your family.

TAYLOR THORNTON 

- MASTER INSTRUCTOR -

- TKD TEAM COACH -

 - ELITE TEAM CAPTAIN -

4th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO

BLACK BELT - IAIDO/KENDO

As a young Master of Taekwondo, Taylor Thornton has demonstrated his success in the competition ring as a competitor, coach and instructor.  While earning numerous GOLD medals as a Heavyweight Black Belt competitor, Master Thornton has helped establish an AGMA training program and competition teams that have already produced NUMEROUS International, National, Regional, State and District GOLD medals for his Avengers competitions teams since 2003.

Master Thornton is modest about his abilities and his success, as a martial artist should be, because he is dedicated and proud to train and coach others as they follow in his footsteps and hopefully, surpass him.  Master Thornton has accomplished a lot since he began training in Taekwondo at the age of 5 and he is an active student of Kung Fu, Judo, and Jujitsu, as well as an accomplished instructor of Iaido and Kendo.

Master Thornton's immediate personal goals include qualifying for the 2006 Junior World Team, 2007 AAU National Team, 2007 Junior Pan American Team and the 2008 and 2012 USA Taekwondo Olympic Teams.  As a team coach, Master Thornton hopes to train and coach his Avengers competition team fighters to achieve their personal best, regardless of whether it results in a Gold, SIlver or Bronze medal or the sense of ultimate personal accomplishment.

EXAMPLES OF MASTER THORNTON'S GOLD MEDAL SUCCESS:

US OPEN Championships

USAT Junior Olympic National Taekwondo Championships

USTU Junior Olympic National Taekwondo Championships

Virginia State Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships

Virginia State Open Taekwondo Championships

AAU National Taekwondo Championships

AAU Region 2 Taekwondo Championships

AAU Maryland Taekwondo Championships

AAU Potomac Valley Taekwondo Championships

Virginia Hanmadang Championships

Virginia All-Star Championships

Virginia State Games

Yong-In College National Tiger's Cup Championships

ETF Taekwondo Championships

Lee Brothers Taekwondo Championships

NC Fall Taekwondo Festival Championships

National Capital Open Championships

Mid-Atlantic Taekwondo Championships

AAU Virginia Taekwondo Championships

and hopefully many more medals to come....

2005

US OPEN

GOLD

MEDALIST

2004

2005

JUNIOR

OLYMPIC

GOLD

MEDALIST

2003

2004

2005

STATE

CHAMPIONSHIP

GOLD

MEDALIST

2005

14-17 YR OLD

BLACK BELT

GRAND

CHAMPION

DENNIS AGUIRRE

 - MASTER INSTRUCTOR -

- MMA TEAM COACH -

4TH DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO

BLACK BELT - TANG SOO DO

BLACK BELT - MUAY THAI KICKBOXING

 BLACK SASH - KUNG FU

Dennis Aguirre is the type of martial arts instructor that you should want in charge of your child's martial arts program:  Senior Instructor Aguirre has been a non-stop martial arts student, instructor and coach for the past 33 years.  While other instructors stop being a student after achieving their black belt, Aguirre has remained a student by continuously cross-training in several styles and he spends time with one of his teachers for annual training and testing.  Since there is no one perfect or ideal martial arts style, it is fortunate for students if your instructor is certified in several styles in order to teach you to become a well-rounded martial artist.  Master Instructor Aguirre is ranked Black Belt in Olympic-style Taekwondo, Tang So Doo, Kickboxing and a Black Sash in Kung Fu.

Aguirre began his training as a child and has also introduced his children to martial arts while they were very young.  His students are quick to respect him as an instructor because they feel the respect and concern that he has for them as students.  It takes a special person and teacher like Aguirre to caringly work with children on a personal and athletic level.  Aguirre has that gift.  While he may seem strict and stern to those who do not know him yet, his students quickly vie for his attention and approval.  He is a great role model for young kids and teens.

Aguirre's evenings are set aside for adult Taekwondo, Muay Thai and Grappling classes, as well as his own training.  He has been featured in Full Force Martial Art and Fitness Magazine and Focus Magazine.  Aguirre has also been involved in movie production as a fight scene coordinator and portayed a gang member in Psycho Kickboxer, starring Curtis Bush (3-time World Champion Kickboxer).  He also portrayed a Pink night gang member in the Vanishing Son movie.

Aguirre also assists Coach Jet and the Avengers as a certified coach, referee and judge.  He is a successful competitor and was ranked 10th in the Amateur Athlete Union in 1991.  Other titles include 1994 Forms Grand Champion, 1995 Breaking Grand Champion and 1996 Full Contact Taekwondo Champion.  Aguirre is also currently active as a Muay Thai competitor, coach and referee.

JOHN WILLIAMS

 - SENIOR INSTRUCTOR -

- TKD TEAM COACH -

2nd DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO

BLACK BELT - KARATE

RAY BOUSMAN IV

 - SENIOR INSTRUCTOR -

- TKD TEAM COACH -

3rd DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO

ROBERT LOPEZ

 - INSTRUCTOR -

- ELITE TEAM -

3rd DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO

KELLY COLLINS

 - INSTRUCTOR -

   - ELITE TEAM LEADER -

2nd DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO

PRESALEE COLLINS

- TKD TEAM COACH -

 1st DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO

OFFICIAL JR. OLYMPIC FIGHT TEAM  SPONSOR