Inverness Tang Soo Do master becomes highest ranked female dan in Europe
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Kelly O’Connor says she doesn’t know what her life would have turned out to be if she never took up Tang Soo Do.
From taking up the sport as a child to setting up Inverness Tang Soo Do as a teenager, she is now the highest ranked female master in the Korean martial art in Europe.
At the Scottish Championship held in Lossiemouth, the 44-year-old’s services to Tang Soo Do was recognised when she was promoted to seventh dan by the martial art’s grandmasters in a special ceremony.
O’ Connor says it is an honour to receive something in recognition she has dedicated most of her life to.
She said: “We don’t know of any other high ranking female masters in Europe.
“There are some who are seventh dan in the United States, but no woman in Europe who holds the rank.
“I have trained with Scotland Tang Soo Do since its initiation in 1993.
“We had grandmasters come up for the 30th anniversary which took place in Lossiemouth.
“We did presentations at the beginning of the Championship and recognised the 30th anniversary of it in Scotland.
“The grandmasters had another special presentation to make and thanked me for my work over the years in Scotland.
“I have travelled all over the world for events helping and support them.
“It was one of these things where after you achieve sixth dan, everything is presented and not graded anymore.
“So it was a real honour to be awarded the seventh dan by the Grandmaster.”
Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art based on karate and may include fighting principles from taekkyeon, subak, as well as northern Chinese martial arts.
From its beginnings in 1944 to today, Tang Soo Do is used by some Kwans to identify the traditional Korean fusion of martial arts styles.
In the mid-1950s, Tang Soo Do became the basis for the martial art Taekwondo.
Originally from Forres, O Connor first took up Tang Soo Do as a child when she experienced bullying at school.
Looking to build up her confidence, she was invited to take up the Korean martial art at a club based at RAF Kinloss.
She was the only female at the club when she first joined. And as well as learning Tang Soo Do, she says that she learned important life skills which made her a more confident person.
“I was bullied when I was a young teenager at school.
“I was brought up not to fight or get in trouble.
“But that is fine until you don’t fight back and become a target.
“A friend of the family had been posted to the area and wanted to start a club. He had no women or children at the club and invited me to come along to try it out.
“After that the bullying definitely stopped. Not because I became physically violent, but I developed self esteem and confidence.
“I knew that I was worth more and started standing up for myself. I started saying to bullies that they weren’t going to do it anymore and I wasn’t taking it.
“A lot of my students, and reasons other people start a martial art, is due to bullying. It is the age old reason for doing it, but it is so true.
I started Tang Soo Do in a gym in RAF Kinloss and being the only girl and woman there was unique.
“I loved it and I haven’t stopped kicking since.”
O’ Connor went on to start her own club, Inverness Tang Soo Do at Hilton Community Centre, when she was just 18 and is believed to be one of the longest running clubs at the venue.
It is particularly impressive given O’Connor runs the club as a hobby, alongside her full time job of being an IT manager.
There are around 40 students at the club, ranging different age groups, but the majority of students are teenagers who are impressing in competition. The majority of students finished with at least one top three finish in their respective categories at the Scottish Championship.
She is always impressed with the level of dedication they show, which is an inspiration to her and the club.
“Every tournament they blow me away how well they do, they are in challenging categories as well,” said O’ Connor.
“I am a multi grand champion myself and won every level at British, European and World Championship.
“The world championships are coming to Scotland in 2025 and it is planned to bring them to Inverness.
“I have been telling my own students the world championship will be on home turf and they have to win!”
The club holds training sessions on Tuesday with juniors between 6.30pm to 7.30pm, with adults between 7.30pm and 8.30pm and senior grades between 8.30pm and 9pm.
Training sessions also take place on Friday with juniors sessions between 6.30pm and 7.30pm and adults between 7.30pm and 8.30pm.
As well as learning a martial art, O’Connor says it can help individuals develop for the better.
“It is definitely not just about learning to defend yourself, it is about life skills, leadership and speaking in public. It is not just about kicking and punching, but that is the most fun side.
“Often I have to do speeches at seminars and tournaments and one of the key things I would say is I don’t know where my life would be without martial arts, I don’t know what kind of person I would have become if I did not have it in my life.”
