Sirota’s Alchymy is proud to announce that Master Michael Sirota has recently been presented with an 8th Degree (Dan) Black Belt in Taekwondo from the Korea Jidokwan Association. Jidokwan is one of the original Kwans (Schools) that created Taekwondo in the fifties. In Taekwondo, the 9th Dan is considered the highest obtainable rank. Individuals who earn the rank of 8th Dan or higher are considered Grandmasters. This rank validates Master Sirota as one of the youngest highest ranking active Taekwondo practitioners in British Columbia and Canada.Master Sirota who began his martial arts journey in 1983 has been devoted to martial arts full-time since his white belt days. He earned his 1st Degree Black Belt in 1987 and since then has had various roles in Taekwondo that has facilitated his personal growth, professional success and positive contribution to society.
In his teens, Master Sirota was a national level athlete competing in sparring at various championships. As competitions were limited at that time, compared to how it is now, opportunities for international level events were extremely limited. The ‘old school’ style of training that focused on ‘no pain no gain’ training philosophy filtered that only the mentally tough and loyal students continue. This solid foundation and courage obtained led him to start teaching Taekwondo in his early twenties and opening up the commercial space when he was only 22 years old.
Over the years, Master Sirota pioneered and lead various programs, including starting the Canadian National University Program that took Canadian athletes to World University Championships and Game. He has also worked on the provincial level coordinating Taekwondo to the indigenous communities, as well as bringing Taekwondo to the B.C. Disability Games. He was also Taekwondo Canada’s first Para-Taekwondo Committee Chairperson working on spreading Para-Taekwondo throughout Canada.
For the past eighteen years, he has been devoted to globalizing Para-Taekwondo (Taekwondo for individuals with impairments) that has lead him to present and share his vision at the highest level of international sport Taekwondo governance. He has conducted various instructor seminars all over the World as well as certified Para-Taekwondo in over thirty countries.
At the core however, is The Alchymy, Centre for Personal Transformation. The Alchymy has been a catalyst of positive change for our communities since 1992. Via the work at The Alchymy instilling positive life skills, he is fully committed to continuing to make a positive difference in our World!
“Martial Arts and my entire life is truly interconnected. Over the years, my life’s experiences, my work, my friends, my passion and even my travels have been connected in some way to Taekwondo and Martial Arts. Martial Arts training has impacted my life in so many ways and provided me with countless lessons and opportunities to grow and evolve. I am grateful for this path and look forward to continued personal alchymy in myself as well as others who choose to travel alongside me” Master Sirota