South Lakes High School Hosts Tae Kwon Do Championship

By Matt Reider, Staff Writer

The National Capitol Open drew 300 competitors from 35 TaeKwonDo schools to South Lakes High School on March 22. Photo by Isadora Guerreiro.

For 46 years, Grandmaster H.K. Lee’s Academy of TaeKwonDo has hosted the National Capitol Open—a championship where TaeKwonDo schools compete in forms, sparring, and team demonstrations. The inaugural event took place at the Herndon Community Center in 1979 with 150 competitors. As the tournament grew, it moved to Herndon High School until 2009. Since then, South Lakes High School has hosted up to 650 participants.

This year’s 47th annual competition was held March 22. Due to a scheduling conflict with an event in Maryland, participation was reduced to about 300 competitors from 35 schools, with more than 500 spectators in attendance.

Discipline and athleticism were on full display as teams demonstrated their skills in forms, sparring, and team performances. “We see this as more than a competition; it’s a community event and a family reunion,” said Master Janelle Pham, daughter of Grandmaster H.K. Lee and the event administrator. Many family members, including her uncles, come together annually, and numerous schools have become part of the H.K. Lee family.

Photo by Isadora Guerreiro.

At the opening ceremony, Grandmaster Lee sang the Korean National Anthem, and Pham sang the U.S. National Anthem. The new Mayor of Herndon, Kevin J. LeBlanc, Jr., made introductions and recognized Grandmaster Lee as a pillar of the community.

Grandmaster Lee expressed his gratitude, thanking Herndon as the home of his TaeKwonDo school and Reston as his second home. He also acknowledged South Lakes High School for its support before leading the participants in an oath to compete with their best effort. The referees took an oath to maintain fairness.

Master David Sullivan, certified by the USA Taekwondo Association and serving as the event’s Vice Chair of Referees, oversaw 25 to 30 officials responsible for judging and scoring. “We are looking for technique, stance, precision, and focus,” he explained while evaluating the forms—a series of prescribed moves performed by the athletes. Earlier, Grandmaster Lee had asked participants to identify anyone displaying exceptional sportsmanship for a separate trophy awarded to those with an indomitable spirit.

The family atmosphere was evident, as many coaches share a personal connection with Grandmaster Lee. Joe Ash, a former student who now owns BAEPLEX School in Williamsburg, continues to return as a coach and actively promotes the sport. Master So, who brought 28 participants from his school in Hanover, Pennsylvania, emphasized the importance of "elite sparring" as preparation for the upcoming National TKD competition in Salt Lake City. A third-generation TaeKwonDo master, he noted that his school has attended the Capitol Open since its inception, as his grandfather knew Grandmaster Lee and his family.

Although martial arts are often seen as an individual sport, the competition highlighted a strong family and team spirit. When a student competes, teammates gather by the ring or in the stands to cheer them on. The day featured competitions across seven rings, with events in Poomsae (forms) and Kyorugi (competitive sparring), where combatants wearing protective gear scored points by striking their opponents.

The event concluded late in the evening with recognition and trophies presented across various events, age groups, and belt levels.