Whangarei Instructors gain Protect Self Defence Accreditation

Phil Thompson (second from left) with Whangarei Central Instructors after their successful Accrediation test

Three Instructors from the Whangarei Central Branch of Pacific Sun Taekwondo recently qualified as Protect Self Defence Accredited Trainers (Level 1). Senior Instructor Dion McCracken and Instructors Sam Butturini & Chris Dick joined an exclusive group of just 20 people in New Zealand who have gained the qualification.

Protect Self Defence, co-founded by former PSTKD student, Phil Thompson, is an internationally recognised leader in reality based self defence and has developed this qualification which is offered by invitation only.

“Protect programmes focus on empowerment and the ability to avoid or de-escalate potentially violent situations ahead of an immediate physical response if at all possible.”, Mr. Thompson said. “If not possible then our physical training is highly effective but also socially responsible. I am very proud to welcome our new trainers to the team, they are all fantastic people with a genuine desire to help people.”

The qualification allows the Trainers to teach parts of Protect’s self defence system within their own dojang.

“Protect’s system is the real deal.”, Dion said. “From a real world self defence perspective, it’s far deeper and more effective than anything I’ve ever come across. It’s great that we’re now able to teach valuable parts of their method alongside our traditional martial arts.”

Senior Instructor Dion said that his team will be following up with a further qualification focussing on Protect’s self defence system for children in the coming months.