Mr. Darius Andaya, IV degree, is the founder and chief instructor of DSA Royal International Taekwondo Club. He started his Taekwon-Do career in 1983 at the age of 12 with the Philippine International Taekwondo Jido Kwan Association under Mr. Johnny Morris Arsol. He had to travel 1.5 hours each way to train in the art that has since become his passion. In 1988, Mr. Andaya was promoted to I Dan Black Belt and became a Certified Principal of Taekwon-Do under the supervision of the Jido Kwan Main Temple and the Korea Taekwondo Association and in 1990 promoted to 2nd Dan Black Belt.

On that same year, Mr. Andaya started teaching his art to a small group of friends in his neighborhood. Ultimately, the club became known as the St. Michael Taekwondo Club and members came from all over the city.

In 2000, Mr. Andaya moved to Vancouver, BC. He taught taekwon-do at The Cage Martial Arts Centre in 2003. At the same time he studied Arnis, the filipino art of stick fighting under Datu Shishir Inocalla (IMAF Philippines, Michaelangelo of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).

In 2007, seeing that his children are at the right age to start training, he began teaching them through the Surrey School Board Facilities. Their friends started joining in and thus, the DSA Royal International Taekwon-do club was born. As the number of students grew, the need to compete and be a part of the ITF family became evident. If the young students were to be blackbelts someday, they have to be recognized by the ITF. Mr. Andaya contacted the ITF and has since been affiliated with the International Taekwondo Federation under the mentorship of Master Hal Lipscombe, 7th Dan, of the Pacific Rim Institute of Taekwon-do in Port Coquitlam.

Since Mr. Andaya's II Dan Black belt from the KTA (which is now under the World Taekwondo Federation) is not recognized by the ITF, Mr. Andaya retested and received his 2nd dan belt from the ITF under the Canadian Taekwondo Federation Internationale and in 2010 received his third degree black belt. On July 2013, Mr. Andaya received the rank of International Instructor (Sabum Nim) when he received his fourth degree blackbelt during the IIC at Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

Other Information:

October 2008, attended the annual President's seminar presided by Grandmaster Tran Trieu Quan (IX Dan, ITF).

November 2009, 10 delegates from DSARITC (including Mr. Andaya participated at the 5th annual Friendship tournament and received a total of 17 medals (6 gold, 6 silver and 5 bronze medals). DSA received gold in patterns and silver in sparring)

April 2010 Mr. Andaya, Manuel red belt, attended the 52nd Annual International Instructor's Seminar in Denver, Colorado and received certification as an International Instructor.

May 1, 2010, 7 delegates participated at 2010 BC Provincial Tournament held in Vernon,BC. (received a total of 13 medals (7 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals). Mr. Andaya received gold in Patterns, Silver in Powerbreaking and Bronze in Sparring.

May 2 2010, DSA attended the Umpire Seminar in Vernon,BC and received certification as a Class B Umpire.

2011, Mr. Andaya became a member of the Communications Committee of the ITF of BC and took over as webmaster of the ITFofBC website.

September 2012, Mr. Andaya was elected as a ITF of BC Board Director for a one year term. He was later appointed as Chairman of the Communications Committee during the 2012 Annual General Meeting of the ITF of BC.

February 10, 2013. At the 2013 BC Provincials, Mr. Andaya won Gold in Powerbreaking and Silver in Patterns.

April 2013. Received bronze for powerbreaking at the National Championships held in Quebec City, Quebec. At the same time, son Manuel, qualified for the National team to represent Canada at the World Championships in Benidorm, Spain after winning Gold in Juniors Powerbreaking.

July 2013. Attended the 85th IIC in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and received his 4th Dan after examinations officiated by Master Kurt Ottesen, VII dan.

October 2013. Official delegate of Team Canada at World Championships in Benidorm, Spain.

November 2013. Elected for another 2 years to the ITF of BC Board of Directors.

April 2014 Received Gold for Powerbreaking and Silver for Patterns at the Western Canadian Championships held at Warman,

October 2014 DSA Hosted the 2014 BC Cup at the SFU West Gym. Attended by 237 delegates from all over BC. DSA team received 31 gold 18 silver and 10 bronze. Mr. Andaya received received Gold in Patterns and Prearranged as well as a silver in Powerbreaking.

November 2014 Nationals in Saskatchewan, Regina, Mr. A received Gold in Patterns, Gold in Team Patterns and a bronze in Powerbreaking.

January 2015 DSA opened its first full time school at 4600 Imperial.

Outside of Taekwon-do

Mr. Andaya is married and has 4 children, all practicing Taekwon-do. He has a Masters degree in Business Administration, a Bachelors degree in Computer Science, and was on his way to finishing a Doctorate degree in Business before he left Manila. He is also a certified private pilot, a sports enthusiast, a painter, a poet, a singer, a dancer, but most of all, a dedicated family man.

He currently works full time as a Business Manager at Mercato Dental Centre as well as managing D4Photobooths, owned by his wife Rowena, on the side. He and his wife are also active members of the Tagalog Mass Choir at St. Mary's Parish in Vancouver as well as the BC Acafellas.

Master Hal Lipscombe

Master Hal Lipscombe was promoted to 7 th Degree Black Belt at the International Instructors Course held in the Dominican Republic during the weekend of September 7-9, 2012 by the International Taekwon-Do Technical Committee headed by Grand Master Marano and member Grand Master Ung.

Master Lipscombe has been training in Taekwon-Do for 31 years and also studied Hapkido for 2 years.

He has taught ITF Taekwon-Do since 1985 in Port Coquitlam B.C. through Parks and Recreation Department. The School started out very small and over the years has remained in the 40 to 50 student range by design. The philosophy of Master Lipscombe has always been “Quality” vs. “Quantity” thus the reason for small classes.

Upon receiving his 4 th Degree Black Belt in 1998 he became an International Instructor and trained under the mentorship of Master Andre Blake, 8 th Degree Master until Master Blake's untimely death in May of 2001. In 2003 Master Lipscombe started his association with Grand Master Trân Triêu Quân and continued to training under the instruction of Grand Master Tran until Grand Master Tran's passing in January 2010.

Though the years Master Lipscombe has attended 10 International Instructor Courses, 4 conducted by the late General Choi Hong Hi, and the balance under the direction of the ITF Technical Committee. He was promoted to 5 th Degree Black Belt in 2002 and to 6 th Degree Black Belt in 2006.

Master Lipscombe has been a Director of the International Taekwon-Do Federation of B.C. since it's' inception in 1987 and has held the position of President numerous time, including (at the time of writing this Bio) the past 6 years. He also holds a Directorship with the Canadian Taekwon-Do Federation, International.

Over the years Master Lipscombe has helped to develop many first class Black Belts and has the honor to still have many of them still training with him even as they have reached the level of 4 th , 5 th , and 6 th Dan.