Master Steven S. Lee                           5 Time US Nation Team Member and National Team Captain Former U.S. National Team Captain and New Jersey Junior Olympic Team Coach, Master Steven S. Lee has been studying the art and sport of Tae Kwon Do close to 30 years. Master Lee's original reasons for studying Tae Kwon Do were for self-defense and for the discipline it instilled. Born in Seoul Korea, Master Lee moved to the town of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey at an early age and began studying the art of Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do. He excelled from the very beginning.  As a as a young teenager he began competing at the adult division.  At the age of 16 he had won multiple adult division grand championships at all the prestigious competitions in the east coast.  His young career was high lighted by winning 1st place at the famed S. Henry Cho’s Madison Square Garden Tournament, in which previous winners included Chuck Norris and Joe Lewis. After graduating from Hasbrouck Heights High School in 1989, Master Lee was invited by Coach of the U.S. Olympic Tae Kwon Do team to live and train with a select group of Olympic hopefuls at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The sponsorship would include full tuition at the University of Colorado as well.  The offer was accepted by Master Lee and for the next 10 years he has successfully competed and won repeatedly at The World Championships, Pan American Games, The World Cup and many other world class competitions.  At that time Tae Kwon Do was not yet a full Medal Olympic sport, however partly due to the success of Master Lee in all major international competitions; the US Olympic Committee could not refuse but to change Tae Kwon Do’s Olympic status as a full medal sport. Now that Master Lee has retired and has come full circle back to his childhood home town; he has devoted his life to help install the discipline and the self confidence he has learned, through all his travels with the U.S. National Team, to his students. Master Lee would like to acknowledge the following masters, coaches and teammates for their countless support. Master Richard Raciti: for his guidance during Master Lee's early years and installing the toughness needed to be a future champion. Olympic Gold Medalist Herbert Perez: for his world class knowledge and the training ethics which proved to be most valuable on the U.S. National Team. Olympic Coach Master Han Won Lee: for all the years of inspiration and the motivation at the National Team level. Competitors/Teammates Steven Lopez and Juan Moreno: for the challenge. Master Steven S. Lee's Distinguished Career 1999 – Gold - Olympic wt. National Championships 1998 – Gold - US National Championships 1998 – Gold - Spain Open, Barcelona 1998 – Belgium Open Team Captain, Brussels  1998 – Bronze - World Cup, Germany 1998 – Danish Open Team Captain, Copenhagen  1998 – Pan American Team Captain, Peru 1998 – US National Team Captain 1998 – Canadian Open Championships, Edmonton  1997 -- Mexican Open Team Captain, Acapulco  1997 – Gold - US National Championships, Oakland 1997 – Gold - US National Team Trials, Colorado 1997 – Silver - World Cup, Cairo Egypt 1997 – Gold - US Open Championships, Colorado 1997 – US National Team Captain 1997 – World Championships Captain, Hong Kong 1996 – Gold - US National Championships, Colorado 1996 – Gold - Collegiate Championships, Los Angeles 1996 – US Olympic Training Center Team Captain 1996 – Gold - US National Team Trials, Colorado 1996 – Silver - Pan Am Championships, Cuba 1996 – World University Championships, Russia 1996 – World Cup, Rio De Janeiro 1995 – US Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year 1995 – US Olympic Training Center Team Captain 1995 – Gold - US Open Championships, Colorado 1995 – Gold - US National Team Trials, Colorado 1995 – Gold - US National Championships, Houston 1995 – Pan American Games, Argentina 1995 -- Bronze US Olympic Festival, Colorado 1995 – World Championships, Philippines 1994 – NY Korean Association Athlete of the Year 1994 – Gold - US National Championships, Atlanta 1994 – Gold - US National Team Trials 1994 -- Bronze - Olympic Festival, St. Louis  1994 – Gold - US Open Championships, Colorado 1994 – World Cup, Cayman Islands 1994 – Pan American Championships, Costa Rica 1994 – Gold - Collegiate National Championships 1994 – Silver - KBS World Cup, Seoul, Korea 1993 – Gold - Good Will Championship, Puerto Rico 1993 – Gold - US Olympic Festival, San Antonio 1993 -- Silver Collegiate Championships, New Orleans 1992 – Gold - US Cup, Hartford

click here to view Master Lee's picture bio Master Lee was chosen to pass the torch at the 1996 Olympic Flame run for his distinguished contributions to the Olympic movement.      Master Lee at 1997 World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.           Master Lee against 3 time Olympian Juan Moreno.               Master Lee against 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist Steven Lopez.

U.S. National Championships (from left to right) Master Sang Lee, Justin Poos, Steven Lee, Steven Lopez, Angel Armendiez U.S. Olympic Center - Colorado Springs, CO.