Mrs. Pruter has a long history in the martial arts that has culminated into
her current passion for the art that is surpassed by few. By the direction
of her father, Dr. James Duvall, she started in Judo at the very young age
of 5. Her father, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant was also a Master in
Judo and Jujitsu.
In August of 1980, again by the direction and blessing of her father, Mrs.
Pruter began Taekwondo training with Grandmaster Ri Kon Ko. On March 27, 1983
Mrs. Pruter received her 1 st Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo. In 1985 Mrs. Pruter
graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Psychology.
In 1985 Mrs. Pruter began teaching Taekwondo for the Liberty Parks and Recreation
and also the YMCA in Grandview Missouri . During this four year time she advanced
several students to Black Belt one of which currently has full time involvement
in Taekwondo today, Mr. Kevin Pruter, whom she married in 1987. Mr. Pruter
is her business partner and 5 th Dan Black Belt at the Blue Springs location
of Pruter's Ko's U.S. Martial Arts.
In 1988 Mrs. Pruter's interests guided her into the Kansas City police academy.
She then gave up her program at the YMCA in Grandview and handed the Liberty
Parks and Recreation Program to her student Mr. Jack Hair. She was employed
by the City of Kansas City Missouri as a patrol officer until late 1991. She
enjoyed the excitement and challenge of being a police officer but she decided
to take her life in another direction.
In late 1991 she left the police department to teach Taekwondo full time at
the Independence Missouri Ko's Academy, which she purchased from Master Ri
Kon Ko. Master Ko decided to move to Overland Park , Kansas and open up a new
studio at 105 th and Metcalf.
In 1992 Mr. and Mrs. Pruter had their first child, Tasha Elle Pruter, a beautiful
little girl. In 1994 Mrs. Pruter competed at the United States Taekwondo National
Championships in Atlanta , Georgia . There she earned her first national medal,
silver in forms (poomse), at the age of 32. That was just the beginning of
an illustrious career in competitions at the National level. Since that time
she has won over 15 National Championships in forms at three different levels,
3 rd Dan, 4 th Dan, and 5 th Dan. She also has medals in sparring and board
breaking, but her specialty is form. She is still adding medals to her medal
count to this day; National Competition has become a hobby, a great training
motivator, and a fun vacation time to spend with family.
In 1996 Mr. and Mrs. Pruter had their 2nd child, Hans Baron Pruter, a handsome
little boy. In 1999 Mr. and Mrs. Pruter combined their talents and opened Ko's
U.S. Martial Arts at 1222 NW. Woods Chapel Rd. in Blue Springs , Missouri .
Over the past few years Mr. and Mrs. Pruter have traveled to Korea several
times to learn more about Korean culture and Taekwondo. In April of 2001, Mrs.
Pruter received her 5 th Dan Black Belt from the Worlds Martial Arts Federation,
which is under the leadership of Grandmaster Il Kwon Kim from Cincinnati ,
Ohio .
In March of 2002 Mr. and Mrs. Pruter moved the studio to a 3,000 square foot
facility at 3413 N.W. Mill Drive one mile from the old location.
Along with her passion to teach Taekwondo Mrs. Pruter also has a passion to
teach other women the word of God. She is currently active with her church
the Kansas City Baptist Temple at 5460 Blue Ridge Cutoff, Kansas City , Missouri
in the area of personal Bible study. She takes women on a one on one personal
study of the Bible to teach them the Bible and ground them in a relationship
with God and his word. If you are interested, just ask her about it.
Master France Pruter credits her success in Taekwondo to:
• Her belief in God and her faith in his son Jesus Christ
• The disciplined instruction of her former Grandmaster, Ri Kon
Ko
• Her parents Dr. and Mrs. James Duvall for their encouragement
and support
• Her husband for his patience, support, guidance and friendship
• Her children's patience
• Her many dedicated students for their support, respect and loyalty
1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do,
do all to the glory of God.”
Mr. Pruter
Mr. Pruter's childhood was spent on a family farm in central Kansas. He was the youngest of five brothers. His early years were filled with hard work on the farm and going to church three times a week. He was active in high school in drama, music and sports.
In 1982 he went to Mid-America Nazarene University on a football and track scholarship. In 1985 he met is future wife and began taking Tae Kwon Do from her at the Liberty Parks and Recreation. In 1987 he married Ms. France Duvall, in that same year he finished his college course work and graduated in the spring of 1988 with a B.A. in History. Mr. Pruter gives his wife credit for graduating the top history student class of 1988.
The next eight years reads like the fast track out of a corporate sales magazine. Mr. Pruter worked for three different companies winning top sales awards with all three. However, the time and energy spent at work and away from his wife and daughter had its price and in 1996 Mr. Pruter decided to purchase and run the Blue Springs location of Ko's Academy. This decision was rooted in a family business philosophy, rather then working at a separate career why not work together with his wife and family. This decision was not with out challenge but he quickly adapted and the studio that he purchased in 1996 with 50 active students was raised to 100 students by the same time the following year. At the same time the Independence Studio with Mrs. Pruter was cruising with around a 100 students.
In 1998 Mr. Pruter competed in his first National tournament and won a silver medal in sparring at the age of 34 in the Golden Senior (yes that is what they called it, they have since changed the name to the Ultra, is that much better?) division of the United States Taekwondo Union (USTU) which is now USA-Taekwondo (USAT). He quickly fell in love with National competition and to this date competes every year. He has accumulated a string of consecutive national medals of all color, Gold, Silver, and Bronze; in Sparring and Form; and in three different ranks, 3rd Dan Black, 4th Dan Black, and 5th Dan Black. Each year he tells himself that it will be his last, but each year he keeps going back. (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, nine years and counting)
Mr. Pruter took his first trip to Korea in 1999 with his wife, and several students. The trip was sponsored by Grand Master Il Kwon Kim of Cincinnati Ohio. The trip changed his life in a positive way and he recommends that all Taekwondo students travel to Korea at least once. Since that time Mr. Pruter and his wife have been back to Korea several times with Grand Master Kim and students.
Also in 2001 Mr. Pruter enrolled in the Shepherd School of Ministry a four year Bible institute located within the Kansas City Baptist Temple at 5460 Blue Ridge Cutoff, Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated June 12, 2005 with a diploma in Biblical studies. His purpose for attending was to increase in wisdom and knowledge of the Bible which would make him a better; person, husband, father, and Taekwondo instructor. His thesis was “A Believers guide to the Martial Arts.” If you want it just ask him for it.
Mr. Pruter currently holds a 5th Dan Black Belt with the World Martial Arts Federation under the leadership of Il Kwon Kim of Cincinnati Ohio, which he received in June of 2005
In 2006 Mr. Pruter began working more diligently with the USA-Taekwondo organization www.usa-taekwondo.us and during that process attended the United States Olympic training centers first USAT high level training camp in Colorado Springs, CO. At the camp he worked and trained with the brightest minds in USA sport Taekwondo and became a Level one certified Coach. This process went even further and by the middle of the year he was certified as a level one coach presenter, which meant he was teaching other USAT coaches the level one and associate coach material. Mr. Pruter believes that you do not have to be an Olympian to train like an Olympian and that all Taekwondo practitioners can benefit through greater knowledge of modern training techniques. (Thank you Grand Master (Coach) Perez for the opportunity) Grand Master Herb Perez is the CEO of the High Level Training Centers L.L.C. www.highleveltraining.com
In 2006 Mr. Pruter also became a staff presenter for LifeGuard Youth Development; this is a government funded organization that educates youth in character based principles, enabling them to make wise choices today for a positive future.LifeGuard will educate youth in avoiding “at risk” behaviors such as drugs, alcohol and sex before marriage, in order to stay focused on their goals and dreams. For more information go to www.guardyourself.org
Mr. Pruter would like to credit his success and happiness to:
• God the father and my best friend his son Jesus Christ.
• My Tae Kwon Do instructor and second best friend, my wife Mrs. Pruter
• My wife's instructor Master Ri Kon Ko who has influenced both of our lives tremendously.
• My parents for bringing me into this world, loving me and teaching me the value of hard work
• My children Tasha and Hans
• All the dedicated students and friends of Pruter's Ko's U.S. Martial Arts for their loyalty and patience.
Psalms 144:1 “Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust.”
|
