I am so excited to introduce you to my dear friend, Valerie Holley. Valerie is a woman who knows how to dream big and make things happen. She is an intentional mother, a published author, an award-winning photographer, and the owner and master instructor of Grand Valley Taekwondo. Master Holley is a certified fifth-degree blackbelt. This is a rank that is rare in and of itself, but you should also know that only 10% of the people holding this rank are women.
Her taekwondo story started when she was a teenager. Taekwondo changed her life. It not only changed her physically, but also changed how she approached life. She gained confidence, and the 5 tenets of taekwondo became an integral part of her life. Later as a young adult, she became an instructor and found a love of teaching as she watched these same changes take place in her students.
Through taekwondo, she also found the love of her life, her husband James, who is a fourth-degree blackbelt and also an instructor at Grand Valley Taekwondo. Early on in their relationship, they talked about one day starting their own dojang, and have worked together to make that dream come true.
Grand Valley Taekwondo started as a small group of children’s classes held in their garage, but they opened the doors of their dojang last summer. Their schedule has grown and they now offer a variety of classes for children, youth, and adults, with plans to continue growing.
The location of Grand Valley Taekwondo was important to Master Holley. She loves living on the eastern side of our valley and knew there weren’t any martial arts studios in the area. She felt guided to open a studio in her community to build her community. Master Holley’s classes are so much more than fighting and board breaking. As students build their physical skills, they also build confidence and learn how to overcome all kinds of challenges. Theirs is a community of respect that builds great people.
