Name: Richard Peterson College affiliation: New York University Hometown: Siren, WI Course of study: History and East Asian Studies Year: 2008 Collegiate Coaches: Tim Marmo, Master Albert Lee Other Coaches: Master Mark Lesly, Lloyd Brown Hanshi (Okinawan Karate) Weight Class: Heavy Date of Birth: 1/27/86 Interests: Okinawan Karate, Judo, Hapkido, cooking

More about Richard:

Prior to competing in the league, Richard had extensive experience competing in full-contact bare knuckle Karate events, which he still occasionally coaches.

Thoughts about the INCTL and Taekwondo in general:

After my experience in full-contact competitions, I saw the world of Olympic-style Taekwondo as a way to challenge myself in a new and unique way. The rules of the competition may be different, but both realms of competition have allowed me to learn a lot about myself as a person. While a member of the NYU Taekwondo team, I have met some close friends, grown as a martial artist, and fed my competitive spirit. The league is a great place for people to learn the true spirit of the martial arts, and focus on the perfection of character rather than simple wins and losses.