Northern Taekwon-do Academy Whiterock, B.C.

The first time when I met Master Barker was on a tournament (I had forgotten which one it was) but I noticed him as a nice person! The tkd peeps told me he is an awesome sparring instructor. The second time was at the IIC in San Francisco. There I had more time to actually talk to him and he told me if I like I can come to visit him. After a while I decided to go to one of his classes and I got hit with a stone. His great personal spirit and his love for tkd impressed me. After a second time at his class (it was in a small room in a church) was my goal clear, I wanna be his student! At the next IIC in Las Vegas we talked about his new dojang! Back home he showed me and Bea an empty room in White Rock. As he talked what it could look like I had seen his picture in front of me and so it starts! We talked a lot and spend a lot of time together in this empty room and as later the reno started it became also my dream! And the more and more we worked together we grew as a team! Now after all the work and time I can proudly say: we have a dojang! I did not only get an instructor but also a good friend and a nice family! I wish that more people join our family and share what we love, Teakwondo!!! Frank Lerch

I first trained with Master Barker over 20 years ago in Hazelton where he opened his first Taekwon Do club. As a teenager I was never very serious about my TKD training but I watched him mentor my younger siblings, especially one of my brothers, into incredible martial artists. I have never forgotten his commitment. When I moved to White Rock as a black belt and a more committed martial artist, I knew I wanted to train with Master Barker again. When I contacted him and realized he was opening a Do Jang only two blocks from where I lived, I was over the moon! In my very first class with him I relearned some of the most basic things, like walking stances. I was blown away with the precision with which he pulled apart my bad habits. I can only imagine where training with him will take me over the next few months and years and I’m incredibly excited to be a part of the White Rock TKD family!