Taekwondo black belt and tutor Billy Bourne, from Raetihi, said starting the Korean martial art at the age of 6 was never his idea.
He was born and grew up in Henderson in Auckland. It was an uncle who sent him to taekwondo lessons in the suburb of Titirangi as support for his older cousin Jasmine Bourne, who had congenital hearing problems that were affecting her balance. She was 9.
"My uncle had met a guy at a concrete place who was a taekwondo instructor. He told him about Jasmine and her balance problems and he told my uncle the sport would really help Jasmine and she should come along, and I was sent along as well to be with her."
From that very first lesson Billy, now 30, loved the sport.
"It really did help Jasmine with her balance, but she only stayed for about two years because they shifted."
By that time Billy was into the sport and strict discipline of taekwondo, which he said is about calmness, dignity and sincerity.
He became the youngest student in New Zealand to receive a black belt when he was 9 and won a second degree black three years later.
He met his partner Codie six years ago and they would travel to Raetihi from Auckland several times a year to see her family, he said.
Two years ago they made the permanent move to the Waimarino town with their two small sons Joseph now 7, and Nuthanuel, 5.
Just six weeks ago their third son, Tristyn-lee , was born.
Billy said although the small town was vastly different to Auckland it was better for their young family.
"The school here in Raetihi is amazing, and I worked there as a teacher aide for a year."
But seeing local teens out at 10pm in the streets smoking and drinking with 7 and 8-eight-year-olds tagging along riled him.
"It just made me so angry, the lack of discipline and the fact that no one seemed to care. These kids needed something to do."
Billy set up his taekwondo school initially in his house but then, with more students, to a large room at the Cosmopolitan Club in Raetihi.
Word soon spread and he was getting students from Ohakune as well and within a few months Taihape locals were calling and asking him to go over and teach the martial art there, he said.
"One thing just led to another and now I'm in Taihape twice a week and teaching six days a week now."
His students range in age from 4 to 49 and his combined Waimarino/Taihape team was performing brilliantly, he said.
"We've already got five North Island champions."
At the last tournament in June he took a team of 10 to Bay Open in Tauranga and they won nine medals - two gold, four silver and three bronze.
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art combining combat and self-defence techniques with sport and exercise.
It was developed by a variety of Korean masters during the 1940s as a combination of Okinawan karate, Chinese martial arts and ancient Korean traditions.
Billy said his school started with 150 students but he has weeded it out down to 50.
"I only want the best ones, the ones who are keen, committed and work hard."
It's all about deepening your personal power and control, he said.
"I am proud of my students but I am a tough teacher, and they know it."
Already the school is training for next year's North Island championships in New Plymouth in March and the Bay Open, again in Tauranga.
Before that Billy's former instructor from Auckland, Mark Hall, is coming to Raetihi in January to grade the students before they compete again. He will also run a seminar.
"I trained with Mark for 13 years. He's been teaching taekwondo for 24 years and is one of the best teachers in the country."
Taekwondo as an art is practised in more than 180 countries. It is generally regarded as the most popular of the martial arts and its growing popularity led to it becoming an Olympic sport, he said.