In 2012, NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) ranked sophomore Austin Wilhelm in the top 10 in the 16- and 17-year-old division, and again in 2013, in the 18 to 25-year-old division. This makes him one of the top taekwondo masters in the world.

Taekwondo is a martial art, developed in Korea in the 1940s. After World War II, Japan lost power of Korea, and Korean officials planned to bring back Korean culture. They mixed two ancient defense arts to create a defensive technique with emphasis on morality and discipline, and so began taekwondo.

Wilhelm, a criminal justice major from Abilene, Tx, says he began taekwondo at age 5 for its moral code and discipline.

“I literally cannot stand still, and it helped me learn to control myself. So it was for self-control,” Wilhelm said.

This is in reference to taekwondo’s moral code.

“We have five tenants that we try to live by,” Wilhelm said. “Courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. They drill those into our heads.”

Austin’s commitment to taekwondo has led him to several high achievements, as well as brushes with fame. In 2012 he was nominated to enter the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and he was accepted in 2013.

“To accept the award, I went to St. Louis,” Wilhelm said. “It was a formal banquet, plenty of big people there.”

Among them was an original student of Bruce Lee, as well as Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, a taekwondo master and former world champion in karate.

Wilhelm said he plans to potentially incorporate his skills in a future career.

“I want to do something in law enforcement,” Wilhelm said. “I’ll probably start in the local police force and see if I can get to the state and federal levels.”

He said he intends to keep practicing taekwondo. Currently, he practices at Impact 360, which is at the Zion Training Center.

Before he came to Harding, Wilhelm said he trained under Master Chip Townsend, a three-time World Ultimate Breaking Champion in the International Sport Karate Association with many other honors under his (black) belt. At the moment, he also teaches at Impact 360.

Wilhelm said he believes 15 years of training and perfecting the art of taekwondo has played the biggest part in shaping his discipline, his morals and his faith.

“I wouldn’t be the strong Christian I am today without the morals that tae kwon do emphasizes,” Wilhelm said.