About Robert P. Leclerc, Sr.

Robert P. Leclerc, Sr. began training in the martial arts in 1979 and started teaching children’s classes in 1986, launching a lifelong commitment to instruction, mentorship, and leadership. From 1988 to 1990, he served as Head Instructor of Southerton Karate in New Windsor, NY, while simultaneously acting as Assistant Head Instructor in Newburgh, NY, gaining early recognition for his teaching ability and organizational leadership.

In 1990, Robert P. Leclerc, Sr. enlisted in the United States Army, where he served as a Military Police Officer from 1990–1993. While stationed in Germany, he was selected to instruct fellow military personnel in unarmed combat, a role that reflected both his technical expertise and leadership under pressure. During this assignment, he was also employed by the Department of Defense to establish a martial arts program for the children of soldiers stationed on base—an early example of his commitment to service, structure, and youth development. In 1994, Robert returned to the United States to continue teaching under Master Southerton and through additional martial arts programs.

From 1994–1995, Robert P. Leclerc, Sr. managed and operated Tri State Martial Arts Centers in Middletown, NY, enrolling 270 families. The following year, he taught at, managed, and helped operate Seo’s National Karate, a program serving more than 450 families, further refining his expertise in school leadership, enrollment growth, and instructor development.

In March 1996, Robert P. Leclerc, Sr. opened the first Leclerc’s Martial Arts location in Hyde Park, NY. Over the years, he expanded the organization to multiple locations throughout the Hudson Valley. At its peak, Leclerc’s Martial Arts operated six schools, serving more than 750 students, and promoted nearly 1,000 black belts. Robert trained countless competitors for national and international competition, including more than 75 athletes on Team Leclerc, many of whom earned NASKA Top 10 rankings and World Champion titles.

Beyond his schools, Robert P. Leclerc, Sr. held numerous leadership roles within the martial arts community. He served as Vice President of the U.S. Goodwill Tang Soo Do Association, Tournament Director for the World Dang Soo Do Union, and as a member of both the Financial Committee and Building Committee for Sparrow’s Nest. He also acted as a World Moo Duk Kwan Liaison for the Heritage Program and, in October 2019, was invited to train in Korea as one of only three individuals worldwide representing the World Moo Duk Kwan Heritage Program.

In 2018, Robert founded the International Tang Soo Do Practitioners Association (ITSDPA), which grew to include national member schools across New York, Connecticut, Colorado, and Florida, as well as international member schools in Wales, United Kingdom, serving more than 1,700 members. This connection brought together a number of schools that remain linked to one another to this day, a lasting testament to the enduring strength of the relationships he fostered and clear evidence that his legacy continues to live on.

As a competitor, Robert P. Leclerc, Sr. is a 15+ time NASKA World Champion with numerous World Top Ten titles, earning victories at tournaments around the globe. His competitive accomplishments and lifetime contributions to martial arts have been recognized through his induction into the Amerikick Hall of Fame, the Ocean State Grand Nationals Hall of Fame, and the Diamond Nationals Hall of Fame. In 2017, he also received the Who’s Who Legends Award from the American Martial Arts Alliance.

Robert P. Leclerc, Sr.’s impact on martial arts in the Hudson Valley, New York, is far-reaching and enduring. Numerous schools and instructors still operating today—including those in Fishkill, Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck, and Wappingers Falls—trace their instructional lineage directly back to him. Many of these instructors remained connected to Robert for more than 25 years, fully aware of the circumstances surrounding a mistake he made in 1996, yet continued to recognize and support the value of his instruction, mentorship, and contributions to their professional development.

Over the course of almost four decades, thousands of families have benefited from the high standards of professionalism, discipline, and innovative martial arts training developed by Robert P. Leclerc, Sr. His legacy lives on through the instructors he trained, the schools he helped shape, and the countless students whose lives were positively influenced by his work.