World Class Tae Kwon Do
World Class Tae Kwon Do is a privately held martial arts school operating two dojangs in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area, serving 600+ active students ages 4 to 74 through Preschool, Kids, Teen/Adult Tae Kwon Do programs and FGHTR Fitness Kickboxing under a recurring membership model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What World Class Tae Kwon Do does
Master Scarsella's World Class Tae Kwon Do is a privately held, family-owned martial arts school operating two dojang locations in the Birmingham, Alabama metropolitan area (Inverness and Hoover). The school delivers traditional Tae Kwon Do instruction across four program tracks — Preschool (ages 4-6), Kids, Teen/Adult, and FGHTR Fitness Kickboxing — alongside birthday party hosting services. It serves approximately 600+ active students ages 4 to 74, and has produced more than 1,000 Black Belts since the Birmingham location was established in 2004.
The company supplements its in-person instruction with a proprietary digital layer: a custom mobile app featuring Step-by-Swipe curriculum technology that allows students to navigate belt-level techniques via swipeable instructional views and performance video; a Digital Dojang virtual library of training videos and classes that enabled continuity through COVID-19; and Impact Wraps sensor technology on Wavemasters that measures kick frequency and force and surfaces scores on classroom TVs to gamify training. These tools are positioned as member benefits rather than standalone product lines.
The business model is primarily subscription-based, with recurring membership fees for martial arts programs, recurring FGHTR Fitness class fees, one-time birthday party rentals, and minor licensing royalties from FGHTR Fitness program licenses extended to other World Class Tae Kwon Do schools nationwide. The company is part of the broader World Class Tae Kwon Do franchise network founded by Grandmaster Sun Ki Chong in 1983 and now comprising 50+ affiliates. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the two owned dojangs, supported by a free intro class funnel, content marketing (website, blog, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Google Business), and email/SMS outreach. Ownership rests with Master Justin Scarsella and Jessica Scarsella, who purchased the school in 2011; no external equity or venture funding has been disclosed.
World Class Tae Kwon Do firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- World Class Tae Kwon Do
- Legal name
- Master Scarsella's World Class Tae Kwon Do
- Website
- https://alabamatkd.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- World Class Tae Kwon Do is a privately held martial arts school operating two dojangs in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area, serving 600+ active students ages 4 to 74 through Preschool, Kids, Teen/Adult Tae Kwon Do programs and FGHTR Fitness Kickboxing under a recurring membership model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
World Class Tae Kwon Do industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Martial Arts Instruction
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Traditional Martial Arts Schools (Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, etc.) (HSADADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Boxing & Kickboxing Fitness Classes (HSADABAF), Kids & Youth Martial Arts Programs (HSADADAG)
Keywords
Where World Class Tae Kwon Do is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
World Class Tae Kwon Do business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Martial Arts Membership Fees: Recurring membership fees for access to regular classes across all programs (Preschool, Kids, Teen/Adult). No-commitment membership options available. Family discounts implied through family-focused messaging.
- FGHTR Fitness Kickboxing Classes: Group fitness classes blending cardio kickboxing with resistance band training, offered as a separate program at both locations.
- Birthday Party Hosting: Event rental service for birthday parties at both Inverness and Hoover locations.
- FGHTR Fitness Licensing: Licensing of the FGHTR Fitness program to other World Class Tae Kwon Do schools across the country.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time | Free Introductory Offer |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
World Class Tae Kwon Do product offering
Product offeringCore offering
World Class Tae Kwon Do delivers in-person traditional Tae Kwon Do instruction and cardio kickboxing fitness classes across two Birmingham-area dojangs, with programs segmented by age (Preschool 4-6, Kids, Teen/Adult). The company supplements in-person training with proprietary digital tools including a custom mobile app and virtual class library, and operates birthday party event hosting at both locations.
Product overview
Master Scarsella's World Class Tae Kwon Do offers in-person martial arts instruction through four core programs: Preschool Martial Arts (ages 4-6), Kids Martial Arts, Teen & Adult Martial Arts, and FGHTR Fitness Kickboxing. The company also provides Birthday Party services. In the digital realm, the company offers the World Class App with proprietary Step-by-Swipe learning technology, a Digital Dojang video library, and Impact Wraps sensor technology for gamified training. The portfolio is primarily in-person instruction services supplemented by proprietary digital learning tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FGHTR Fitness: FGHTR (pronounced 'fighter') Fitness is a group fitness class that blends cardio kickboxing with resistance band training. It is designed for individuals looking to improve health, body composition and mind. This program is licensed out to other World Class schools across the country.
Products and services
- Preschool Martial Arts Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Students can achieve Black Belt in 3-3.5 years on average
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use World Class Tae Kwon Do
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles5 records
World Class Tae Kwon Do technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
World Class Tae Kwon Do partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- FGHTR Fitness (Licensed Operators)minorFGHTR Fitness is a group fitness program (cardio kickboxing with resistance bands) developed at the Birmingham school and licensed to other World Class Tae Kwon Do schools across the country. Represents revenue stream through licensing royalties.
- World Class Tae Kwon Do NetworkcorePart of the World Class Tae Kwon Do franchise/network founded by Grandmaster Sun Ki Chong (former Korean National Champion, US National Team Coach). Network has 50+ affiliates nationwide. Parent organization provides curriculum, brand standards, and support.
- Hope For Healing ScarsminorNonprofit organization. School has donated and raised more than $150,000 for this cause, along with Children's Hospital of Alabama and Camp Smile-a-Mile.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
World Class Tae Kwon Do competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- iLoveKickboxing: Group kickboxing fitness studio franchise with recurring memberships. Comparable to FGHTR Fitness as a cardio-kickboxing group-class offering within the broader martial arts / fitness crossover.
- 9Round Fitness: National kickboxing-focused fitness franchise with recurring membership model. Not martial arts instruction per se, but the closest scaled analog to FGHTR Fitness Kickboxing for adults.
- American Taekwondo Association (ATA): Largest Taekwondo membership organization in the United States with hundreds of affiliated schools. Directly comparable in core offering (TKD instruction) but far broader in national reach and licensing structure than the Birmingham school.
Direct peers
- Karate America: National martial arts franchise offering karate, kickboxing, and self-defense programs for kids and adults under a similar membership model. Comparable in service mix and family-target positioning.
- Premier Martial Arts: Large franchised martial arts school network offering taekwondo, karate, kickboxing, and self-defense for all ages. Operates on the same family-membership, multi-age-program business model that WCTKD uses.
- Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts: Multi-location martial arts franchise offering karate, kickboxing, and self-defense classes for kids and adults with a membership-based model. Direct overlap with WCTKD's preschool/kids/teen/adult martial arts programs and FGHTR Fitness kickboxing.
- Kim's Taekwondo: Multi-location US taekwondo franchise serving children and adults with a curriculum-driven, character-development-focused program closely paralleling WCTKD's positioning.
- Universal Martial Arts: Franchise martial arts school network providing Taekwondo, kickboxing, and self-defense classes for all ages. Operates with comparable program segmentation and recurring-membership pricing.
- Master Park's Black Belt Center: Regional multi-location Taekwondo school offering age-segmented programs (Little Tigers, kids, teens, adults) with a focus on character development — very similar operating model to World Class Tae Kwon Do.
Regional players
- U.S. Taekwondo Center: Multi-state US Taekwondo school chain offering age-segmented programs for children and adults. Comparable operating model to WCTKD, though concentrated in different regional markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
World Class Tae Kwon Do social profiles
Digital presenceWorld Class Tae Kwon Do financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
World Class Tae Kwon Do leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
World Class Tae Kwon Do funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
World Class Tae Kwon Do M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about World Class Tae Kwon Do
What does World Class Tae Kwon Do do?
World Class Tae Kwon Do delivers in-person traditional Tae Kwon Do instruction and cardio kickboxing fitness classes across two Birmingham-area dojangs, with programs segmented by age (Preschool 4-6, Kids, Teen/Adult). The company supplements in-person training with proprietary digital tools including a custom mobile app and virtual class library, and operates birthday party event hosting at both locations.
Is World Class Tae Kwon Do a public or private company?
World Class Tae Kwon Do is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was World Class Tae Kwon Do founded?
World Class Tae Kwon Do was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is World Class Tae Kwon Do based?
World Class Tae Kwon Do is headquartered in Birmingham, United States, in the North America region.
How does World Class Tae Kwon Do make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Martial Arts Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are FGHTR Fitness Kickboxing Classes, birthday Party Hosting and FGHTR Fitness Licensing.
Who are World Class Tae Kwon Do's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are iLoveKickboxing, 9Round Fitness and American Taekwondo Association (ATA). Direct peers are Karate America, Premier Martial Arts, Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts, Kim's Taekwondo, Universal Martial Arts and Master Park's Black Belt Center. U.S. Taekwondo Center is listed as a regional player.
Does World Class Tae Kwon Do have an API?
No public API is recorded for World Class Tae Kwon Do.
What industry is World Class Tae Kwon Do in?
World Class Tae Kwon Do's product category is Martial Arts Instruction. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADADAA, Traditional Martial Arts Schools (Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, etc.), with a secondary code of HSADABAF, Boxing & Kickboxing Fitness Classes. Its NAICS code is 611620 and its SIC code is 7997.