Bowling Green pre-med student, soccer player, business owner, National Guardsman, Haitian Olympic team member. any of these roles can fit senior Jude Remy on any given day.

But now he’s turning his attention to his own Martial Arts Academy. Remy is the proud owner of Remy’s Martial Arts Academy, located in downtown Bowling Green. The academy offers instruction in Taekwondo, Kick Boxing, Self-defense, as well as a fitness class.

“I would like to spread Taekwondo not only as self-defense, but as a competitive sport,” Remy said. “Taekwondo is indeed an Olympic sport, and I would like to train students from this school, or from the community, to participate in national competitions or the Olympics,”

Of course this Taekwondo blackbelt has already realized his olympic dream. Remy was a member of the Haitian Taekwondo Olympic team in 1988 and 1996. He became a coach for the team in 2000.

“It’s always been my dream to be able to coach people at that level,” Remy said. “I’d like to be able to share that experience with those in the community,”

Also a member of the Korean Martial Arts Club on campus, “(Remy is) a great martial artist and a very patient instructor,” said Wendy Manning, faculty Adviser for the club .

“He’s very intense,” Manning said. “Sometimes that can be intimidating with people, but I don’t see that with him,” Biology Professor Dr. Daniel Wiegmann is the head instructor of the Korean Martial Arts Club and expects to coordinate the club with Remy’s Martial Arts Academy.

“He has a great support group on campus, and his academy will help to bring the martial arts community together,” Manning said. “We’re all really excited for him and want to see him (be) successful in this venture.”

“I feel that the academy could be a wonderful asset to the community,” Wiegmann said. “Remy has had considerable training in Taekwondo and I would definitely go to him if I were interested in competitive training.”

Jay MacNeal, graduate student and member of the Korean Martial Arts Club, said “there’s a lot of video game players among kids today. There are a lot of kids who need physical activity and martial arts would be good for them.”

Remy not only wishes to train children, but also the physically handicapped.

“There is not much offered for these people and I would like to be able to train them in self-defense so they can have the same chance as everyone else,” Remy said. Remy sees his academy as a chance for novices to pick up the trade.

“A self-defense class would be the fastest way for someone to learn to defend themselves.” He said. “I also would like to offer self-defense classes for groups or organizations anywhere in the community.”

Free first classes are offered at the academy and martial arts demonstration for instruction and entertainment are also available.