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Head Instructors

Mr. Mark Anawski
Head Instructor – Master Instructor & Master Examiner

Mr. Anawski is the Head Instructor and Co-Owner of Brookings TaeKwonDo. He has been training in martial arts since 1983.  He is a Master and holds the rank of 6th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo. His primary focus of training is in TaeKwonDo and he is a 3rd Class Kukkiwon Certified International Master and 3rd Class Kukkiwon Certified Poom/Dan Examiner. Mr. Anawski has also achieved Black Belts in American Kaeru-Do Karate and Songahm TaeKwonDo. Mr. Anawski is a Certified USA TaeKwonDo National Referee in both Patterns (Poomsae) and Olympic Sparring (Kyorugi). He has training and earned rank in other great styles of martial arts. Mr. Anawski has been a member of several professional organizations including USA TaeKwonDo, AAU TaeKwonDo, World TaeKwonDo Masters Union, Northern TaeKwonDo Alliance, American Kaeru-Do Karate Black Belt and Title Rank Council (AKDKBBTRC), USA Boxing, National & South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police, United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association and South Dakota Peace Officers Association.  He is currently serving as South Dakota President of the World TaeKwonDo Masters Union and a Senior Council Member of the AKDKBBTRC.

Mr. Anawski is blessed with an amazing wife, two wonderful children and resides in Brookings, SD.  He has a diverse background in training and experience with over 24 years as a Police Officer and Deputy Sheriff in South Dakota and is a Certified Law Enforcement Officer.  Mr. Anawski graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.S. Degree in Health Promotion, emphasizing in Exercise Science & Psychology.  Mr. Anawski also attended Graduate School at SDSU majoring in H.P.E.R with emphasis in Exercise Science and Administration.  After completing 1 year of graduate school, he pursued his interest in Law Enforcement where he received Law Enforcement Certification from the South Dakota Law Enforcement Academy in Pierre, SD in 2000.  He has over 1500 hours of specialized training, many certifications in a wide range of law enforcement topics including Defensive Tactics, Pressure Point Control Tactics, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Use of Force, Officer Survival, and firearms to name a few.  He is a nationally certified training instructor and currently trains Law Enforcement in the region in Self-Defense, Firearms, Patrol Tactics, Use of Force and other areas.

In 2011, Mr. Anawski decided to pursue a different chapter in his life in hopes to continue his passion and love for martial arts and TaeKwonDo. He took over as Head Instructor/Owner from Senior Master Tom Buehre and Master Diane Buehre in August 2011. He left full-time law enforcement and works full-time with Brookings TaeKwonDo and is an independent training instructor. He continues to help instruct area law enforcement and security agencies in specialized defensive tactics and use of force training. Mr. Anawski is a Part-Time Police Officer with the Brookings Police Department and Training Instructor. He also teaches area daycares and schools (grades K through College) about the dangers of strangers, school bullying and refusing to be a victim. His passion is teaching practical self-defense / personal awareness and safety techniques that can work in ‘real world’ situations in hopes one may never have to use them. Mr. Anawski created and self-defense program called K.N.O.W. Personal Awareness and Defense where continues to put on self-defense/personal awareness classes and seminars to businesses and organizations in and around the Brookings area.

Mrs. Kelli Anawski
Lead Instructor - Master

Mrs. Kelli Anawski is a Lead Instructor and Co-Owner of Brookings TaeKwonDo. She started her TaeKwonDo journey in 2011 with the encouragement of her husband and is a Master Instructor. Mrs. Anawski has a 4th Dan (Degree) and is Kukkiwon Certified.  Mrs. Anawski is a Certified USA TaeKwonDo National Referee in both Patterns (Poomsae) and Olympic Sparring (Kyorugi). She is also a Member of USA TaeKwonDo & AAU TaeKwonDo. Mrs. Anawski has also received extensive training in Self-Defense Tactics.  Mrs. Anawski is the behind-the-scenes force which makes Brookings TaeKwonDo work.  Her dedication to the School and its function and growth has been instrumental for our success.  Mrs. Anawski is also an Instructor in K.N.O.W. Personal Awareness and Defense where she accompanies Mr. Anawski in teaching practical common-sense self-defense to individuals around the region.

Mrs. Anawski has a Master Degree in Business Administration from Dakota Wesleyan University.  She earned her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Family & Consumer Sciences Education from South Dakota State University where she also met her husband and Co-Owner/Head Instructor Mr. Mark Anawski.  She has two amazing children, Ms. Jasmine (4th Dan) and Mr. Stephen (2nd Dan).