12/14/2025
Wowâhow have eight years gone by so fast? Itâs hard to believe this all began when Todd hosted his very first tournament, the Emma J. Patterson Taekwondo Invitational. At the time, I was honestly burned out on tournaments. Then I got a flyer from Todd. We met, talked it through, and I brought my team out. Not long after that, Brian hosted the next tournament, and when it wrapped up, I asked everyone to hang back for a few minutes. Thatâs when I floated the idea of starting the Western New York Combat League.
And here we are todayâat the finale of the League.
Itâs bittersweet. Through this League, Iâve made lifelong friends, countless acquaintances through all of your students, and together we truly expanded our martial arts family. I wish I could say my hair was a lot darker back thenâwe were all youngerâbut youâve known me way too long for that excuse to work. đ
Along the way, we had our hiccups and growing pains. But those werenât failuresâthey were lessons. Through thick and thin, we stayed together. Now this chapter is closing, but as one door closes, another opens. Life pulls us in different directions, yet somehow we keep finding ourselves meeting again at those familiar crossroads.
If I had to point to the single most defining moment of what we built together, it would be when Rob became seriously illâwhen we honestly werenât even sure if he was going to survive. Without hesitation, members of this groupâpeople who had their own schoolsâcame together to keep his school open. That wasnât about rank, trophies, or business. That was about family. If that doesnât define what we created together, I donât know what does.
Todd is stepping into a career to better support his family, being the responsible father and husband we all respect. My seminars have really taken off, with more travel as I work to fulfill a promise I made to my teacherâto make sure this art doesnât die. Tom and Kayla now have a new little one to care for, and hopefully one day, that child will be part of a future generation of our martial arts family.
And for those who are still competing, we now have the MA-Tour. Just think about thatâa large portion of the MA-Tour competitors are former Western New York Combat League members. That alone speaks volumes about how much weâve grown and how strong this community has become. These tournaments and seminars may very well be the crossroads that continue to bring us back together.
And if I havenât said it enough, let me say it clearlyâif you ever need me, Iâm only a phone call away. No matter where life takes us, I hope we stay connected. I truly consider you all friends.
Actually⊠weâre more than that. Weâre family.
And I love my family.
But we donât always have to like each other. đ
In closing, Todd, thank you for having the courage to start that first tournament. I brought my team to you in 2017 and competed alongside them, and I finished the League the exact same wayâbringing my students and competing with them in your final tournament. Thank you, my friend, for everything you started and for allowing all of us to be part of it.
Respectfully,
Datu Tim Hartman
Horizon Martial Arts
World Modern Arnis Alliance
