8th° Black Belt David Howells

Grandmaster David Howells is the Owner of Beaumont, Orange & Vidor Tiger Rock Academies. Grandmaster Howells emigrated from England in 1986 and shortly afterwards began his Martial Arts training under the leadership of Grandmaster Marv Conway. After serving in the United States Army for 4 years, he returned to Beaumont where he continued his training. Grandmaster Howells has 32 years training and teaching experience and currently holds the rank of 8th. Degree Black Belt with Tiger Rock Martial Arts International. He also holds the rank of blue belt with Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. He has consistently earned Top Ten National Honors for both sparring and forms competition. Grandmaster Howells, his family, staff, and outstanding team of Certified Instructors, would like to welcome you to Beaumont, Orange & Vidor Tiger Rock Academies.

email: [email protected]

INSTRUCTOR STAFF

4th° Black Belt Jack Howells

Jack Howells officially began his martial arts training at the age of four when he was old enough to enter the Tiger Cub Program. As the son of Grandmaster Howells he unofficially began his training whenever an opportunity presented itself…..on the hour every hour! He graduated from the Tiger Cubs program and as a Junior he proudly earned his black belt at ripe old age of 7. The family trampoline became the “Octagon” where techniques were practiced with his black belt siblings. As a child Jack displayed phenomenal eye hand coordination and spatial awareness and so as Jack grew, he became a force to be reckoned with. After graduating from West Brook High School, he started to work at the Academy where he became a full time Certified Instructor. As an adult Jack became a National and World Champion Tiger Rock Black Belt. He has followed in his father’s footsteps and is a caring and inspirational leader. Jack currently attends Lamar University Orange working towards a career in Computer Science.

email: [email protected]

4th° Black Belt Kaiwei Nethercott

Kaiwei Nethercott started his martial arts journey studying Taekwondo in central east China where he was born. He moved to Beaumont, Texas with his family in 2013. Kaiwei joined Tiger-Rock after his younger sister Kaitlyn inspired him to continue his Taekwondo training. She was their first Tiger-Rock family member, but she was soon followed in 2014 by Kaiwei, then younger sister Zoe and lastly Mother Beibei Shi. Kaiwei earned his black belt in 2016, he is a member of our demonstration team and is a District, National and World Championship titlist. He currently attends Lamar University where he is working towards his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Kaiwei was the youngest Certified Instructor in our academy history. As a member of our Leadership Team he studied and prepared for the test ahead of his 16th birthday and upon turning 16 took the test immediately. He successfully passed the exam 2 days after his birthday. Kaiwei wants to be an inspiration to his students just as his instructors are to him. He is an outstanding member of our certified instructor staff.

email: [email protected]

4th° Black Belt Alborak Atiyeh

Alborak Atiyeh began his journey with Tiger-Rock in the summer of 2017 at the age of 12. His natural talent and dedication quickly became evident, enabling him to earn his first black belt within just three years. Alborak’s exceptional performance led to his invitation to join both the leadership program and the XP performance and demonstration team, where he continued to thrive. While attending Westbrook High School, Alborak’s inspiring spirit and martial arts expertise made him an ideal candidate for our instructor staff. After graduating, he pursued firefighter school and is currently working toward completing his EMT training. Today, Alborak currently holds the rank of 4th Degree Black Belt, Certified Tiger-Rock instructor. He now has the honor of training his 4-year-old baby sister Alsama who is following in his martial arts footsteps and has recently joined our Tiger-Cub program.

4th° Black Belt Dallas Le

Dallas Le was born and raised in Beaumont, TX, and graduated from Westbrook High School. Currently, he is pursuing a Biochemistry degree at Lamar University. Throughout his academic journey, Dallas has earned numerous accolades, including being named an Exxon Mobil Scholar, Cardinal Elite Scholar, Presidential List Scholar, and serving as Vice President of the MMA club.

Dallas began his martial arts training in 2011 at the age of 6, earning his first black belt by age 9. His dedication and natural talent as a martial artist were evident both in and out of the dojo. His efforts were quickly recognized, leading to an invitation to join the elite Tiger-Rock demonstration team, where he found a perfect fit among like-minded, hard-working peers. Dallas was deeply passionate about martial arts, often staying up late to watch videos on its history and studying ancient forms. His favorite form was the red belt form, especially because it featured a flying sidekick—a move he mastered effortlessly.

Determined to become the best martial artist he could be, Dallas’s commitment was evident to all who knew him. His dedication also inspired his sisters, Maika and Kendra, to follow in his footsteps, both earning their black belts in 2023. Martial arts not only sharpened Dallas’s focus on his goals but also gave him a wealth of great memories. Now holding the rank of 4th-degree black belt, Dallas was invited to join the instructor team in January 2024. He is now an inspiring instructor, passionate about sharing his love for martial arts with others.

3rd° Black Belt Michael Balbon

Michael Balbon was born and raised in New Orleans. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck, he and his family relocated to Beaumont. It was there that Michael’s journey into martial arts began. His mother, eager to get 13-year-old Michael involved, enrolled him in a martial arts class. Initially, he wasn’t thrilled about the idea, so he made a deal with Grandmaster Howells: he would train until he earned his first yellow belt, and if he still wasn’t interested, he could quit. However, Michael quickly developed a passion for martial arts, earning his first black belt in 2009, and he hasn’t looked back since. Today, he proudly holds the rank of 3rd degree black belt.

After graduating from West Brook High School, Michael joined the U.S. Army, serving a four-year term. He was stationed overseas in Italy with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, where he served as a forward observer. During his service, he earned his U.S. Army Jump Wings, recognizing his skills as a parachutist. Upon returning to Beaumont, Michael attended Lamar University while he resumed his martial arts training and was invited to join the instructor team in 2009. His patience, passion, and energy as an instructor have made him a favorite among students. He is always willing to spend extra time helping them improve.

Beyond teaching, Michael is a fierce competitor, whose hard work and talent have earned him numerous championship awards. As an instructor, he finds joy in mentoring his nephews Kubrick and Kyler, as well as his Tiger-Cub niece Kalliope. He eagerly anticipates the day his infant son Ryo can join him on the mat.

4th° Black Belt Jonathan Merrell

3rd° Black Belt Garrett Merrell

2nd° Black Belt Amanda Merrell

2nd° Black Belt Ron Merrell

INSTRUCTOR TEAM

4th° Black Belt Bei Bei Nethercott

Beibei Nethercott-Shi was born and grew up in East China and moved to Beaumont with her husband and children in 2013.

Beibei became interested in TKD when her daughter Kaitlyn passed her Black Belt testing. Beibei was the 4th member of the Nethercott’s to join Tiger Rock and passed her Black Belt Testing the same day as youngest daughter Zoe.

Beibei was given the competition fight name ‘Bruiser’ and at she competed in Open Sparring as a brown belt against up to 4th degree Black Belts at her first World Championships. Beibei is a fierce competitor and Titlist at District, National and World levels.

Beibei was inspired to become an instructor by both Grandmaster David Howells and her son Kai. She passed her Instructor Certification in 2020. We are very proud to have Beibei as a member of our certified instructor team.

3rd° Black Belt Sara Masters

Sara Masters began her martial arts journey as an adult in 2017 along with her eldest son Seth. It wasn’t long before they were followed by younger brother Will whose 4th birthday made him eligible to follow in his brothers’ footsteps in the Tiger Cub program. Sara quickly rose through the ranks and became a force to be reckoned with as she racked up medals entering every competition. Within 7 years all 3 family members attained the honor of becoming Tiger-Rock Black Belts! Sara is an exceptional martial artist whose attention to detail makes her a welc0me addition to our Leadership Team. We look forward to her becoming a Certified Instructor.

1st° Black Belt Amanda Mull

Amanda Mull was born in Millington, Tennessee. After living in both California and Mississippi, her family eventually settled in Texas. Amanda graduated from Hardin-Jefferson High School and later earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies, with minors in Spanish and History. She currently serves as a Branch Manager at MCT Credit Union, bringing over a decade of experience in the banking industry.

Amanda began her martial arts journey at the age of 37, inspired by her son Jacob, who had been training for several years. She decided to participate in a “Parents Train Free” promotional month, which sparked her enthusiasm for martial arts and also helped alleviate some medical issues she had been facing. Recognizing her dedication and natural leadership, Amanda was invited to join the Leadership Team in 2022. Her hard work, despite balancing a full-time job and single parenthood, paid off when she earned her first-degree black belt in 2023, joining her son at this level.

Now, Amanda has the unique privilege of assisting in the instruction of her fiancé, Mynor Bardales, who has recently joined the Tiger-Rock martial arts family and is embarking on his own journey to black belt and beyond. Amanda values martial arts for giving her the chance to share a meaningful, character-building experience with her son, as well as providing a positive outlet for her toughest days.

Tiger-Rock has become a supportive community for Amanda and her son, celebrating their achievements alongside them. She takes great joy in the camaraderie among friends from other academies, who come together as friendly rivals. Amanda is passionate about watching students master new techniques and achieve goals they once thought were out of reach. Their successes are her victories as well, and we are incredibly proud to have her as an exceptional instructor on our team!