Tony Moody

Hanshi Tony Moody is a 9th Degree Black Belt with 51 years in the Martial Arts. He started in the summer of 1974 when he got into a fight in which he got beat up! It was at that time that Moody told himself “That will NEVER happen to me again.” He then joined Sensei Johnnie Jones’ karate school. He was asked “why do you want to take karate?” his response was “I want to get back at the guy that beat me up.” Months later after lots of hard training and a lot of philosophy that he was taught, Moody no longer wanted to get revenge on anyone. Classes were 5 days a week and he didn’t miss a class for the first 3 ½ years. During this time Sensei Jones’s class was a part of Mr. Lawrence McSwain’s karate group out of Greensboro NC. In 1975 Moody competed in his first karate tournament. This tournament was held in Durham NC, and he competed as a blue belt and was disqualified for excessive contact, but that was the beginning of his tournament days.

He participated in many tournaments thereafter as an under belt, his last time competing as a brown belt in Hampton, Virginia is where he met Bill “Superfoot” Wallace. On August 20th, 1977, in an 8-hour session in Greensboro, NC Moody was promoted to Black Belt and then began to compete in the men’s black belt division as a heavy weight and by the 3rd tournament he started winning. He has competed in many states over the lifetime of his martial arts career including North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Atlanta Georgia, Daytona Beach Florida, Washington DC and New York City. Moody has received 1st thru 4th degree blackbelt promotion from Sensei Johnnie Jones & Judge Lawrence McSwain (1977-1991). Judge McSwain promoted Moody to 5th Dan (2003). Hanshi James White promoted Moody to 6th Dan. Hanshi Frank Williams promoted Moody to 7th Dan (2007) and 8th Dan in 2015 and Master Ernest Dukes promoted Moody to 9th Dan in 2019. Moody has learned the value of kata and weapon kata as he continues to teach for 22 years at the Logan Recreation Center in Concord, NC for the City of Concord Parks & Recreation Department where he has worked for 28 years before retiring.

He has also worked as a grade schoolteacher at Logan Daycare Center in Concord for 9 years. Moody now has returned to the City of Concord, Parks & Recreation as a part time Center Leader. Affectionately known in his community as “Feet” the Logan Community honored Moody in 2023 as the Grand Marshal & presented him with an award for all the years of community service and for his giving back to the community by offering free karate to the neighborhood children. Along with the love & patience of Shannon Moody his loving wife of over 34 years, martial arts has been one of Moody’s passions for many decades of his life. To God be the glory and if the Lord allows Moody to see August 20th, 2027, he will have held the rank of black belt for 50 years. All praises be to God.

It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23