Master Brett Riley began his Tang Soo Do training as a Cadet at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in January 1981. He tested for Cho Dan (first-degree (1st) black belt) in November 1989 at the Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey. Tang Soo Do founder, the late Grand Master Hwang Kee, was in attendance. Master Riley's Moo Duk Kwan Dan number is #28961. In 1991, Master Riley tested for Ee Dan (second degree (2nd) black belt) and Kyo Sa (certified instructor.) He opened the New Braunfels School on December1, 1993. Having graduated from New Braunfels High School in 1980, it was the logical place to begin it all. Master Riley passed his Sahm Dan (third-degree(3rd) black belt) in 1994. He passed Sa Dan (fourth degree (4ack belt) and Sa Bom (master instructor) in 1999. He passed his O Dan (fifth degree (5th) black belt) in 2004, Yuk Dan (sixth degree (6th) black belt) in 2010, and Chil Dan (seventh degree (7th) black belt) in 2016.
Master Riley had a twenty-year (20) competition career, during this time, he won fifteen (15) National Championships and two (2) Master's Grand Championships. Master Riley was part of a forms team with Sa Bom Tom Cox and Sa Bom Nim Dave Cox, winning three (3) consecutive Team Form National Championships from 1996 through 1998. He won the Master's Division sparring in Las Vegas in 2002 and the Master's Grand Championship in 2004 and2007 in San Antonio, Texas, and Providence, Rhode Island, respectively.
In 2011, Master Riley Coached Team Texas to its first Team Sparring National Championship in Orlando, Florida. His team won again in 2013,2015, 2016, and 2017. He coached the International Women's Sparring Team to a gold medal in 2015 and a silver medal in 2018. Master Riley coached the International Men's Sparring team to silver medals in 2015 and 2018.
Master Riley has organized local, regional, National, and international tournaments and clinics. He also instructed at the 2016 Tang Soo Do Challenge in Brussels, Belgium. Master Riley still teaches at least 80% of the twenty-three (23) classes offered weekly.
Master Riley has promoted over three hundred (300) blackbelts since opening The Texas Academy of Karate. He has promoted 16 Master level instructors. Of which, there is one 7th Dan, one 6th Dan, and four 5th Dans. He and his students founded the Unites States Alliance of Tang Soo Do just this year, with Master Riley as its inaugural President.
Master Riley has been married to Sa Bom Nim Lois Riley since1999. She is a licensed clinical therapist, a certified yoga teacher, and a certified Tai Chi for wellness guru. She recently earned her fifth degree (5th) black belt in Tang Soo Do. They have three children: McKenzie (26), Sa Bom Nim Marcus Riley (22), and Sa Bom Nim Austin Riley (20).