OTTAWA COUNTY — What began as a way to connect with his son 17 years ago has evolved into a remarkable journey for Ottawa County Sheriff's Detective Roger Willard, who is now a five-time national taekwondo champion. 

His dedication to the sport will take him to Birmingham, Alabama, later this month to compete in the 2025 World Police and Fire Games, representing the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Aspire Taekwondo of Norton Shores, and Western Michigan.

Willard, 50, initially took up taekwondo alongside his son, Noah, who is now 21.

"It was a fun thing to do it together," Willard said. His son is now a third-degree black belt himself.

Willard’s journey has evolved into a remarkable personal and athletic challenge, leading him to become a five-time national champion and a fifth-degree black belt, with his sights set on his sixth. 

Later this month, he will represent the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Aspire Taekwondo of Norton Shores and Western Michigan at the 2025 World Police and Fire Games in Birmingham, Alabama. The games kick off with an opening ceremony on June 27.

Discipline and dedication

Willard trains at least three nights a week and has been competing at the national level for years. He will compete in both sparring and poomsae, which are forms in taekwondo.

"I do it to stay competitive and to stay in shape," he said. "But it’s also incredibly rewarding to help others grow and succeed at so many levels."

His dedication to the sport extends beyond personal competition. 

Right before achieving his own black belt, Willard began teaching classes, eventually transitioning more into a coaching role. He now owns and instructs at Aspire Taekwondo, founded in 2014, which has grown in membership and earned community recognition. 

"Taekwondo has always been a source of focus and discipline in my life," Willard said. "This is a world-level event coming up, and I’m really looking forward to it."

Beyond athletics and competition

Willard finds that taekwondo directly enhances his work in law enforcement.

"It gives me the confidence that I know I can protect myself if I need to," he explained. "That confidence exudes, and the person who might want to try something won’t challenge that. Just being confident just helps."

In addition to the personal achievement, he also formed a lasting friendship with one of his training partners. 

His master instructor, Len Lawrence, is a math professor at Baker College, and Willard appreciates the diverse perspectives he brings.

"We kind of latched on to each other in that way," he said. "We are now best of friends. I can count on him for anything. And him the same."

Willard's competitive drive ignited when he was seeking an outlet after high school athletics.

"When you graduate high school as a three-sport athlete, there is no competition there to do something as an adult and really test your ability against someone else doing the same thing," he said.

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He went undefeated for four years before losing his first match when electronic scoring was introduced.

"I just learned from that and now I’m a two-time sparring national champion," Willard said.

The 2025 World Police and Fire Games include 11 days of competition featuring more than 8,500 first responders — police, fire and EMS — from over 70 countries. The event celebrates athleticism while also paying tribute to the dedication and camaraderie of public servants worldwide.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.