Officers

I am a law student, originally from Martinez, GA (near Augusta, home of the Masters Golf Tournament). I came to Pitt after a visit with Sam, a good friend of mine
from high school, encouraged me to put in an application. I won a scholarship, and the rest, as they say, is current events.

I began my martial arts training in Kajukenbo the summer of 2000. Unfortunately, other interests prevented me from pursuing it seriously. The following summer I was able to train consistently for three months; however, immediately following my orange belt promotion, I shattered my ankle ice skating. This, combined with moving out of the area for school, caused me to suspend my Kajukenbo training until fairly recently. To fill the gap, I studied Judo in Athens, GA at the Itto Martial Arts Dojo. I attained the rank of green belt there, and have recently been promoted to brown belt (sankyu) in judo through the US Judo Association. Thanks to Professor Andrae's blessing of our teaching, Sam and I have been able to instruct despite our nominally junior ranks. I will be soon testing for my green belt. I am also looking forward to attending more Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu seminars and events, hopefully earning my first promotion to blue belt in that style in the coming year. My goals for the Kajukenbo club are to teach and practice effective self-defense, combining the no-nonsense style of the martial art with legal realities that we as martial artists must always keep in mind. Promotions and belt coloring come a distant second to practical ability in protecting yourself in the streets.

Vice President: Tom Prigg

I first started in Tae Kwon do as a kid/teenager. I used to point fight
then. I like the kicks for the training of balance and spatial sense. I
wouldn't use it in a fight. Well, maybe one or two kicks.

While in the military I studied Wing Chun Kung Fu. This is the art I
probably most identify because it is what comes automatic. I was taught by
Sifu Brian Edwards who is now a honorary member of 3rd special forces due to
the number of students he has trained from that group over the past 20
years. We didn't have rank, only students and advance students. Advance students
had punches thrown at them at full speed and the blocks (of course) were full speed.
Counter punches were not. I learned 5 of the 9 forms of wing chun.

I also learned some boxing since then.

I didn't do any martial arts formally for 13 years after the military. I
visited many different schools but I didn't find a form or school that I
liked all that much. I have a difficult time finding time and money to do
what I do so I wasn't going to waste it.

Which brings me to Kajukenbo, I very much like the art for it's no nonsense
to the point technique. I like that it combines the stand up, take down and
ground game. I have always done well in the stand up but I am a complete
fish out of water on the ground. Kajukenbo also has the type of philosophy
that I love. An Adapt, overcome and improvise type of attitude. I wouldn't
personally waste my time if I didn't like the art or the people I train with
or taught by.

Business Manager: Jennifer Sydeski

I was born in the Pittsburgh area and grew up in a small town in West Virginia (Yay for back-woods girls!) I am currently a super-senior in biomedical engineering here at Pitt. Outside of school and martial arts I enjoy spending time with my family, working as a waitress and in a bioengineering laboratory, and being as involved as my schedule will allow in geeky engineering groups (as well as fueling my recently acquired guilty pleasure of watching old horror movies.)

From 1994 to 1998 I studied Seiei Kan Karate (AKJU) in Ripley West Virginia under Sensei Timothy King. During this time I also attended Hapkido seminars in the West Virginia/ Kentucky area. Upon coming to Pitt, I began training in Olympic-style Judo with Master Kyuha Kim (2001-2002). During the summer of 2002, I studied abroad in China, where I practiced Tai Chi early in the mornings with probably 150 seniors in a town square. I also studied a form of Kung Fu, but the language barrier between the professor and me was a bit too much to gain an understanding of the origins of the particular style. In 2003 I took a semester of Olympic Tae Kwan Doe, again with Master Kyuha Kim. I started studying Kajukenbo in the spring of 2005, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the fall of 2005, both of which I hope to continue studying through the rest of my time here in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Instructor: Sam Warren

Sam, a black belt in Kajukenbo, Tae Kwon Doe, Kempo, Judo and Renraku-Do, is our primary instructor. He comes from Augusta, GA and studies Humanities.