My Teachers

I have been most fortunate over the years to have trained with and learned from a number of truly great martial artists.  Listed below are the ones that are my teachers.

· Roy H. Shipes, my father, who took the time to teach me how to throw a jab when I was a kid.  I still do it that way.  Thanks for everything you taught me.

· My mother, Odessa Shipes who is my main inspiration to this day and my sisters, Alma, Doris, and Barbara.

· H. Roy Shipes, my older brother who taught me a little judo when I was a kid mostly by throwing me around.

· M. Henry Shipes, my younger brother just because he’s my brother and because he is such a wonderful person and because he had a terrific right hook at least once in his life.

· Grandmaster Fusei Kise, my master and a truly fine gentleman who exudes what is proper and right in a karate man.  A piece of living history.

· Kaicho Isao Kise, the son of Grandmaster Fusei Kise and my friend.  A karateman in the finest sense of the word.  To be able to do techniques like this man should be the goal of every karateman.

· Sensei Richard Sapp - a wonderful gentleman who is a virtual encyclopedia of martial arts and karate in particular.  He taught me the value of looking at different systems and fitting them together.  He also taught me a lot of kata and the value of the internal martial arts.  My only tai chi teacher.

· Sensei Jerry Partain, a long-time student of Master Kise’s.  In the brief time that I studied with Sensei Partain, he taught me much about the martial arts and a little about life.  He is one of my oldest friends.  He showed me where the crane lives and how to learn from a master instructor.  Sadly, he is no longer affiliated with Master Kise’s federation and has gone his own way.

· Master Roy Kurban of Arlington, Texas.  My first formal teacher and an exemplary Tae Kwon Do fighter and one of the pioneers of Texas karate.  A student of Allen Steen’s and Skipper Mullins, he taught me the value of a quality instructor and the value of technique and basics.

· Sifu Larry Hartsell, a student of Bruce Lee’s in the ‘60’s, he taught me how to do locks, traps and other JKD things.  A wonderful teacher with a real flair for grappling.

· Mr. Ray Parra, a student and instructor under Guro Dan Inosanto and Sifu Larry Hartsell who has  revitalized my interest in Kali, Jun Fan, Silat and related arts. 

· John Poole, a friend of mine on board the USS Samuel Gompers who showed me a little white crane.

· Ken Pickle who was a student of Master Kim Soo’s of Houston, Texas.  He was my first real introduction to the political arena of martial arts.

· Steve Warren, a student of Master Kise’s who was my first instructor in the Shorinryu style of Master Kise.  He taught me the value of toughness and he helped me learn to be a tough and strong fighter.  He is no longer affiliated with Master Kise or his federation.

· The myriad of people whose books, tapes and articles I have studied and researched over the years.  Many questions were answered and lessons learned through these sources and I greatly appreciate the efforts they went to in order for these sources to be available to me.  I would like to make mention of two who I continue to study their works in detail and that is Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming of Yang’s Martial Arts Association and Sensei Pat McCarthy of the International Ryukyu Research Society.  I would recommend their works without exception.

· And finally, Tina, my best friend and soul mate who reminds me constantly that even though I have an eighth degree black belt, she can still kick my butt and Angie for teaching me patience and what a true friend can be.