Monroe Days - 1984

As promised, here is the other newspaper I found in our archives (the old file cabinet). Sifu Clark and his school was featured in the Monroe, Michigan newspaper, the Evening News. It was exciting for the school to get this kind of exposure. Sigung Rocco had already been studying there for almost three years and I was there for over a year. Some of my favorite people were pictured.  

In one picture, Sifu Clark is working with a man (back to the camera, but totally recognizable by the bandana he always wore around his head), a dear friend and still a Wing Chun Do brother, Kamal Shamoun. Twelve year old Tammy, although I didn't include her picture here, was the only other female in class. And Sifu Clark's right hand man, my senior,13 year old Korbett Miller. 

 Pretty intense look Korbett.

Kamal that's you, right?

A year later, the Wing Chun Do Instructors Training Program was officially started by Sijo James DeMile with the core of instructors coming from Sifu Clark's Monroe school. It was due to these dedicated Michigan students that Sijo created a teaching program in earnest. After Sijo started the IIT (Instuctor In Training) program, he soon opened his own school in Shoreline. Although Sijo had training camps in the past (and in the future) like the one Sifu Clark had attended, this IIT Program was different. It was a formalized path,with multiple trips going back and forth between Michigan and Seattle attending instructor camps over many years, creating a strong Wing Chun Do bond and history.

More Vintage Monroe School History

Let's keep going with some old school history and the vintage Michigan Wing Chun Do theme. That's what happens when you empty a file cabinet thats been standing untouched for twenty years.  You find little gems. And unwittingly you archive a small piece of history to be discovered years later. Found this newspaper called Discover Wu-Shu dated December 1983. On the cover is a picture of our first instructor in Wing Chun Do, Sifu Jim Clark along with the founder of Wing Chun Do, Sijo James W. DeMile.

Discover Wu Shu Magazine

Too bad about the crease.

Next week I'll post pictures from another newspaper I found, a 1984 Monroe, Michigan newspaper with a full page article on Sifu Clark's school with pictures of some classmates you may remember.

Peace.

Vintage Michigan Wing Chun Do

From the Michigan Wing Chun Do Archives - The iconic yellow and red business card for the Fort Street Wing Chun Do school in Monroe, Michigan. Sifu Jim Clark was an unpredicable and memorable character, managing to make his students wonder, sometimes nervously, what adventure would be waiting for them physically and mentally, every time we entered his school.

Congratulations to Sigung Rocco Ambrose - Wing Chun Do Master

A great milestone has been reached in the history of Wing Chun Do in Michigan.  Rocco Ambrose was bestowed a great honor by his friend, mentor and instructor, Sijo James DeMile.  While friends, family, and students gathered at Ambrose Academy to celebrate Sibok’s 25^th Anniversary as a Wing Chun Do instructor and business owner, Sijo DeMile surprised his loyal and long time student with the new rank of Master (Si-gung) of Wing Chun Do.   

Sijo wanted to make sure that Rocco Ambrose, already named inheritor of the Wing Chun Do Gung Fu system, receive the highly deserved title that reflected his status as the leader of Wing Chun Do.  At first, Sijo was going to send a video congratulation to be played at the celebration.  But he soon realized that he needed to be here in Michigan and celebrate this milestone with his student. He unexpectedly made the arduous trip to Michigan which was a gift in itself to Si-gung. 

To the delight of everyone there, after bestowing the new rank of Master (Si-gung) to Ambrose, Sijo also promised to grant Sigung Rocco the highest title that can be given - that of Grandmaster.  “There can only be one Grandmaster of a system,” said Sijo DeMile.  “And right now, I am it.  But the title will belong to Si-gung Rocco once I retire or pass on. I will have a certificate already made and the date just needs to be filled in when the time comes, making Si-gung Rocco Grandmaster of the system.”  This acknowledgement and affirmation of Sigung Rocco’s abilities to lead Wing Chun Do into the future drew delighted and surprised gasps and thunderous applause from everyone there.

This was a day to remember.  A milestone had been set in the history of Wing Chun Do.  Everyone realized that they were witness to a very special event. It was an Olympic moment and Si-gung received the gold.  Congratulations Si-gung Ambrose!

Celebrating 25 Years of Wing Chun Do at Ambrose Academy

Congratulations to Sibok Rocco Ambrose who in November is celebrating his 25th Year Anniversary as an instructor and business owner of Ambrose Academy of Wing Chun Do. Ambrose Academy represents a milestone in the Wing Chun Do history.  It may not be known that Ambrose Academy is the longest continuous running Wing Chun Do school in the world. This distinction makes Sibok Ambrose one of the most experienced WCD instructor in the system. His dedication to teaching, innovating, and passing on this great art to whomever wants to learn is why Sijo James DeMile, the founder of Wing Chun Do named Sibok Rocco Ambrose as his Inheritor to Wing Chun Do Gung Fu.

Walking into many martial art studios might be an intimating proposition for many new students or anyone interested in seeking more information. But when you walk into Ambrose Academy you find something quite unique and unexpected.  After 25
years teaching Wing Chun Do, Sibok Rocco Ambrose the instructor has been learning too, on what it takes to create a great program and a welcoming "teaching" school.  As a business owner, he has learned what it takes to keep his business and school a success.

What you will find is a school and instructors that are as dedicated to the student as they are to the art.  You find an ally. You find support, encouragement, and unwavering dedicated to each student's personal growth.  You find an exciting and fun atmosphere where you can immerse yourself in the joy of "playing" and learning. And at the same time, learn an extraordinary reality based self defense art in Wing Chun Do. This winning combination is what has kept Ambrose Academy open for over two decades.

Congratulations to Sibok Rocco Ambrose.

Michigan Wing Chun Do - Searching for Self-Defense

More and more people are discovering Wing Chun Do here in Michigan.  Many have previous martial arts experience and may have trained in their younger days or stopped because of work, family, economics or a lack of time.  But when they are ready to come back to train again in the martial arts, they want more than what they had before.  They are looking for an art that will give them real self defense.

Many have already learned and garnered the benefits of martial arts training such as discipline, self-confidence, physical fitness, focus, and a sense of the body and mind connection. But now they are looking for more.  And although each art has a semblance of self-defense, there seems to be something missing, the confidence in that self-defense.

Wing Chun Do is the next step in a student's evolution.  It will help to explain, clarify, and apply self defense is the most scientific terms. Instructor - Sibok Rocco Ambrose, is a great teacher.  He is highly analytical, giving logical and detailed explanations, removing any doubt that Wing Chun Do works. He can explain all the "what ifs" away.

For so many that discover Wing Chun Do, the confidence in the self-defense, the thing they have been searching for, has finally been found.

Sijo James DeMile Arrives in Michigan

The Michigan Wing Chun Do Club at Ambrose Academy experienced some of the best seminars given by its founder, Sijo James W. DeMile.  Sijo DeMile's inheritor, Rocco Ambrose, in the hopes that Sijo's injuries would eventually heal enough to allow him to travel comfortably, gave Sijo an open invitation to visit Ambrose Academy school anytime he could make it.  This year was the year.

The Michigan school is the biggest Wing Chun Do clubs in the country in terms of membership and as a training center. Sijo DeMile saw a large turnout for all three of his seminars.  Participants came in from  London, England and Alberta, Canada, and around the Midwest.  Sijo enjoyed the interaction and camaraderie he felt with students and mentioned how impressed he was with their openness, their eagerness to learn, and the family atmosphere.

The first seminar offered insights on Developmental Meditation and was such a big hit with students that they didn't want the session to end, asking lots of questions on developing these valuable techniques.

The second seminar was on Wing Chun Do, the martial art DeMile founded. Again, another great turn-out which always offers great energy and good feedback.  The more questions that come up, the more everyone learns. Sijo made contact with every student there, discussing techniques and making corrections.

Sibok Rocco, a great host, arranged a party in honor of Sijo on Saturday evening.  Good food and great company. Participants were rewarded with many stories regarding Sijo's early years with Bruce Lee and the Seattle group. One of the party participants, unaware of Sijo's  background and the art's beginnings and seeing the crowd around him, turned to the person next to her and asked, "Is he a rock star, or something?"  The answer came, "Yes. Yes he is."   It was a good night.

The third seminar was Sijo's seminar on Bruce Lee's One and Three Inch Power Punch.  This seminar has only been given a few times with this much detail and in a seminar setting, and all of them have been here at Ambrose Academy in Michigan, definitely a great privilege.  After a few hours of hitting the "books" everyone had a good understanding of the punches and had the combat wounds to prove it.  Although the seminar was to be only two hours long, no one wanted to leave, so Sijo gave them over an hour more.  Students understood that they were learning from a master and wanted as much time as they could get with him. This was an awesome afternoon with a great teacher.

The Michigan Wing Chun Do club at Ambrose Academy knew they would experience a once in a lifetime experience. And they were not disappointed.

Sibok Rocco Ambrose and his wife Elizabeth know how to put on a great event, where everyone walks away smiling big, super satisfied and filled to the brim with new knowledge, new insights, and an experience that they will remember forever.