The Rutherfordton school just adopted another big cat from Tiger Haven!

We got a Lion named "Rotton" to go along with "Isis" the Tiger.

Look him up on www.tigerhaven.com

We are getting ready to adopt another in the next week. Already, our

students have brought in close to $200 in just pocket change!

These animals have inspired our martial arts and we hope to help them

out as much as we can.

A look back at 2009

     I have been meaning to update the site for sometime
now but have just not been able to. It is funny what life can
heap on top of you in very rapid fashion. It wasn't until
burning the candle at both ends and in the middle caught up
to me that I was forced to take a break. I have never been
afraid of pressure or a challenge, but even the strongest
metal can stress and break. The most snow in recent memory doesn't hurt either.
We got 6 more inches today bringing us over 2 feet so far this year. The weather has

made it difficult to travel and difficult to train.
     In July 2009, we opened our doors in Rutherfordton. We got a 2 month head
start on the remodeling of the building and to introduce
ourselves to the community. We have not done a full on media
blitz instead hoping that the art would sell itself. We moved into
a very old building that took a heap of hard work to get open. We can't
thank every one enough for all of their help and patience in
getting all of this done.
     We got off to a good start. We had enough students in the first month
to cover the rent and water bill. It wasn't just quantity either.
We ended up with very quality students from the very first day. This was
inspiring to myself and Kristin both as we were both training very
hard in our own rights. Kristin would go on to get her black belt under Grandmaster Ward.
The test was no free ride either. If you doubt me, I'll send you the video!
We do not give away belts. They are earned. I was working hard to keep myself
healthy and teaching in both Boone and Rutherfordton. I also took on the
challenge of running a 5K road race. I hadn't run like that since high school.
I made a good showing placing 3rd in my age group and we spent the rest of the day teaching and
entertaining at the school for the Fall Festival.
     We quickly outgrew our space and had to look elsewhere for a
new school. We only had to look across the road for a new space, which is
twice the size of of our old space. After the free trade agreements of
the Clinton era, pretty much all of the textile mills in Rutherford
County closed which left many industrial spaces available. This is what
we got. The space had not been used since 1994 and needed, and still needs alot of work.
The old boiler does not work so we heat it as best we can. The plumbing works for the most part
with 3 of 5 toilets working and only cold water. As one of my students pointed out,
the Shaolin Temple didn't have a furnace or a hot water heater. Hopefully,
we spoiled Americans can make do. So far, our students have been stellar in putting
up with their mild discomfort and our occasional absense due to the weather and not
being able to make it down the mountain. We even managed to promote our first yellow belts.
The guys showed up the day after Chrsitmas ready to go and tested in a 44 degree
school. That's dedication!
     This move has put alot of stress on me, my family and the school itself. If it were not
for the dedication of our students, I would have closed the doors and called
it a day. I forgot what it was like to have that fire in my belly to want to
learn everything and anything about the martial arts. We have perservered
to this point and hopefully we will continue. Jiao Si and I await the arrival
of our first child which will bring its own challenges. We will more than likely
have to relocate in order to make our school prosperous. I have enjoyed sharing
the place of my birth with my wife and stepdaughter. I have also enjoyed returning
to share what I have spent the past 15 years learning with the community.
I hope that 2010 will bring more good things to Blue Ridge Kung Fu of Rutherfordton

and to all of the schools within our association
and students. I hope that 2010 will also bring me the strength and patience to go
on. More than that, if our school disappears tomorrow, I hope
that 2010 brings health and wellness to all. I have been greatful for the respect that we have
been shown and for the devotion of a few good people. Martial Arts bring out the best
in people and I have been shown that over and over again with our students.

I encourage everyone to train their hardest and smartest in the New Year.

Promote Grandmaster Ward's Systems every chance that you get.

Sifu Marks

Master Instructor, Blue Ridge Kung Fu of Rutherfordton

“Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.” 

                                                      Sun Tzu

      The Foe more times than not, is yourself.   Blame it on the cobwebs that have settled over your bones, or blame it on the day, everyone has bad ones from time to time.  Ever look in the mirror and wonder what it would be like to fight you?  It’s this inner self that is at fault for slowing us down, for pausing to long, for over correcting.  It’s this inner self that says I can’t go on, I’m beat.  The inner self that says, it’s been too long. 

      Like Sun Tzu says, water is just flowing where it needs to, so is the life of a martial artist.  

      I have been gone now for some time… Life has shifted as it does to put me on a different course.  The rock that I have flowed down for so long changed under me, making me flow down a new path.  Change happens to us all, all the time, but the martial artist is able to deal with this change in the same manner as he deals with an attack.  Find the path of least resistance and re direct.   Martial arts, Kung-Fu, are a way of life that few choose for themselves, more times than not it chooses them.  It becomes a life, an obsession even, or an addiction however you want to classify it.  When you go without it you crave it, when you have it you need more.  Then over time…it settles some.  People come and go and when you’re in “your” moment you wonder how come?  How can they stop and leave.  It’s just a cycle that everyone is in, and it’s this cycle that is so personal nobody can really explain it.  

      The circle that we all study so intently is so intertwined with our life we rarely notice it.  The power that we can generate from using the circle, the philosophy we learn from it, the symbols we create.  The cycle, or circle, is in constant motion; it’s the natural dance that’s inside us all.

                                                      Master Coan

Over $1,400 raised in Wilkesboro for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

By Sifu Jason McGuire 

      Keeping in the traditions set forth by Grandmaster Rick Ward, a fundraiser was held in Wilkesboro for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis TN. The fundraiser was hosted by Master Jason McGuire and the Foothills Kung-Fu Arnis Academy. Money was raised for the charity in two parts. The first part was through the students from the kid’s class going out and asking for donations from the general public. The second was from the proceeds of an I.K.A.A. inner school martial arts tournament held on October 31^st, 2009. The tournament was held at the NC National Guard Armory from 9:00am until around 3:00pm. Students from Wilkesboro, NC, Boone, NC, West Jefferson, NC, Mountain City, TN, and Abington, VA attended and competed. Students were originally given three divisions that they could compete in, empty hand forms, weapon forms, and sparring. During the tournament Grandmaster Ward, who was in attendance, came up with the idea of adding a self-defense division. Four students volunteered and with-in a few minutes came up with two great demonstrations. This just shows the depth of our system and our students, that with a little coaching, these two teams could come up with some thing on a moments notice. All though the number of students competing was down, the number of spectators was up. Through the two fundraisers we were able to raise a little over $1,400 for this great cause. A special thanks goes out to Grandmaster Rick Ward and Master Chris Laing for attending and helping out with the tournament.  Sponsors for the event were the NC National Guard in N.Wilkesboro, Wal-Mart, Lowes Foods, Food Lion, and the parents of J.C. Riddle, a student of mine, who donated and smoked all of the barbecue that was sold at the tournament.