Master Li Keung (Steve Li)
Master Li started training when he was just 11 years old. He first learned the style of Choy Li Fu kung
fu. A short time later, he visited Kong Hoi's Lai Tong Pai Academy in the New Territories of Hong Kong (Kowloon.) While there, Master Li was admitted into the last class of closed-door students. Master Li
was permitted to live with the Grandmaster and learn the complete style. As a young man, Master Li decided to make his own fortune in America. Grandmaster Kong Chui Hoi gave him permission to open a school
of Lai Tong Pai in the US. He is recognized as a Master and the leading authority on Lai Tong Pai and is the highest ranked practitioner in the US. A banner was given to Master Li by Grandmaster Kong Chui
Hoi and proclaims and dates the historic event of Kong Hoi Kung Fu Association - Mint Hill Branch becoming Master Li's flag ship school of Lai Tong Pai and hangs on the wall of the Kwoon in Charlotte, North
Carolina. Master Li can be reached by emailing Sifu Anthony at sifuanthony@bellsouth.net
Sifu Anthony Stephenson Sifu Anthony started training in Tai Kwon Do at the age of
14. He continued his martial arts training through his teen years in Karate. Kung Fu was always the art that he wished to study, but Chinese martial arts were hard to find in the tobacco row area of North
Carolina in the 1970's. After leaving Fuquay-Varina, NC in 1985, he ventured to Charlotte, NC to continue his education. In 1987, a cousin saw three curious gentlemen and one humble Chinese man training
in a strange style of martial arts at the central YMCA. Luckily for Sifu Anthony, it was not a strange style, it was Kung Fu. He humbly asked if he could become a student of Sifu Li and after many
traditional rejections, Anthony was allowed to enter the Lai Tong family. He has been devoted to Lai Tong Pai style ever
since, opening and running three kwoons prior to the Kong Hoi Kung Fu Association - Mint Hill location, formerly Mint Hill Kung Fu School, on the east side of Charlotte, NC for Master Li. In 1993, he was
promoted to US Instructor and was added to the Lineage of Lai Tong Pai. He is one of the highest ranked practitioners of Lai Tong Pai, next to Master Li, in the US. He is also one of the first black sash
students ever in the US and one of the first non-Chinese black sash students to ever be allowed to teach the Lai Tong Pai style. In addition, he is the Sifu of the Kings Mountain Branch, Kong Hoi Kung Fu
Association – Sil Lum Mountain in historical Kings Mountain, NC just west of Charlotte, NC where he now resides. Sifu Anthony has entered and won his share of 1st
place awards as well as a 3rd place weapons division award in an International Kung Fu Tournament in Baltimore, MD in 1989 while only a yellow sash practitioner of Lai Tong Pai. In
2001, during the traditional Tea Ceremony in Charlotte, NC, Sifu Anthony was awarded, by Master Li Chi Keung, the status of US Disciple of Lai Tong Pai, 6th
Generation outside the Sil Lum (Shaolin) Temple and was given the ranking of Senior US Instructor. He was the elder instructor at the Kong Hoi Kung Fu Association – Mint Hill just east of Charlotte. In June 2004, Sifu Anthony traveled to Hong Kong to study Lai Tong Pai in depth. There he received, by Grandmaster Kong Chui Hoi of Hong Kong, certification awarding him International Instructor
level and since he is now also a direct student of Grandmaster Kong Hoi, he is also a 5th Generation Disciple. Sifu Anthony is also a Cofounder and current President of the Carolinas
Association of Chinese Martial Arts Association (CACMA). He has held various titles at the CACMA Regional Tournament throughout the years including Tournament Promoter, Tournament Director, Director and
Tournament Committee Chair. He has also promoted and hosted his own tournament in Kings Mountain, NC the Sil Lum Mountain Invitational. He is also the publisher of the CACMA Scroll Newsletter published
quarterly on their website. He is also a member of the United States Kuoshu Federation and serves as a judge on their behalf each year at their annual tournament in Baltimore, MD. He is also
certified to judge Lei Tai fighting by the USCKF and CACMA. Sifu Anthony has also been asked to join the instructor group, by Shi fu Steve Clark, at the Marine Base Camp LeJeune, NC, for the
Force Protection Seminars instructing Marine and Navy personnel. In 2005, Sifu Anthony received the honor of being inducted into the US Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Sifu Anthony was accompanied to
Chicago, IL by his wife Shawna and last year's NC area inductees, CACMA VP's Shi Fu Steve Clark and Shi Fu Doug Moffett. You may contact Sifu Anthony at his e-mail address of sifuanthony@bellsouth
.net Sifu Christopher Facente
In 1984, Chris started
training in the art of Tae Kwon Do in Charlotte, NC. His first taste of kung fu was five short lessons with a Sifu Li in 1989 who had to move shortly afterwards because of a job transfer. He began training
in Kempo shortly thereafter, but his heart longed to train in kung fu. Finding Master Li at the Plaza road temple location upon his return in 1990, his life long dream to learn kung fu had been realized and
he now serves as disciple and instructor for the Lai Tong Pai style. He has been a devoted disciple of Lai Tong Pai ever since that day and is recognized as one of the leading authorities on the style in the
US. Sifu Chris was promoted to black sash and was added to the Lineage in 1993. In 2001, during the traditional tea ceremony in Charlotte, NC, Sifu Chris was awarded, by Master Li Chi Keung, the
status of US Disciple of Lai Tong Pai and was given the ranking of US Instructor. In June 2004, Chris also traveled to Hong Kong to study Lai Tong Pai, in depth. There he also received International
Instructor certification also presented by Si Gung Hoi's wife. Sifu Chris is authorized to teach the style worldwide by Grandmaster Kong Chui Hoi of Hong Kong and was accepted as his disciple and registered
with the Hong Kong Kung Fu Association. Sifu Chris is the one of the highest ranking disciples of Lai Tong Pai, next to Master Li, in the US. Chris is a cofounder of the Carolinas Association of Chinese
Martial Arts Federation. Contact him at mhkfs@aol.com
.
Mike Garcia
Mike comes to Lai Tong Pai with an extensive background in many other
martial arts such as Karate and Escrima and has a wealth of information on the martial arts. He started training with Master Li in the early 90's and is the fifth individual to be awarded the prestigious
black sash and US Instructor rating in Lai Tong Pai in the late 90's.
Alex Hanning
Sifu Alex Hanning has studied
a number of martial arts since 1986. In 1994, he met Sifu Steve Lee Swift and was impressed by Wing Chun's straightforward
effectiveness and efficiency. He now heads up our Wing Chun class. Email Sifu
Alex at Ahanning@aol.com Scott Waters
Scott began training in 1993. He trained under Sifu Anthony and Sifu Chris for two years before meeting Master Li in 1995. During 1998 & 1999
he received extensive training from Master Li Keung. He still trains with Master Li and Sifus Anthony and Chris at every opportunity. Scott is a very humble person and values the old traditional ways of
training as his instructors did before him. Scott is also an accomplished musician which contributed to his dedication and devotion to Kung Fu. Scott received his black sash ranking and was given permission
to open a kwoon and teach in Rock Hill in 1999. Kong Hoi Kung Fu Association - Rock Hill opened in 2000. Classes are available on Saturdays. Please call or e-mail Scott at toodlum_1999@yahoo.com for full details.
Glenwood Barnes
Sifu Glenwood Barnes started practice in 1980 under the leadership of Sifu Norman Smith (Hung Gar) and Thomas
Hardy (Tien Chen Pai). Practicing both northern and southern styles became perfect building blocks in developing his skills. By the mid 80's, while then practicing Tai Chi, he entered a number of tournaments
that lead to a higher level of practice. In the majority of those competitions, he won first place in the Tai Chi competitions. Since then, Sifu Glenwood has only focused on practicing and teaching Tai Chi.
We Sifus at Kong Hoi Kung Fu Association - Mint Hill Branch are pleased to have him teaching with us. |
