Al and I at the gravesite of Toby Utterstrom, one of Al's most influential teacher's in his life. I wish I would have been able to meet him myself. (18 August 2009)
Our illustrious photographer and videographer, Amanda Anthony
Robert Anthony
Robert Anthony: Founder of the Maine Academy, which was established in 1999. Began training in Wing Chun under Sifu Scott Baker in October, 1989, and reached the Disciple level in June 1999. His previous martial art training includes studying Kenpo for three years in the 1980's, plus dabbling in Tai Chi and Wing Chun while in the Army.
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Lloyd Chute: Lloyd , who lives in the Gray, Maine area, began training in Wing Chun in March of 2001. He trained previously in Tai Chi Chuan and Akido.
Lloyd's status in the Academy:
Yellow Shirt (Student of Position): April, 2002
Red Shirt (Student of Motion): August, 2003
Grey Shirt (Student of Power): October, 2006.
Sifu Level One (Muk Yan Jong): currently working on.
Sifu John Hall (Photo not updated)
John Hall: John, a resident of Saco, Me, also began in May of 2001. His prior martial arts experience Isshin-ryu for about 8 months in High School, and Yang style Tai Chi. He has also spent some time studying Kempo and Shotokan.
John's status in the Academy:
Yellow Shirt (Student of Position): April, 2002
Red Shirt (Student of Motion): August, 2003
Gray Shirt (Student of Power): October, 2009.
Sifu Level One (Muk Yan Jong): May, 2010.
Sifu Level Two (Luk Dim Bun Gon): currently working on.
Sifu Jeff Anderson
Jeffrey Anderson: Jeff, who lives in the Springvale, ME area, began training in Wing Chun in January of 2002. His prior martial arts experience includes Go Doi-Ru Karate Do, which he took from 1987 to 1991, and from 1998 to 2002.
Jeff's status in the Academy:
White Shirt (Student of Position): July, 2003
Yellow Shirt (Student of Motion): March, 2006
Red Shirt (Student of Power): April, 2007
Promoted to Disciple or Gray Shirt Level in April, 2007.
Sifu Level One (Muk Yan Jong): October, 2009.
Sifu Level Two (Luk Dim Bun Gon): currently working on.
Sifu Al French
Al French: Al, who resides in the New Glouscester, Me area, began training in Wing Chun in September, 2003. His prior martial arts experience began with Shaolin Chin Na and Wu Shu, which he studied from January 1997 until March 2001. He also studied Tae Kwon Do with Fournier's Karate for 3 months in 1998, and Choi Shin Do (Korean Fighting System) for 3-4 months of training in 1998 at the University of Southern Maine. He has also dabbled in Yang style Tai Chi and Qigong.
Al's status in the Academy:
White Shirt (Student of Position): May, 2004
Yellow Shirt (Student of Motion): January, 2008
Red Shirt (Student of Power): October, 2008.
Promoted to Disciple or Gray Shirt Level in October, 2008.
Sifu Level Level One (Muk Jan Zong): January, 2009.
Sifu Level Two (Luk Dim Bun Gon): April, 2009.
SIfu Level Three (Baat Zaam Dou): August, 2009. This completed Al's formal training, and he graduated formally as a fully trained disciple and Sifu of the Maine Academy of Wing Chun Kung Fu.
Sitou Bill Tanner
Bill Tanner, Jr.: Bill, who resides in the Philips, ME area, trained at the Academy from October, 2005 until December, 2006. Bill had trained in the Wong Shun Leung line for a number of years, and after he moved back to Maine, he began training students of his own, which he still does at this time. Because of his prior training, he entered the Academy as a red shirt.
Gray Shirt (Student of Power): January, 2008
Sifu Level One (Muk Yan Jong): currently working on.
Chad Weber
Chad Weber: Chad, who resides in the Cumberland, Me, area, began training in Wing Chun in January of 2007.
Chad's status in the Academy:
Yellow Shirt (Student of Position): January, 2008
Red Shirt (Student of Motion): currently working on.
Nick House
Nick House: Nick is currently serving in the U.S. Navy, and has been training at the Academy since June of 2008. His prior training began in Hung Gar in 2003 under Sifu Wayne Judge of the Chiu Chi Ling Lineage (Iron Dragon Hung Gar). He has also had some prior training in Wing Chun. Nick was reassigned by the navy to San Diego, CA in March, 2010, but is still considered a member of the academy.
Nick's status in the Academy:
Yellow Shirt (Student of Position): May, 2008
Red Shirt (Student of Motion): March, 2010.
Chris Tremblay: Chris, who resides in the Wales, ME, area, began training in Wing Chun in February of 2009.
Chris' status in the Academy:
Yellow Shirt (Student of Position): December, 2009.
Red Shirt (Student of Motion): currently working on.
Sifu Anthony Oddi
John Fontana: John is a student of Sifu Mark Messare of the Moy Yat family. He travels a lot for his company, and so he gets a chance to meet with other instructors in the Wing Chun family. He and Robert worked on Chi Sau together from September through December of 2000. John is currently an instructor under Sifu Messare. To see a photo of John, and to learn more of the system he is studying, you may visit their site at: Messare's Ving Tsun Academy
Jeffrey Smith: Jeff, who lives in the Falmouth, ME, area, trained with the Academy from May of 2001 to November of 2002. He had returned in October of 2005 and trained until November, 2008. His prior martial arts training includes Tai Chi Chuan at Full Circle Synergy.
Patrick Scully: Patrick started training in Wing Chun in October of 2001. Patrick's prior martial arts experience included Tae Kwon Do when he was younger, about the time that he was in Middle School and in High School. He also studied Jeet Kune Do in Connecticut in 1993 for a period of 3 months. Patrick was working on The Student of Motion Level when he decided to leave the Academy in July of 2003.
Nicholas Starbird: Nicholas started just five days after Patrick in October of 2001. Nicholas trained on and off over a period of just under two years, when he attended his last class in early October of 2003. By that time, he was halfway through the Student of Motion Level.
Jesse Blier: Jesse, who lives in the Augusta, ME area, began training in Wing Chun in July of 2002. His prior martial arts experience includes Tae-Kwon-Do, which he took when he was younger in the mid-1980's, Kenpo and kickboxing, which he took during the period of 1991-92, and he also studied Isshin-ryu, which he studied from March until July of 2002, in which he reached the level of blue with a black strip belt. Jesse had completed his white shirt training in March of 2003 and had nearly completed his yellow shirt training when he left the Academy in October of 2004.
Raphael Desreumaux: Raphael was a member of the Academy from September 2002 through May 2003. During that time, he had worked on level one, which he had nearly completed, and parts of level two. He was a student at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME, and would travel to the classes in Gray and Springvale when he had the chance. It was the rising costs of tuition at the University which forced him to move back to California, where he originates from, and where he plans on continuing his training in Wing Chun.
Karen Rak: Karen began training in Wing Chun in October of 2002, and trained on and off until June of 2003. She was still working on the Student of Position Level by the time she had stopped.
Casey Blier: Casey began training in Wing Chun in February of 2003. By the time that he had left the Academy in November of 2003, he had been studying in the Student of Motion Level for approximately three months.
John Burke: John began training in Wing Chun in August of 2003. By the time that he had left the Academy in October of 2006, he had been studying in the Student of Power Level from November, 2005 till October, 2006. He trained for a time under Sifu Timothy Jeffcoat in Provo, Utah.
RJ Mere: RJ, who resides Kennebunk, ME area, began training in Wing Chun in August, 2003. His prior martial arts experience was in Tae Kwon Do, which he began training in in 1976. He reached the rank of black belt in 1979, and remained active in TKD for the next five years, during which time he was active in full contact fighting. He retired from TKD in 1984. By the time that he had left the Academy in September of 2007, he had been studying in the Student of Motion Level from May, 2004 till September, 2007.
Mike Charette: Mike, who resides in the Alfred, Me area, began training in Wing Chun in January, 2004. Mike's prior martial arts experience includes Tae Kwon Do, which he began training in 1976. He reached Black Belt in 1979 and continued to train until 1985. He competed in many tournaments, and was active in full contact and kick boxing. He also trained with the Bo staff, Sai and knife fighting. Mike had completed his white shirt training in July of 2004, and was working on his yellow shirt level when he left the Academy in September of 2005.
Mark St John: Mark, who resides in the South Portland, ME, area, began training in Wing Chun in September, 2004. Mark left the Academy in November of 2006, when he moved to Georgia. Though he had to move, Mark is a member still, though inactive.
Dana Slone: Dana, who resides in the Portland, ME area, began training in Wing Chun in September, 2004. She has no prior martial arts experience. Dana left the Academy in April of 2006, to begin a tour of South America. Dana recently moved to Colorado.
Mike Genest: Mike began training in Wing Chun at the Maine Academy in September, 2004. His prior martial arts experience included a short stint in Shotokan and Jujitsu in the early '90's. He began training in Wing Chun with the Arizona Wing Chun Association (AWCA) in late 2003 through their distance learning program, in which he reached Level Two. Due to taking on a new job, he had to leave the Academy in January of 2005. At that time, he was still working on the Student of Position Level.
Deven Christian: Deven, who resides in the New Gloucester, ME area, began training in Wing Chun in October, 2004, and he had no prior martial arts experience. Deven left the Academy in April of 2005.
Last Updated 28 June, 2010
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