FACILITY / INSTRUCTORS BIOGRAPHIES

 

Sifu Greg Medford

Sifu Greg Medford started training in 1979 with Tony Hill. Then Buddy Boothe under Dennis Laycock in Phoenix, AZ. Mr. Laycock was trained under the Tracy brothers of Chinese Kenpo and American Kenpo lineage. He was also part of the Yudansha in Shotokan Karate from the lineage of Nakayama and Dave Roberts, as well as Chung Doo Kwan Tae Kwon Do through Mr. Roberts. Mr. Laycock was always ready to work-out and loved fighting anyone who cared to put forth an effort. He is truly a gentleman martial artist and of the old school of “Iron Worker” Karate men that came out of Texas in the 60’s and 70’s. We are friends to this day.

After earning blackbelt rankings in Kenpo, Shotokan and Tae Kwon Do, Mr. Medford began training with Sifu Dennis Connatser. Mr. Connatser was part of a cadre of instructors who was privileged to train under the founder of American Kenpo: Ed Parker. Mr. Connatser opened Mr. Medford’s mind to the concepts and principles underlying the core of American Kenpo and passed on the concept of being a fisher of knowledge rather than a collector of fish. Mr. Connatser was certainly a “Watch Maker” of the art and was very tuned in to the minutia that makes Kenpo devastating. It was truly a life changing experience working with Mr. Connatser, but one that was to be short lived.

Mr. Medford trained next under Sigung Stephen LaBounty and was honored to be tutored by one of the most senior men in American Kenpo throughout the world. Mr. LaBounty was the master instructor that helped synthesize the elements of force and finesse that Sifu Medford and his school are known for. Mr. Medford is very indebted to all of the good men who helped him become the person he is today.

In addition to being a full-time professional Martial Artist, Mr. Medford is a professional airshow pilot and aircraft importer of exotic ex-military aircraft. Greg loves performing at military sponsored airshows as recruitment tools for the U.S. Military. Greg writes daily and has been published several times in magazines and journals. Greg plays the guitar almost daily and loves to break out into song when guests stay at his home. He has a passion for life, and a zeal for country that few can imagine…when not at the school you could find him doing anything from building a high performance aircraft engine, sneaking up on 1000 yards with a .308, putting a wing on an airplane, reading Plato, studying aerodynamics, or rebuilding his WWII fighter he plans on racing at the Reno International Air Races.
Mr. Medford is a native of Phoenix, attended high school and college in Massachusetts and college in Pennsylvania as well. Greg earned a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and is an FAA certified flight instructor in single, multi and instrument rated aircraft, and holds a current surface-level, Level 1 Aerobatic Competency Evaluation Card for airshows.

Greg is also a long-distance runner and is always soliciting donations for the runs he does in wartime support of the Semper Fi fund. The Semper Fi fund is a non-profit group of U.S. Marine wives that have spearheaded raising public awareness and support of Marines wounded in combat operations in the Global War on Terror. Last year supporters donated nearly $6000 in support of his runs. This year hopefully will break records when Greg again goes to Washington D.C. to run in the Marine Corps Marathon. Get out your checkbooks and support the cause! Semper Fi!

Finally, Greg is also a father and everything takes a backseat to the raising of his and Amy’s first child Roxanne.

 

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