Founder and owner of the style American Freestyle Karate, Grand Master Greg Kieffer, 8th degree black belt. Grand Master Kieffer trained and studied many Martial Arts systems along the way. These include: Judo, Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate), Tang Soo Do, Moo Duk Kwan (Korean Military Art), Kenpo, Kung Fu, and Kickboxing.

Mr. Kieffer earned the following achievements in over 33 years of martial arts: 1985 US National Champion, 1986 World Belt Champion, 1988 Qualifying Olympic Gold Champion, 1988 US National Grand Champion, USA Fighting Team-team Champion. To attest to his ability in Martial Arts, Grand Master Kieffer was inducted by the International Martial Arts Honor Society in 1988, in honor of his skill, knowledge, and with the understanding of the spirit of Martial Arts. After studying and training in other Martial Arts systems, Grand Master Kieffer believed that the best style would have to be an Unorthodoxed one. He also believed that a true Martial Artist is a well rounded individual; one who is totally aware of his/her surroundings and is in total control of him/herself. You must build your body for physical training, but you must also build your mind, having a heart and desire to do so. A body with no heart is useless and dead.

Patricia A. Rasey, instructor, started out her martial arts career in her early thirties when she decided to take up the sport with her son, Nick, along with encouragement from Grand Master Greg Kieffer. She continued in her training, and after several years, tested for and earned her black belt. Ms. Rasey went on to be an assistant instructor for Grand Master Kieffer. Now, a third degree black belt, she is an instructor beneath Grand Master Kieffer for American Freestyle Karate and Kickboxing.

Ms. Rasey is also an accomplished, award-winning novelist with ten books under her belt. She is a three-time recipient of the Word Weaving Award for Literary Excellence and a three-time winner of the prestigious RIO Award Of Excellence. She is also a three-time EPPIE finalist and was a 2001 nominee for Romantic Times Magazine's Best Electronic Book. Additionally, Twilight Obsessions and Twilight Visions, two anthologies she was a part of, was nominated for the PEARL, the Paranormal Excellence Award in Romantic Literature, in the Best Anthology category. Her short story, In The Mind of Darkness won the P&E 2002 Horror short story category. You can check out Patricia's site by clicking here.

Linda Perez, assistant instructor.

Linda Perez began her training in her early thirties, under the instruction of Grand Master Greg Kieffer and Lori (Kieffer) Cogswell. Linda trained and taught under Kieffer's Academy of Martial Arts and received her Black Belt from Master Greg Kieffer in March 2004. During her training, Linda had a six year setback, due a fractured back, and had to take some time off. To date, Linda’s accomplishment include 111 competition awards, including: The 1995 Demo Team, The 1996 North West Ohio Women’s Kumite Champion Award, Second Runner Up (Kata’s), and Second Place (Weapons), all of PKC Western Region, and seven School Awards from Master Kieffer and Lori (Kieffer) Cogswell. Linda is now a first degree black belt.

Grand Master Dennis Engard, 10th Degree Black Belt. Grand Master Kieffer's instructor.

In 1971, Mr. Engard opened his first school, Engard School of Karate in Galion, Ohio. The second school was opened in Bucyrus, Ohio in 1972. The third school was opened in Upper Sandusky in 1973. In 1976 the fourth school was opened in Mansfield, Ohio. Actively competing throughout the country on the “Open” circuit as they used to call it, Mr. Engard gained the nickname “Animal”. Mr. Engard won many awards in forms, fighting, and weapons. Therefore Animals Karate Club was formed in 1973 combining the 3 schools. This name stayed until 1990 when Grand Master Engard formed and developed his own system called the American Tae Kwon Do Systems. Having studied Hapkido and Kenpo over the years and receiving Black Belts in each discipline, Mr. Engard has developed a unique combination of self-defense. Mr. Engard has realized that no one style was better than another and that combining the three styles gave the student a greater chance of defending themselves. Being that Mr. Engard’s highest Black Belt rank is in Tae Kwon Do, he has maintained the Tae Kwon Do identification. Mr. Engard also has studied Kendo and Tai Chi and uses some of these methods in his teachings. Mr. Engard also had formed the “Power Union Kickboxing Club” which has produced many champions over the years including women as well as men. Mr. Engard has had the pleasure of training under some well known instructors such as Il Ju Kim, Tong Choo Choi, Gary Harris, George Anderson, Bob Chaney, Kip Soo Han, Robert Pildredge, Anthony Palum, Soke Jake Allen as well as Master Chuck Norris during his years of training to name just a few. Mr. Engard has organized and directed tournaments that have had Billy Blanks, Cynthia Rothrock, Woody Fairbanks, Jay T. Will, Al Gene Caraluia, Dennis Janes, James Cook, Jacque Tarr, Mickey Scodova, Mike Hixson Sr., Mike Hixson Jr., in attendance. Mr. Engard has sponsored events with Bill “Superfoot” Wallace and also Kathy Long.

For further information on Grand Master Engard, visit his website.