Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
The four Temple Kung Fu locations in Ontario, which were in Hamilton, Mississauga, Toronto and Scarborough, have suddenly closed.
The news was as much a surprise to me as it probably was to all the other TKF students, and perhaps even to many of the instructors. Why it occurred is something of a mystery. What to do next seems uncertain.
This page exists to try and help clear up some of that mystery and uncertainty. By creating a central location to trade information, I hope to help some former TKF Ontario members, including myself, learn what happened and figure out what to do next. I will be posting new information as it becomes available.
Temple Kung Fu wasn’t just a place to learn martial arts and get in shape, it was also a great place to make friends. I met Wayne Gilbert there four or five years ago, and he ended up as my best man when I got married. I met a lot of other people I’m going to miss too.
So this page is also a way for TKF students and instructors to get in touch with each other. You can post up your email addresses or contact information here, or, if you don’t want your contact information to be publicly viewable, you can email it to me and I will give it to people who ask for it (I’ll ask for your permission first via email).
Training at Temple Kung Fu was a great experience, and I’m sad it’s over. But I have no plans to let it go without first asking why.
Status as of April 4, 2006
I received the news by phone from Mr. Abell, the former chief instructor at the Hamilton location, a few days ago. Based on my conversation with him, here’s what I know:
- All 4 TKF locations in Ontario are closed permanently [correction: the Toronto studio remains open, see below]
- These locations were owned and operated by Temhil Ltd., which belonged to Troy Sparrow (Master Sparrow) under a franchise agreement.
- The locations were closed because Temhil Ltd. is bankrupt.
- Mr. Abell intends to open a new martial arts studio in the Burlington/Oakville area, along with another instructor. He intends to honour the contracts of TKF students.
Update – April 5, 2006
Training in Hamilton is continuing
Mr. Freedman has arranged for training at a Hamilton location on Tuesdays and Thursdays:
I have got access to the Children’s Museum for Tuesdays and Thursdays 6 to 8.
We could practice in the park weather permitting.
Everyone invited, a first schedule would be:
Sil Lum Pai 6-7
PHS or extended Sil Lum Pai 7-8$25 a rental for CM, first one is on me, if we all chip in it’s pocket change. This Thursday is the first practice.
1072 Main street east in Gage Park across from McDonald’s, free parking, well signed.
From 403 take Main Street East Exit through the city core, about 5 minute drive.So please make it out if you can. We intend to do serious training!
TKF Mailing List
A mailing list has been set up to provide a central source of information for TKF students. To get yourself added to the list, email Mr. Fuller at 2albertfuller@gmail.com.
Letter from Troy Sparrow – May 1, 2006
The following is a letter received via email from Troy Sparrow:
April 30, 2006
Dear students;
I write this letter with a heavy heart. My apologies go out to all the students who have been disappointed, saddened or even angry with my departure from the Temple Kung Fu organization. I too am saddened to give up all that was my life for 19 years and to not be a part of your lives anymore.
The year 2005/06 signaled the end of many long time relationships for me, not only with you members of the student body but also with my wife and with GMS and Mrs. Simon.
Financially I am unable to continue with the Temple Kung fu organization. I was left bankrupt and feel that things may have been different if we were able to update and modernize the business model, sadly that was impossible with Mrs. Simon. I believe they felt that everything worked fine; I however have a differing opinion and felt strongly that change needed to occur in order to service the students better and to be able to make a life for the owners and instructors of the local schools.
Having lacked support and guidance I was left in this sad situation that believe me I would have done anything to change. However this is where I am. No blame, no excuses, no faults just many regrets. As for my personal life, that will remain a private issue but was very much tied to the profession I chose.
My studios have been passed on to qualified individuals who have by choice, and without my influence, decided to operate under a different name and a more modern and updated business model.
My greatest memories are of the people with whom I trained and the friendships I made at the studios. I wish you all well. I hope you achieve all that you set out to do in life. I will move on with mine as I know I have some destiny to fulfill, in my heart I know that God has a plan for me yet. I know most of you ‘just want to train’ and I urge you not to give that up!!
I hope to see you again, with a lighter heart.
Troy Sparrow
I know I speak for more people than just myself when I extend my sympathy to Master Sparrow for the financial, and more importantly, the personal losses described in this letter. Master Sparrow, you were my first teacher at TKF and I have always held you in high regard. That has not changed. I wish you the best of luck in the future and I hope we run into each other again sometime.
Update – June 13, 2006
New studio with roots in Temple Kung Fu, but a new approach, has opened
From Trevor Abell:
Yes, we are almost set up and ready to go.
You’re welcome to come and check it out.
We are not yet ready for group classes, but we are starting to provide privates & practise time.The studio # is 905-825-2132
Address is 760 Pacific Dr. Unit 14
Oakville, On. L6L 6M5
Our hrs. of operation are 4-9pm Mon.-Fri.We are just south of the QEW off Bronte Rd.
Take QEW to Bronte Rd. go towards the lake (south) one street (Wycroft) turn left at the Toyota Dealership (Pacific) & we are the building on the left Unit 14.If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me.
Unanswered Questions
- Does the Temple Kung Fu head organization bear any responsibility, legal or otherwise, for what happened?
- What is the legal status of the contracts between students and Temhil Ltd., and between students and the TKF organization in general? What legal recourse do students have to receive money back? [Contracts at the Hamilton and Mississauga studios are now owned by Trevor Abell and Mr. Cuthbert, your contract and book should be at their new location, see above in Update – June 13, 2006]
- Where can we receive official notice of what is happening? [This no longer seems relevant.] Why have there been no letters, no notification on the Temple Kung Fu website, nothing besides the unhappy phone calls from instructors? [The website no longer exists.]
- How can students receive copies of their contracts as well as their training books? [If you belonged to Hamilton or Mississauga, see above.]
Discussion Guidelines
Registration is not required to comment. You may say what you like, but please keep it civil, keep it on topic, don’t spread rumours, state your sources of information, and don’t libel anyone.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:24 am
Hi mr porembschi I live in Edmonton right now but am moving back to Toronto this summer and opening a new school. I feel it is time again to teach publicly I have only taught privately for the last 5 yrs. There is much to be said for many of the comments I have read on this post since I visited last.
You know I lived in the scarborough and missisauga studios for two yrs because I didn’t get paid enough to get an apartment of my own. The kung fu was really good before everything was ordered to be hidden. I was fired for being an umbrella I called for the students from the downpour of head office.
Do not kid yourself people Ms. Simon was the Business leader most of the trouble should fall on her. She always was right( I laugh now but she frusterated the hell out of me in my youth.)I fought for the students and told her once through mr. smith she didn’t know what she was talking about with sales and that all the pressure was chasing good students away.
It was all about money I have no respect for mr. sparrow as soon as he came to toronto it was the end of tkf there. The supervisors were brainwashed and the instructors abused by them. Sometimes physically always mentally. They didn’t care about kung fu only money. They promised to teach self defence and taught it incorrectly on purpose. I would teach and practice business 50-60 hours a week for under $2000 a month.
One time after I was married, I married a student, I was told to bring her in by mr. smith so he could tell her how to act as a chief instructors wife. I didn’t like that much and swore at him a bit. I really didn’t like him he was a backstabbing prick. exuse my french.
I loved and respected gms and mr piercy with all of my heart and still do. I idolized them and imitated them and ignored the rest exept mr demetrius and mr weber.
It was hard when mr piercey fired me for not conforming to the new status quo under mr sparrow. Got really sick of not being paid to go over and over something I had already ingrained in me the business practice.
There was a month or so towards the end where I it was 16 hour days 10 teaching the rest going over phone interviews and office interviews. I told mr murray who was my student and I thought friend used to invite him over for dinner and stuff one morning that if it kept up I would quit. My bags were packed quickly for me then.
Most of the phs and my best students came with me they saw the signs on the wall so to speak. I never betrayed my oaths tkf betrayed me and their own oaths. Worst of all mr piercey my teacher and master betrayed me. They really didn’t like that i was figuring things out so well. Figured out the phs low punch before I was taught it from reading gms’s writings. I was practicing and getting good and they all saw it as a challenge to them for some reason.
I to like mr k have to say I’m sorry I tried to do things honorably but failed but it was out of my control.
I do feel honored though that I am remembered and inquired about at all. I was fired in 1996.
I write this long blog because I suppose it is time the truth came out for those trying to defend the business practices.I lived the life there literally i slept and ate in the studios they were my home and the students my family since I had left mine in edmonton to move to T.O. to teach. I had bones broken and kept going. It has taken me years to get the brainwashing out of my head.
Mr boxen is right I lost my first studio after 5 yrs because I couldn’t let go of their business practices and modeled them after tkf watered down but it was all I knew.This time I will do it right.
The system is really good one of the best out there and I have met alot of really good masters from various styles. especially when I taught at the samurai club for Moni the founder of commando krav maga. We got along really well even though we had different opinions on competition.
I have been called a master by other respected martial artists yet only recieved a 1st degree black belt from tkf. Getting that was like pulling teeth they were really hard on me but I didn’t care it was all about knowledge to me not belts.I don’t have a certificate or nothing my skill has earned me respect not papers.
Yet all the knowledge came from tkf I only learned it deeper and expanded on the missing pieces over the years.
It looks nothing like what most people learned for I only practiced what mr piercey taught me in private and what I could gain from gms when he visited.The forms are flowing and definately more combative than what the others were trying to teach me. At one point I knew 3 different versions of kempo to keep everyone happy.
I went from instructor to chief instructor within a couple years really fast I was fed to the wolves. I had been a student for a few years before I decided to become an instructor though I was asked a couple times and refused until I had some knowledge and experience to back me up. I think I was a blue belt.
Anyway I could talk all night but I have spent an hour already dwelling on the past. To sum up I have forgiven and made peace within myself. I think that is what real ch’an is about. I was a phs brother and a temple member and was discarded like an old garment but that’s business.
I said bad things about mr sparrow and mr smith but they treated me with no respect so there’s none given.Like I said though the truth is Mrs. Simon ran the business so she should take some responsibility for the treatment of the students. I can only speak of my experiences in toronto each city was a different organization under the same umbrella her umbrella.
There is some hard truth about tkf. The truth is also and I am not bragging but there would have been no toronto schools if it wasn’t for me. I was all alone until the mississauga studio opened which I opened. Supervisors only appeared for short periods of time I had to deal with challenges on the mat from energy lake teachers who hid as students and everything. Ask mr demetrius or mr piercey knocked one guy out tryed to poke my eye out had a scratch on my nose from the attempt before I knocked him on his ass. mr belfilio I believe his name was he was more respectful after that. Telling me our style wasn’t combative enough. lol. he dissapeared quickly.
Then I was beat up for a month straight by mr piercey in one session he broke my hand because i opened it. he did it in love the beating I got really good after that it was the purpose I understood. He wanted to make sure I could take care of things after all it was a kung fu school not a ballet school.I was 22 then. you see I have good memories as well as the bad overall more good memories than bad the only bad memories are the business memories. I felt no bad feelings when it all collapsed knew it would. To bad I couldn’t shake all the stuff in the past and went the same route.
I hope this was imformative to some it was purgative to me. kung fu is still my life it is all I know and it is kung fu very advanced actually with kempo as a base.I don’t practice the kempo anymore or the forms exept the breathing forms. I just do kung fu with circle walking.I love circle walking it was all that was missing.I teach the kempo form though because it is the base both the moh pai and phs way. The phs forms I leave alone I extracted what I wanted, recorded them and forgot them they were never mine they are gms’s so I do not teach them. the goal of kung fu is to be formless anyway.
I want to say hi to all my friends of the past and let them know I am doing well and still following the Tao.
I hope it is the same for them. I will check in to see what kind of reaction this post makes and respond to anyone who wants to talk to me.there is always bad with the good and I wouldn’t be who I am without tkf so I wish mr. and mrs simon well as well. even mr sparrow and mr. smith none of us are the same as we were.To mr piercey I have always stayed loyal to my oaths I hope you are well and successful.
The end of the post is nicer than earlier parts but truth is truth and I do still have some feelings about things only when I stir up those memories though.
mr and mrs simon and mr piercey sent me wedding gifts though I still have them even though I am divorced. I still have my temple pin and all my uniforms and sashes as well. After all of these years it is still nice to remember my youth and each item contains memories.
One last thing don’t disregard the books there is some good stuff in there if you look closely especially in the white priest series. mainly the first book though and the meditation is awesome read the pamphlets if you can get them there is a hidden meditation in the second sitting not taught at the seminars.The meditation is the real deal best I have come across it just needs to be practiced and understood.Real ch’an don’t let the neo ch’an dalai seng shih stuff scare you away.The exersizes are a real dharma vehicle same with the style. Shaolin is a concept it doesn’t exist exept in the mind of the student when one has a ch’an mind all kung fu is Shaolin.
I have talked enough peace.
January 11th, 2011 at 6:47 pm
upon reflection since I made the last post I would like to apologize to mr. sparrow and mr. smith we were all in the same boat answerable to the same people. they were simply under orders.
peace
January 13th, 2011 at 11:38 am
Hi Mr. K.
All I can say is WOW!! that is just crazy; as a student I started recognizing some of these things, and that is why I left. Believe me, it left scars with me for a very long time, and I never rejoined martial arts for a very long time after that.
I am not sure who you really are, but it takes a MAN to stand up and appologize, and for that I respect you. You were only trying to do you job as well, and the main thing here is that you recognized what was going on and left…good for you, so hold your head up high.
I am now with Canadian Wing-Chun Kung-Fu Acadamey in Calgary Alberta here. I have been attending since the end of August 2010, and it is a fantastic school. The students make you feel at home, they get students involved with teaching classes (male and female), they never ask you for money, and it is up to you if you want to purchase the shirt and pants that the school provides. The only thing you pay for is the school fee or you belt level, and all in all it feels good that they are not pestering you for money all the time.
I cannot speak highly enough of the school, and the instructors, I look forward to going to class, and the fact that the Calgary school has students signing up all the time, and every student I have ever come across speaks highly of the school, well this speaks Volumes to me. I honestly feel that this school is the best that I have ever come across in regards to putting the student first and not asking for money all the time, and guess what EVERYONE is on a first name basis, how warm is that! Temple Kung-Fu was always on a last name basis with everyone, and how cold is that!
Anyone interested in the web site can find it on my previous comments from last year. And I am not trying to sell something here, I just love the school that much, all I can say is that it is AWESOME, and I feel like it is my second home.
January 15th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
What is Mr. Cuthbert doing now? Does anyone know where he is?
January 16th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Thank you Debbie. I have since moved to Lethbridge Ab and will be training in judo by february. I have always been more of a grappler anyway. I appreciate your comments and I know that I could have left earlier but I am glad that I left. TKF is behind me now and I will always warmly remember my fellow students and continue to struggle with regret. Again I am sorry and I can assure anyone who may be persuaded otherwise by other postings there is nothing but truth in my account and my time as an instructor at the Calgary TKF studios was definitely one of the worst experiences of my life. This will probably be my last post but if you know anyone who has questions about TKF in Calgary please direct them to my posting. There is no more to say.
Thank you,
Mr. K
January 21st, 2011 at 4:36 am
Good Day Everyone,
I stumbled upon this site today and thought I should produce a response as I try to do with each and every site I discover.
There is much written above that is complete truth and complete fabrication. There was a lot of good to the Old Studios and a lot that I still simply shake my head at. Although the Simon’s were around they were active at different times to different degrees. Ultimately, each owner was responsible for their own conduct, Studios, and how they treated their staff and students. I know this because I was an owner and not an employee. Over the last number of decades I have seen the Old TKF Studios at their height and I was there when we closed them. I was the one of the last owners when we decided to take the Style towards a new direction. Grandmaster told us to guide the Style where we thought it needed to go as he was in retirement, no pressure and no fees.
I wrote him today to wish him a Happy Birthday and as usual he promptly replied with a thank you and interest on how things were going for me. The reason that he still has contact with our group is we take responsibility. We are grown men that take accountability and do not try and hang him out when things go wrong. Ask yourself this…do you see responses from past Masters/ Owners providing contact information to address the issues you may have with their former locations? Then ask…why not? By the way, I’m happy to say GMS is in good health and spirits and enjoying his retirement.
Regarding the style…it is a combative art. Among other things that is one of its purposes. Over the years it has been taught out very well and very poorly. When I travelled to the other cities and reopened Edmonton and Vancouver I was frankly shocked to see how diluted it had become and how much was hidden by those trying to safeguard knowledge to protect their personal lack of ability. The System should be taught so that you have all the opportunity to become successful with it. If you become better than me…well then haven’t I done a good job! There should not be smoke and mirrors, but there should be a natural progression in place so that you are properly prepared to receive new knowledge for successful absorption of it.
Obviously there is just way too much to cover in a single letter. I have always had an open door policy. If you have any specific questions about the Style, the past, or the future…please feel free to contact me and I’ll try my best to answer your questions. I’m am not a big fan of forum responses as I just don’t seem to have the time to dedicate to it…however you can contact me through http://www.mohpai.com or at my personal phone number in Saskatoon 306-931-4179.
Additionally, if you are in Edmonton I’m certain Master’s Demetrius and Bazinet can facilitate your questions, concerns, or restart your training if you so wish. I would also say the same for Master’s Crossman, Cooper, and Duholke if you are located in the Calgary area. If you reside in a former area not listed please give me a call and I will try to provide contact information for individuals still training the Moh Pai/ Pai Hu Shih Systems.
Thank you and good luck in your training in whatever form that takes.
DJ Swanstrom
Moh Pai Defensive Arts
Saskatoon Chapter
January 29th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Since my last post I have given it a lot of thought. After reading all the posts I was filled with emotion, old emotions, emotions buried for a long time. That post was the only post I have made where I have said anything I feel bad about. Not because you posted Mr. Swanstrom as amatter of fact I am impressed that you did and the way you did it. It is just that the things I said were out of emotion and not out of clarity of thought.
I respected the organization and for a while dedicated my life to it, I still have strong feelings for it after all this time, mixed feelings as my post shows but feelings none the less. It shows the hold on me the experience has on me still. I write this because I said things that I should have kept to myself, I was just very hurt when I was fired. I kept to the contract and opened my own school after 2 years at the appropriate distance from TKF studios. The students that came with me actualy sought me out I never really brought them with me they found me by my phone number. I wasn’t going to teach again they talked me into it.
After reading your post I agree with you Mrs. Simon never said anything bad to me directly, I was only told these things by Mr. Smith who was always scolding me using them saying it was her words. I say this because I wish to apologize officially to Dr. Simon and Mrs. Simon when I met them they were always very kind to me and I did recieve things I was truly to young for and I appreciate that. I was 22 when I became a chief instructor it was an honor to be apart of the organization.
I never lied or exagerated with my post though about the other things new students from other styles tried testing my skill lots it came with the job though.
I may have been incorrect about Mrs. Simon’s actual involvement. I always had comments though about me challenging my superiors but in truth I always was just trying to show them I had been training hard and actually practicing what I was taught. I got in trouble a lot. I spent my off hours always trying to figure out how I broke etiquette.
Maybe I shouldn’t post this either but I made the first one so I feel I have to make things right, not out of fear of reprisals. I simply want to clear my conscience of the whole matter if I could take the post back I would but I can not so I write this post. Having said this I also apologize to anyone else I may have offended.
If anyone wants to contact me I can be reached at trevortonsi@hotmail.ca. This will be my last post.
Sincerly
Trevor Tonsi
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:38 pm
Wow what a great deal of venting, I spent 7 years training and a great deal of money, I actually paid for my black belt program and then walked away as the instruction plummeted in quality and even some of the student instructors confided in me they didn’t feel right training somebody of my skill level. Obviously there was no chance of getting a refund as is resounded through these comments. But I digress. Like most things in life simple is best. GMS if for any reason allowed his name to be used or embellished his qualifications in any way dishonours the art and all the students he came into contact with, any franchises, any royalties any dollars made by any deception is a taint on the art under which we all trained. Keep it simple. I have never met another line of martial arts that shrouds any of it’s history, so I wonder had he said he was trained in his uncle’s basement had so many come to train. Never stopped training in the arts, just realized the old adage if it’s smells like a fish it probably is!
February 18th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
http://www.mohpai.com/Style_Founder.aspx
With respect, that must have been one hell of a basement.
March 10th, 2011 at 1:52 am
What styles,specifically,did GM Simon train in either as
a child and after he arrived in Canada in developing his own?
To restate, what specifically is Moh and/or PHS made from?
ie. Kyokushin, Shorin Ryu, Goju, White Crane, Choy Lay Fut, Eight step Mantis, Lohan(Arhat fist) etc.etc?
May 7th, 2011 at 6:24 am
I had trained there in the late 90’s early 2000 for may be a year and a half and they all ways
had the hard sell going. I had trained for two years in something called Shirinji Kempo and two years in
Shoto Kan for two and I was not going to pay more than what I thought was the going rate $ 40-50 a month.
And I didn’t
I think I bought a small book for 15-20 bucks, I did buy a crest for $10. to sew on a Karate qu I owned.
I did not sign a contract, I did not buy a uniform.
That was it. Mind you I was not going to pay extra for sparring or other extras.
I think they had three a day classes twice a week and a private for $50. a month.
Sometimes no, means no. If it’s not herd the first time, say it a little firmer!
May 22nd, 2011 at 9:09 pm
What an absolute scam. Dr. Simon? You have got to be joking.
Anyone remember that acoustic guitar CD that they used to try and sell when you walked in the door?
Let’s be honest here, it was worst than those greeters at Walmart.
June 10th, 2011 at 9:33 pm
I wasn’t going to post again but I have had many past students trying to get a hold of me. The email I posted is having technical problems so to speak so I wish to add my other one incase others still wish to contact me. I am opening another school in the GTA this fall but am not in the city as of yet. If you wish to contact me try this email address. trevortonsi@hotmail.com . I look forward to hearing from past students it is a great joy to me and it would be wonderful to train with them again at a different time in our lives. Sincerley Trevor
June 21st, 2011 at 3:10 am
Hello Again, – I haven’t posted in some years….
I Remember you, Mr. Gabriel, Mr. Tonsi, Mr. R. White – and Mr. Urillo(sp unsure) – Mr. D. Meyers as well. Probably others too! HI ALL!! I may have missed some of your names… Sorry. – Actually, I think I started around the same time as Mr. White and Mr. Gabriele – And pss. Mr. Urillo as well, – I’m not definite about that.. but! I was the guy in Toronto with the massive bike….
On tournaments…. I did try a tournament, I did very well my first time out, a couple of golds I think – I came home with 2 trophies and a medal, so, – considering I didn’t know anything about tournaments and tournament fighting, that’s pretty good. I MUST say I felt terribly handicapped; can’t attack eyes, throat, knees, groin or any susceptible body parts? well, we all want to go home at the end of the day! …but my reflexes are all on body parts that don’t take well to impact. – that, and tournaments are a very different game then self defence – playing to score points and be SEEN scoring points, rather than inflicting invisible death and quietly, unassumingly walking away….
I’m not interested in tournaments style fighting. I like my defences to be decisive and indisputable. Any “Style” can accommodate this if the teacher and student trust each other and are willing. The Simon style was a good match for me personally, as I was introduced to it back in the 80s.
My introduction to the Moh system was not at TKS… it was from a former instructor. It was violent, messy, and the conditioning was brutal. I was 15, then.
blah blah blah life happened and I had to move – eventually I connected with TKS, (then later reconnected, ish, sortof) and was able to continue the moh system. – I loved it but, the workouts were not that gruelling – oh they were hard, but… – and this was in the mid 90s, Toronto. I really loved it but it was not as aggressive as I was used to, – and truthfully, though it felt watered down it was less likely to put me in jail for self defence.
I will say – yea, the style was probably no-longer exactly what Simon had in mind.
On credentials… and stuff
One of the main things that KungFu teaches – and that I learned at TKF, and practiced is to have an independant mind. I specifically remember him stressing that point in his lectures. So, I applied it. I could not afford sparring class, so I did not pay for it. I was satisfied with the cost of the orange to brown program, figuring it was a 5-6 year program, (I stretched it to 6) it worked out to about $500 per year, for me. I think I got a good price. I read books on martial arts, so, it wasn’t out of my way and I still get value from the material.
The irony is that I always saw the the story-telling and mythos, and business requirements. It was what it was. It was WHY I went.I was able to stand my ground on matters of money, and I was respected. When your instructors say “KICKS can hurt you, how will you deal with this kick?” you know a kick is coming. When the Grandmaster can talk you into a trance, and tells you it’s very important to keep an open, and independent mind or else bad things will happen…. It was a good clue. I always figured it was part of the training, – it made me smirk! but, I grew up with a lot of head games, so, it’s possible my own delusions saved me. (shrug) He gave us mental self defence… I just think many people didn’t see the kick, is all.
Credentials…. – how many of us in school – not university – but in public school knew something was true, wrote about it and got an F because you didn’t quote some nob who had the same idea 500 years ago? I got several F’s for not citing. – on topics like how a spider builds its web; I had watched several spiders build many webs, isn’t it enough? (bear with me, hold the point…)
Yea, I knew there was advertising involved, but, how are you going to sell something that IS the product people want/are looking for when they don’t like new things, they only like what they like already? It has to be packaged in a familiar wrapper.
I knew what my teachers could do. I knew they learned it From GMS, and from hours of pain and practice and love.
Credentials? Lies? Symantics? It is (was) a school for personal warfare and self defence… I WILL say that I left at the best possible time, though – sounds like things got very very weird. I loved what I paid for, to the penny. The next batch of students got hosed, I think – to say nothing of what might have been done to the skills being imparted.
For me… – For me a rose by any other name is still as sweet. Going back to my original teachers before TKS, – I knew what the older students could do to “equivalent” belts of other schools… – More finesse, tighter accuracy, more stamina, more power, more flexible application of techniques – and a way bigger toolbox on top of that. YES, it took way more hours. – and my Sifu was even better. I can only barely imagine the kind of monster who created that.
I have been able to keep to a style with a common foundation these many – though not uninterrupted – years.
I made it to brown in about 6 years with tkf. then it was acceptable to pay a regular amount I think 450 a year? and this covered sparring class as well. so, really, I never actually paid more than 500 a year – though I will say I had to put a pile of it up front, which was hefty at the time. 5-6 year commitment to training was not scary, since I’d already invested some years already in the style..
I don’t consider myself an amazing martial artist. (I’m out of shape, haven’t practised in about 3 years…) I will say that I am respected as a martial artist, even today. I never have received a black belt, but I have educated MANY black belts on their OWN styles with what the Moh system has provided. – There are always bigger and lesser fish.
oh rambling. it’s late.
It sucked for many of you – but for many of us it did NOT suck at all, and we hold our own. If I have superior (to some black belt) knowledge, application and understanding of the principles (demonstrated), then what rank have I got? I would not stoop to accept an inferior belt rank from someone I clearly outclassed. – well, sure if I was learning a whole new style… not if I was synthesizing my own in an environment like Canada – indeed, North America in the 60s.
What happened in this millennium re. TKF… Is probably not unique in the history of martial arts. It is not the quality of a product that ensures its survival.
(returning to that thought…)
How patiently, and deliberately a spider weaves it’s web… I think I’ll give it a degree in civil engineering. wait, I’m not qualified.
For the record (as of this writing), I have my brown belt from TKS, and lots and lots of repeated foundation in the Moh system)It might be crooked inneficient, imperfect etc for being the Moh system at all, but, how can I forget the challenges my old teacher would accept and win? True, sometimes it was close, but, as was said – there are always greater and lesser.
Here’s a story….
Once upon a time there were these two Buddhist Masters… one who observed all the rules, and one who did not.
The end. (he said clapping one hand)
I defend the style.
To all the teachers with regrets… I forgive each of you; I know a few of you, and you had some very tough times. I send all of my aunts, uncles brothers and sisters love. If anyone can’t understand that… Life is not black and white and if for you it is… perhaps a warriors’ path is not for you.
Now then, pick yourself up. Get UP! Life is a grist mill for all of us and the wheel is always rolling.
We all have imperfect, even corrupt teachers in life, in unexpected ways. It would be nice if everyone was good. but there is no enforceable law to keep someone from being just a little more evil than you are. The work, I think comes in attempting to sustain impeccability as a warrior in such a weird world as this 21st century.
Just remember that most people, by and large, are good people and – GET BACK UP!! lol!
Adrian Marek, 4am and nutty tonight. hallucitania@hotmail.com; avoid the spam filter.
June 21st, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Wow!! I just stumbled upon this site and I do truly feel for all of the students that felt that they were misled and lied to. I was an instructor in Hamilton, Scarborough and Toronto for about 4 1/2 years and I can honestly tell you that for the most part the instructors and certainly Master Sparrow never had the intention of it being money first. The reality is that it was brought down from the top. I never felt comfortable discussing finanes with students and asking them to get loans for their training, this was not what I ever had in mind when I started to teach (too early I might ad). Even as instructers, we were fed the same lies about GMS. With that said, his skill level was undeniable but it was Kempo and should have been marketed as such. I didn’t train for a very long time after i had left as I felt a little jaded but since then I did a bit of Judo and trained some Systema at Fight Club and can honestly tell you that the knowledge learned was good but was never applied with any real pressure. That changes everything and was TKF’s shortcoming. If anyone is looking for an absolutely phenomenal school check out Fight Club. Emmaneul is probably the best martial artist I have ever had the privledge to learn from and is also totally genuine. I quit just due to time constranits but am considering going back, time permitting.
August 11th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
I was an instructor in Edmonton for a short whilein the mid-late 90’s! I remember being so exited to travel to Alberta and do what seemed at the time to be a dream job! My love for KF was limitless, or so I thought. It didn’t take long for me to become absolutely sick of the art and everything surrounding it!!
How could a place that was thought to be somewhere to go to relieve stress, actually cause more for the student? I couldn’t believe the pressure I was told to put on students to join this and get that. Not to mention the constant badgering of people who just called to inquire, or even worse if they came in to check it out! How humiliating !!!!
I was not paid well, but yet made to feel like I need to work harder. There was this prick of an instructor in Winnipeg, I think his name was Mr Stokowski(not sure if that’s spelled correctly), whenever he called and I answered the phone he would go out of his way to be rude and seemed to enjoy making asst instructors feel like crap! It got to the point where I was just sick of the way I was supposed to teach, so I started showing some wrestling techniques that I knew some students would enjoy learning!
I ended up just leaving one day and didn’t look back. Started training submission wrestling and kickboxing, then started competing! The only thing that stuck with me from my time at tkf was the great speed I had developed while training and teaching.
Tfk had the potential to be something great but ended up being anything but that! I truly apologize to all students who felt stressed out by the instructors and the absurd cost of training! I do have to admit that the black belts there were legit! very skilled and accurate!! Like I pointed out before I developed awesome fast twitch speed that’s still with me today… Too bad about every other aspect of tfk!
August 14th, 2011 at 9:14 am
I was told of this site by a former student. It has been interesting reading. I have been training and teaching martial arts for over 40 years, at my own clubs and as a police officer in Hamilton, Ontario. I was an instructor in their “Defensive Tactics” club.
I make no comment on the situations at TKF although I did train there for about 1 yr in 1997/ 1998, after a severe on-duty injury forced me to give up “hard” style martial arts for some time. I met some great people but the “system” was not right for me. I apppreciated Mr. Uriello (sp)and his attitude and encouragement.
My background includes several styles and training under legitimate, recognized instructors and I hold black belt ranks in 5 systems.
After returning to my own origins, I continued to teach and through a chance meeting, I was fortunate to be allowed to train in Jeet Kune Do (JKD) under John Koeshall (Texas) and Paul Vunak (California). Both are students of Guru Dan Inosanto (Bruce Lee’s former partner) and each have established themselves world-wide
as legends in their art. Vuank is the only civilian ever hired to train the Navy SEAL teams and is a regular in Black Belt Magazine. Through them, I have trained with Guru Dan and other notables. We are a legitimate JKD school with recognized connections to current and past masters.
My club is located in Hamilton and we have over 12,000 sq. ft. and we continue to teach traditional and non-traditional styles. If you are looking for something to further your training, please feel free to contact me. My website is under renovation currently so I apologize for the lack of info on it.
I can be reached at 289-439-0535. The past is the past and it cannot be changed. Move forward and focus on your own self-improvement.
June 26th, 2020 at 9:29 am
VC funding
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
July 7th, 2020 at 12:30 pm
VC firm malaysia
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
November 21st, 2021 at 11:00 pm
______ 2021 ______
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
November 24th, 2021 at 7:02 pm
______ 2022 ____
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
November 27th, 2021 at 4:23 pm
_______ 2022 ____ ______
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
December 14th, 2021 at 1:31 pm
2020-film.org
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
December 21st, 2021 at 3:04 am
_______ lostfilm
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
January 16th, 2022 at 11:25 pm
2022 ______ ______
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
January 23rd, 2022 at 10:17 am
2022 _______ ______
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
January 25th, 2022 at 8:00 pm
2022 ______ lostfilm _________
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
January 27th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
visit my website
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
February 15th, 2022 at 3:08 pm
________ 2022 ______
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
February 16th, 2022 at 10:26 pm
___________ ______ lostfilm
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
February 19th, 2022 at 6:27 am
_____ _____ ________
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
February 21st, 2022 at 3:37 am
__ __________ _____
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
February 25th, 2022 at 8:35 pm
_____ ______ lostfilm
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
March 9th, 2022 at 11:51 pm
________ ___ _________ lostfilm
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
March 14th, 2022 at 11:46 am
_________ __________ ______
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
May 4th, 2022 at 12:40 am
https://restaurantesculiacan.com/sajos/?unapproved=14195&moderation-hash=f8e430a5604e741d9ee291f426d2c7d8
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
July 6th, 2022 at 2:56 am
rebeccagrenier.com
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes
January 5th, 2023 at 9:11 am
출장??
Ade :: Temple Kung Fu Ontario Closes