SBK Chief Instructor – Mike Kriegisch
Mr. Kriegisch has been involved in the Martial Arts since 1975, and he has been running his own school since March of 1980. His commitment to the arts has led him to different schools, training in various styles such as Ryukyu Hon Kenpo Kobujitsu, Tai Chi Chuan, Kun Tao, Washin-Ryu, Goshin-Jutsu, Shotokan, Tae-Kwon-Do, and other forms of martial arts and kobudo.
Mr. Kriegisch is an accredited and licensed Hanshi (senior instructor) in Ryukyu Hon Kenpo Kobujitsu, and is internationally recognized as a 9th Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate and Kobujutsu (weapons). He received this promotion directly from the late Odo Seikichi Sensei (1926 – 2002) on May 6, 2001.
Mr. Kriegisch also holds a Sandan (3rd Degree Black Belt) in Shotokan karate and a Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) in Kun Tao. He has had the good fortune of working with some of the very best martial artists in the world: Okazaki Teruyuki Sensei, Mr. C. Bruce Heilman, Mr. Joe Lewis, Ochiai Hidy Sensei, Mr. Billy Blanks, Mr. John Snyder, Mr. Artis Simmons, Mrs. Ann-Marie Heilman, Ms. Barb Niggel, Ms. Bobby Snyder, Ozawa Osamu Sensei, Mr. Tony Sandoval, Mr. Gary Legacy, Mr. Bill Adams and Master Alain Sailly to name a only few.
Mr. Kriegisch helping a young student
Mr. Kriegisch has also trained with Odo Seikichi Sensei in both the U.S. and at the Master’s dojo in Okinawa.
In September 2006, Mr. Krieigsch received a Certificate of Training from Melody Shuman of Shuman Concepts, Inc. recognizing him as an Expert Children’s Martial Arts Instructor. In October 2006, he successfully completed the Staff Development and Business Management Course, also presented by Shuman Concepts, Inc.
Before retiring from tournament competition, Mr. Kriegisch actively competed in kata, weapons, self defense, breaking, and kumite. From 1984 to 1987, he helped to foster the competitive careers of a younger generation of martial artists with his annual tournament in St. Marys, PA. In the winter and spring of 1988, Mr. Kriegisch was the focus of his own television series on Hometown Programming (a local public channel) called “Traditional Karate”. He continues to hold seminars on various topics, and he has self-produced a series of instructional videotapes.
Mr. Kriegisch has been listed in three editions of “Who’s Who in the Martial Arts” and his school has been mentioned in martial arts magazines such as Inside Karate, Black Belt, Official Karate and SMASH Sport Karate.
Constantly seeking more knowledge and information to improve himself and his students, Mr. Kriegisch is a unique and caring man, more than worthy of the title “Sensei”.