The head instructor of the club is Renshi Robb Wickham.  Renshi Wickham is a sixth degree black belt in Ashihara karate.  He is also ranked in Renzoku Jiu Jitsu, Koei Kan karate, Shotokan karate and is aBasic Level Close Quarter Combat Instructor underHock W. Hochheim and the Scientific Fighting Congress. 

Renshi Wickham is currently a Level Five (Brown Belt), instructor in Krav Maga, through Krav Maga Worldwide headquartered in Los Angeles.  Renshi is also a Level 5 Krav Maga Law Enforcement instructor.  Renshi Wickham has also studied Judounder Sensei Neil Simon at Shojin judo.

 

Renshi Wickham works as a full time police officer/firefighter in a suburb of Detroit public safety department.  Renshi Wickham was a SWAT team member for eight years and is a defensive tactics instructor with Krav Maga Law Enforcement and PPCT systems where he is an arrest/control, spontaneous knife defense and ground defense instructor.  Renshi Wickham has trained at the European headquarters for Ashihara karate in Denmark and received his 1st degree black belt from the Japanese Honbu, (headquarters).  Renshi Wickham is also a member of the American Ashihara Karate Association/Vortex Martial Arts, headed by Kyoshi Scott Maczuga, where he received his Nidan, Sandan, Yondan and Rokkudan (2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th degree black belts.)

 

The recent, (2013), promotion to the rank of sixth degree black belt comes with the new title of Renshi, which loosely translated means, "instructor who polishes."  This is a great honor and is only given to one who is 38 years old or older, has practiced for twenty years or more and contributed extra to an organization besides normal teaching.  A Renshi is the 'enforcer' of the organization and expects/keeps high standards in all areas of the organization.    Domo arigato gozai mashita!