DR. SCOT CONWAY, ESQ., SOKE. Email Scot Conway. Master Instructor, Guardian Kempo, Guardian Kobukumite, Guardian Karate, Guardian Jujitsu, Guardian Kobujitsu, Junior Guardian Kempo, Junior Guardian Karate, Little Guardians, Cardio Kempo

Head Instructor Scot Conway has credentials, a lot of them. However, what’s more important than what titles or degrees he’s earned is the quality of the programs he designs and the quality of the classes he teaches. However, anyone can say they teach a great class, and few people can match his credentials, so both are discussed.

If you’re interested in credentials, the head instructor, Scot Conway, has a PhD in Christian Martial Arts from the Physical Education Department of Great Plains Baptist College. He earned his JD from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and passed the bar on his first try in 1992. He has black belts in seven different martial arts with a 7th degree Black Belt in Guardian Kempo and Kajukenbo, a 6th degree Black Belt in Chinese Kempo Chuan Shu, a 3rd degree in Keichu Hoshin Ryu Karate Jujitsu, a 2nd degree in Mukashi Kindai Ryu Karate Jujitsu, a 1st degree in Kara Ho Kempo and Shiho Karano Kenpo Jujitsu. His title of Soke was awarded by Grandmaster Marx of Keichu Do Karate Jujitsu. The title of Soke means he is the recognized headfounder of a martial art.

The meaning of all the belts varies from martial art to martial art, as does the title. To help understand the significance of a 7th degree Black Belt - such a rank represents about 26 years of consistent training. It would take less time for a 1st grader to become a surgeon than it would take a white belt to become a 7th degree Black Belt. No matter the title, the rank represents a great deal of time and effort.

Conway is a co-author of the ACMA Instructor Certification Manual, with more than 7,000 schools and instructors using that manual and seeking ACMA certification through the Cooper Institute (the same organization that trains and certifies aerobics instructors). In other words, he literally “wrote the book” on teaching. He remains a Board Member of the American Council on Martial Arts. Conway is also a regular instructor at the National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA) World Conference where he teaches martial arts instructors and school owners. Videos of his seminars are distributed to all NAPMA members. In addition, Conway has written articles for many of the major martial arts magazines. He’s written for Black Belt, Martial Arts Professional, Inside Karate, Inside Kung Fu, Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated, Martial Arts Training, and more. He’s been featured in local newspapers, and he’s been quoted by the Christian Research Journal in their research into martial arts.

None of this would make any difference at all if the programs he designed and the classes he teaches were not first rate. There are many talented people with experience, but no credentials, and others with credentials, but no meaningful results to show for it. Ultimately, the only thing that matters to clients is what the client gets. It does not matter if the teacher was the most prestigious person on the planet if the client did not benefit from that. What really matters here isn’t that Conway is a recognized master of his art, that he teaches teachers, or that he has degrees from colleges. What matters is that he leads by example, he teaches classes packed with valuable information for those that listen and practice, and he is a dynamic, knowledgeable and skilled instructor. He leads not only in his physical talent, but his character, his intelligent faith, the quality of his relationship with his wife, and how he lives his life. This isn’t just a job for him, it’s a calling for which he has been ideally prepared.

For more information on and from Scot Conway, go to www.ScotConway.org.

WENDY CONWAY, Assistant Head Instructor, Academy Administrator Guardian Kempo, Cardio Kempo, Junior Guardian Kempo, Guardian Karate, Junior Guardian Karate, Little Guardians

Wendy Conway is a fourth degree Black Belt, a level that takes 11 years of dedicated practice to reach. She keeps the Conway Academy operating as the Academy Administrator. Her training and talent extends into all the core programs at the Conway Academy, and she is a qualified instructor of Guardian Kempo, Cardio Kempo, Junior Guardian Kempo, Guardian Karate, Junior Guardian Karate, Little Guardians. She invested herself in completing her Black Belt and was a full fledged Guardian Kempo instructor by her mid-teens with her own students. She continued to out-pace her contemporaries and remained dedicated to her training. She is now the highest ranked person in Guardian Kempo except her husband, Soke Conway. Wendy Conway is an example to others in many ways. She soared through high school at a Charter School at triple pace, completing three years of high school in one year. After a break to focus on business, she is now enrolled in college in a distance learning program to earn her college degree, a very challenging program that requires you to be very much a self-starter and both highly disciplined and motivated. She entered a full business partnership with her husband to build new programs and she helped develop the Little Guardians, Junior Guardian Karate and Junior Guardian Kempo programs. She works alongside him as a full partner in their mutual endeavors as they lead together.

MARIELLEN TRUE, Email Mariellen True. Instructor Guardian Kempo, Guardian Karate, Junior Guardian Karate, Little Guardians

Mariellen True is a Black Belt Instructor of Cardio Kempo, Guardian Kempo, Guardian Karate, Junior Guardian Karate and Little Guardians. Earning 3rd degree Black Belt in 2003 a level that takes 8 dedicated years to achieve, True is the second highest ranked student under Soke Conway. She is an inspiration to those who believe you have to be a kid to start martial arts, beginning in her mid40s and earning her Black Belt in a very challenging and demanding martial art. Mariellen True has a masters degree, and she is a wife, mother of three, homeschool mom, head administrator and teacher at a homeschool organization, a leader at church, and she assistant instructs at the Conway Academy and all our satellite programs. This very busy Christian woman is an example to anyone who thinks they are too busy to achieve something, not only earning her Black Belt, but also earning her Instructor Certification, teaching the morning Cardio Kempo class, nearly half the satellite classes, homeschooling her three children, leading at church, and being a wife all at once. Her husband is Wayne True, an exceptionally talented and skilled Family Physician affiliated with the San Carlos Medical Group.

STEWART TRUE, Instructor Junior Guardian Karate, Little Guardians, Assistant Instructor in Guardian Kempo

Stewart True is the teenage the son of Mariellen True, earning his 2nd degree Black Belt in 2002. As his mother is an inspiration and example to those who think martial arts is for the young, Stewart is an example to those who think that leadership is only for older adults. Though still a teen, he has been assisting in Little Guardians and Junior Guardian Karate for years, and he is now the second most experienced child instructor at the Conway Academy (second only to Soke Conway himself). Stewart is qualified to teach Guardian Kempo as well. Stewart True enjoys doing magic and juggling. Ask Sensei Mariellen True, his mother, about whether "May you have a child just like you" is a blessing or a curse upon Stewart, and she'll tell you that it would most certainly be a blessing. Stewart is an excellent role model for young people.

CAMERON GARY, Instructor Aiki-Budo

Cameron T. Gary is the Chief Aiki-Budo instructor. "Aiki" means "blending the spirit" and "Budo" is "The Way of stopping war". Aiki-Budo is a generic term covering the so-called "soft" style Japanese martial arts that emphasize blending and using the opponent's energy against him. Chief among the arts featured is Aikido. Cameron holds 3rd Degree and 2nd Degree Black belts in Aikido (Yoshinkan & Aikikai), a 2nd degree Black Belt in Taihojutsu (Police Arrest Methods), a 1st Degree Black Belt in Jujutsu (Yoshin Ryu no Kai), and a brown belt in Goju Ryu Karate Do. He also has instructor rankings from the FBI, San Diego Regional Police Academy and the Controlled Force Institute. Cameron has been a California peace officer for 16 years. He worked for Probation, the Sheriff's Department (jail, patrol, investigations, SWAT) and is currently an investigator with the San Diego County District Attorney. Cameron taught Defensive Tactics at the police academy for six years as well as Arrest & Control tactics to Sheriff's SWAT, Lemon Grove station, Mobile Field Force and Explorers. Cameron is a member of the American Women's Self-Defense Association, the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers, The International Association of Counterterrorism & Security Professionals and the United States Aikido Federation (USAF). Cameron is married to Loretta "Via" Gary, an exceptionally talented artist and designer. Via's work can be seen on display at various locations, including "Gallery 504" in downtown San Diego. The Gary's have one son, Malik.