Anthony Arnett
{{short description|American Grandmaster of Wing Chun Kung Fu}}
{{use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox martial artist
| name = Anthony Arnett
| image = Anthony Arnett Butterfly Swords.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| residence = Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
| nationality = American
| martial_art = Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu
Arnett Sport Kung Fu
| teacher = William Cheung
| rank = Grandmaster
| spouse = Sharell Jackson Arnett
| students = Corvey Irvin
Paul Spicer
| website = {{URL|https://www.sportkungfu.com}}
| footnotes =
}}
{{Infobox martial art
| logo =
| logocaption =
| name = Arnett Sport Kung Fu
| namestyle = background-color: #000000
| aka = Cheung Style
| focus = Hybrid
| origin = United States
| creator = Anthony Arnett
| parenthood = Kenpo Karate
Boxing
Shotokan Karate
White Crane Kung Fu
Jeet Kune Do
Wing Chun
| famous_pract ={{ubl|Corvey Irvin|Paul Spicer}}
| descendant arts =
| Country of Origin =
}}
Anthony Arnett is an American martial artist specializing in Chinese martial arts, particularly Wing Chun. He is a direct disciple of Australian Wing Chun pioneer William Cheung and is founder of his own system, Arnett Sport Kung Fu.
Arnett is a martial artist and has been inducted into Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame Plaque |url=https://www.ewingchun.com/article/universal-martial-arts-hall-fame |website=ewingchun.com|publisher=Professor Silverio P. Guerra |accessdate=23 January 2020 |ref=Universal}}
Background
=Early life=
Though Arnett had learnt martial arts from his uncle, he was reluctant to display his skills, as he felt that Asian martial arts were seen "kicking and flailing" and considered to be effeminate behavior that could attract ridicule and other kind of unwanted attention from the local youth gangs.
Arnett kept his martial arts skills hidden until 1975, when he saw the movie Five Fingers of Death. With the kung fu craze of the period, Arnett realized the popularity of Chinese martial arts and stopped hiding his martial arts knowledge.{{cite web|url=http://www.ewingchun.com/article/2003-folioweekly-front-cover-master-anthony-arnett|title=Kung Fu Master Anthony Arnett delivers street justice with an open heart and a closed fist|author=John E. Citrone|publisher=Folioweekly|date=5 June 2003|accessdate=9 January 2016}}
Arnett began competing in Point Tournaments in 1974 then in 1977 he became a division champion in local tournaments.
=In 1980s and 1990s=
He opened his first Wing Chun School in Maryland, co-opened a second school in 1983 then in 1986 he opened the first Traditional Wing Chun School in Georgia and opened the second Wing Chun School in Augusta, Georgia, in 1987 before finally settling to teach in Jacksonville, Florida.
In 1984 he became an East Coast Grand Champion then became Grand Champion in Fighting and Forms while competing in Georgia in 1989.
In 1993 he was Grand Champion in Continuous Sparring for 3 consecutive years. Arnett retained the Division Championship title for 6 consecutive years and retained the Division Championship title in the Tri State Circuit.
In 1996 he completed a three volume video series on Arnett Sport Kung Fu starring Grandmaster William Cheung and himself. In 1998 he opened his first private lessons studio exclusively for one on one sessions in Jacksonville, Florida. Arnett started promoting tournament training camps and seminars in 1999.
=2000 to present=
In 2000 Arnett won numerous championships including the Overall Championship in the National Arts League for Forms Demonstration, Weapons Demonstration and Most Student Competitors. Arnett was awarded NKKU Ultimate Grand Champion for 2001 in Forms, Weapons, and Fighting in the Masters Division and also Grand Champion in the North Florida Martial Arts Association.{{cite web|url=http://angelcasiano.com/2012/04/07/introducing-one-of-my-instructor-master-anthony-arnett|title=Introducing One of My Instructor: Master Anthony Arnett|publisher=Angel Casiano|date=4 July 2012|accessdate=9 January 2016}}
In 2002 Arnett opened a 3rd school in Orange Park, Florida and would being distributing of training guides for Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu and Arnett Sport Kung Fu in DVD and CD-ROM formats.
In 2005 Arnett became the official martial arts instructor for NFL Football Team Jacksonville Jaguars, their strength and conditioning coach Mark Asanovich praised and thanked Arnett for his work with the team he wrote in a letter; the training was much liked by the players, well designed and well run and that he would continue to support Arnett Sport Kung Fu in future relationships.{{cite web |last1=Asanovich |first1=Mark |title=Letter of praise |url=https://www.ewingchun.com/sites/default/files/styles/full-size/public/pictures/articles/a4c00f58-eaab-4293-8814-6c77e27e3b93.jpeg |website=ewingchun |publisher=Jacksonville Jaguars |accessdate=23 January 2020 |ref=Jaguars}}
In 2012 Arnett was personally invited by William Cheung to be guest instructor at the Cheung's Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy in Melbourne, Australia Headquarters of the Global Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu Association.{{cite web|url=http://www.tooraktimes.com.au/content.php/1770-Cheung-s-wing-chun-academy|title=Sport's Desk Martial Arts|author=Pation Pics|date=5 August 2012|accessdate=9 January 2016}}
Accomplishments
=Awards and honors=
- Arnett appeared on Inside Kung Fu Magazine May 2006 front cover with Jackie Chan Featured in the Magazine article "Cheung Style for Tournaments".{{cite web|url=http://www.ewingchun.com/article/inside-kung-fu-magazine-featuring-jackie-chan-and-anthony-arnett-front-cover|title=Old Art With a New Twist|publisher=Inside Kung Fu|author=Michael Haddock|date=2 June 2002|accessdate=9 January 2016 |ref=inside kung fu}}
- 2004 Universal Hall of Fame inductee for Kung-Fu Artist of the Year.
=Grand Champion highlights=
class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 95%" |
style="width:10%;"Sortable|Year
! style="width:15%;"|Title ! style="width:60%;"|Description |
---|
1982
|Grand Champion |East Coast Tournament Circuit and ranked 8th in the nation on three tournament circuits. |
1984
|First Place |Heavy Weight Champion in "Ziggs Hard Contact Tournament". |
1989
|Grand Champion |In Fighting and Forms category at Georgia. |
1991
|Grand Champion |In Continuous Fighting Format Tournaments in Florida. |
1992
|Grand Champion |Undefeated in continuous Fighting Format Grand Champion title and Division Champion in Point Tournament. |
1992
|Grand Champion |At North Florida Open Martial Arts C.S.F. in continuous Fighting, Forms, and Weapons. |
1993
|Grand Champion |Undefeated as Grand Champion in continuous Fighting and Division Champion in Point Tournament. |
1994
|Grand champion |In Men's Fighting Heavy Weight at "Night Of Legends" All Star Fighters. |
2000
|Overall Grand Champion |In the "National Martial Arts League" for Forms and Weapons Demonstration, also Awarded the "Most Competitors" Award. |
2001
|Ultimate Grand Champion | At the "National Karate & Kung-Fu Union" (N.K.K.U.) in Forms, Weapons, and Fighting in the Masters Division. |
2001
|Grand Champion |In the "North Florida Martial Arts Association". |
2001
|Grand Champion |At the "Southern Sport Karate Open". |
2001
|3rd Place |In Fencing Competition at Gainesville, Florida. |
2001
|1st Place |In Inner School Fencing Tournament. |
2004
|Grand Champion |At the Gallops Karate Tournament in Fighting Masters Division. |
2004
|Grand Champion |”Gainesville Challenge” (Gainesville, Florida for Fighting Masters Division. |
2005
|Grand Champion |"Bethel Champion of Champions" for Fighting. |
2007
|Grand Champion |"Gallops Karate Tournament" for Fighting. |
2008
|Grand Champion & Gold Medal |"National Karate & Kung-Fu Union" (N.K.K.U.) for fighting and Gold medal winner in Masters Division. |
2008
|Grand Champion |”Gallops Karate Tournament" for fighting. |
2008
|Grand Champion |"Bethel Champion of Champions" for Fighting. |
2009
|Grand Champion and Gold Medal |"National Karate & Kung-Fu Union" (N.K.K.U.) for fighting and Gold medal winner in Masters Division. |
2010
|Grand Champion and Gold Medal |"National Karate & Kung-Fu Union" (N.K.K.U.) for fighting and Gold medal winner in Masters Division. |
2017
|Grandmaster Grand Champion |"National Karate & Kung-Fu Union" (N.K.K.U.) for sparring Grandmaster Blackbelt.{{cite web |title=N.K.K.U. / N.M.A.L. / M.A.C. Tri-State 2017 National Sparring Division Grand Champions |url=http://usmartialartsnetwork.com/us-_nkku_olympia_games_olympians_names/us-_nkku_world_olympia_games_named_medalist_for_year_2017 |website=U.S. Martial Arts Network.com |publisher=United States - National Karate & Kung-Fu Union U.S. - N.K.K.U. Martial Arts Olympia Games |accessdate=26 January 2020 |ref=NKKU 2017}} |
Instructor lineage
class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 95%" |
style="width:10%;"Sortable|Age
! style="width:15%;"|Style ! style="width:20%;"|Instructor |
---|
5 years old
|Sensi Richard Brooks (Uncle) |
11 years old
|Coach Greg Louis |
13 years old
|Shotokan Karate & White Crane Kung Fu |Master James Little |
15 years old |
|Judo |Master Mark Amous |
17 years old
|Sifu Nathaniel Singletary |
19 years old
|Gung-Fu/Wing Chun |Sifu Nick Edwards |
23 years old
|Traditional Wing Chun |Grandmaster William Cheung |
33 years old
|Kali(Arnis) |Grandmaster Joe DeGuzman |
43 years old
|Combat & Sport Fencing |Coach Raul Toro |
Images
{{gallery
| File:Anthony Arnett in tournament.jpg|Arnett kicking his opponent in a tournament
| |Anthony Arnett running a seminar at Jacksonville Naval Air Station
| |Anthony Arnett at the 1st place podium in the N.K.K.U. U.S. Open National Karate & Kung Fu Olympia Games
| |Anthony Arnett's students the Fighting Dragons tournament medalists
| File:William Cheung and Anthony Arnett.jpg|Anthony Arnett gives William Cheung one of his gold medals in Jacksonville
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.sportkungfu.com Official Website Jacksonville]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arnett, Anthony}}
Category:American male karateka
Category:American Wing Chun practitioners