Line of Masters

Masters

Si Fu Marco Kavalieratos

Si Fu Marco has been training martial arts most of his life. At age 9 he was introduced to Japanese arts and practiced karate for several years. He then moved into learning Chinese martial arts at the age of 13. His enthusiasm and dedication in kung fu led him to open his own school at the tender age of 19. He started instructing at the local gym and within six months moved into his own premises. Since then the centre grew and so did the students whose lives were enriched into a new era of Chinese martial arts. In the pursuit of expanding his unquenchable thirst in the arts Si Fu Marco decided to expand his horizons and seek other styles and schools internationally and he set off to Europe in 1987. His travels took him to the United States in 1988 where he built new relationships with many masters. He then set about the task of liaising with practitioners, masters and competitors with the purpose of promoting South African Chinese martial arts. In 1989 Si Fu Marco achieved the highest accolade in sport, his South African colours. He competed successfully internationally. With all the experiences in his travels and competition he decided that competition would not be the main focus of the school but the teaching of authentic traditional Chinese martial arts. The following year 1990, he coached the South African team for international competition in the USA. The team members performed well and brought home several trophies. He continued to become more competent in his knowledge and became a certified judge and referee.

In 1991, Si Fu Marco was introduced to Master Chen Qing He and began training under him. Master Chen's single-minded dedication to teaching traditional Chinese martial arts and his unparalleled understanding of the inner concepts and theories of this system became a great inspiration to Si Fu Marco.

In 1994 a team selected by Si Fu Marco representing the Chinese Martial Arts & Health Centre attended an international competition in Beijing, China. It was a dream come true for many of the team members to visit the country where kung fu originated. Their performance was outstanding bringing many medals home. In 1999 another team selected by Si Fu Marco again representing Chinese Martial Arts & Health Centre trained diligently in preparation for an international competition in Baltimore, USA. The students participated in the traditional bare hand, weapon, semi contact and full contact divisions. Several gold, silver and bronze medals were attained. The students were delighted to participate in competition but felt that the true benefit was in the training preparation and the camaraderie of the team.

Since 1999 Si Fu Marco has moved his focus away from competition and has traveled extensively to Taiwan to continue his training with Master Chen. More recently he has set up Martial arts seminars and focused on technical and cultural exchanges with his and Master Chen's senior students. This has helped strengthen the students martial arts understanding and helped foster relations between South Africa and China.

Celebrating our twentieth anniversary during 2005 was the highlight for that year. During the following years Si Fu Marco has managed to bring three of his most senior students to the Si Fu level. Si Fu Marco spends most of his time traveling and teaching the senior levels of all the schools. He is currently translating Master Chen's books into English for the benefit of all our English speaking students around the world.

Master Chen

Our Si Gung Chen Qing He started studying martial arts at the age of eight. He lived in the rural area of Taiwan and was exposed to very old and deadly styles. He learnt Hong Chuan (Hong family fist) from Grandmaster Tsang Ke Tse. He attended the University of Yang Ming Chan where he majored in Chinese culture. Grandmaster Li Mao Ching was teaching at the university and Master Chen became one of his students. Master Chen studied with the Grandmaster and become exceptionally proficient in the Chang Chuan style. Today Master Chen has taken over the teaching at the university. Master Chen also learnt various other styles but has specialized in Chang Chuan and Hong Chuan at his school.

Master Chen decided to follow old principals of teaching northern and southern styles together. This would give the short and powerful movements of Hong Chuan and the explosive and long characteristics of Chang Chuan to suit all student's body types and potential combat situations.

Grand Master Li

Master Li, Mao-ching was born on July 5, 1926 in Qingdao City ( Shandong Province ), and grew up there. Later, when World War II began, he was drafted into the army. When he was in the army he started to learn Shaolin Long Fist (Changquan) from Han Qingtang, Praying Mantis (Tanlangquan) from Fu Jiabin, and Sun Bin Quan from Gao Fangxian.

SiXiong Lester Walters

Lester is the Head Instructor of the Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia. Before moving to Australia he trained for many years under Si Fu Marco at the Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre in Cape Town. Coming from a background of electrical engineering, Lester felt compelled to turn to teaching Kung Fu upon arriving in Australia because of his love for the system. He continues to travel back to South Africa regularly to continue his personal training in the system under Si Fu Marco. He studies and teaches both the Kung Fu systems of Shaolin Northern Long Fist (Chang Chuan) and Hong Family Fist (Hong Chuan). Lester is a Government Certified Martial Arts Coach with a Certificate III in Martial Arts Coaching from the Australian College of Sports Development.

SiJeh Sherrilyn Walters

Sherrilyn Walters is the head instructor of Tai Chi and Taiji Ma at the Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia, and sub-instructor of Kung Fu. Sherrilyn trains in Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan under Si Fu Christian Hanche at the Cape Town branch of the CMAHC and studies both the Chang Chuan and Hong Chuan Kung Fu systems. Sherrilyn travels back to South Africa regularly to continue her personal training in both Tai Chi and Kung Fu. In addition to her martial arts, Sherrilyn has been riding and training horses from a young age, and coaches and trains in dressage. This passion for equestrian arts, in combination with her understanding of martial arts, has given her the insight needed to develop the Taiji Ma system. She trains in dressage under Karin Blignault, renowned dressage trainer and author.