Martial Arts Beginning 

At the young age of 10, Stephen was a victim to bullying. He was chased and beaten up on the playground at school. That was a big turning point in his life. He came to realize that if he wanted to feel safe from bullies he would have to learn to defend himself. This moment changed Stephen's life forever.

Four Seasons and HSMA

Stephen began taking classes at Four Seasons Karate in Michigan,  where he earned his first two belt promotions. He then followed his lead instructor to a new school, HSMA, and he began assisting the instructors in classes. This was the first time Stephen was put in a teaching role. He earned his black belt in Tang Soo Do in 2012.

Team AKA

Achieving Dreams
In 2015, Stephen was invited to join Team AKA. Team AKA is a nationally renowned martial arts team known for competing across the country and around the world. Stephen competed on Team AKA for several years, becoming a Co-Captain of the team in 2019. He still continues to compete on Team AKA, although he is now  focusing on developing his students.

Sharkey's Karate

Stephen began training at Sharkey's Karate in 2014 after his first martial arts boot camp. He began teaching at Sharkey's in early 2017 and by the end of that year, he had tested for his Black Belt at the school. He continues to teach at Sharkey's Karate today and upholds the traditions passed down to him by some of the most elite black belts in the country.

SIDESWIPE

SIDESWIPE is a martial arts performance team that travels the world to entertain groups such as the US armed forces. Stephen was chosen to perform on the Sideswipe performance team at Pearl Harbor and Guam. He performed for the U.S. troops and their families with seven other athletes around the country. This was one of the most fulfilling things that  Stephen has ever had the opportunity to take part in, he was very honored to have been chosen to be a part of the SIDESWIPE team and to perform for those that put their lives on the line for American freedom.