To whom it may concern:

They say that the measure of a teacher is found in the students. Although I have only been training with Scotty for a couple of months now, I have been around martial arts long enough to know that what he has constructed is something extraordinary. What has struck me most about training Kung Fu with Scott is how the methodology he employs, that is to say, the grounding and honor of the traditional meshed with the science of modern teaching methods, has worked so well for so many. Scott attracts the best quality of student, and people from all walks of life appear to bloom under his tutelage. His classes consistently produce the best turnout and the most dedicated members. However, whether one has a year or a month to spare in which to train, is a beginner, or an expert from another style, results with all previous students show improvements are constant and observable. I believe that this is in no small part due to Scott’s enthusiastic and amiable personality as well as his particular teaching style and the atmosphere the two create.

I would like to express my thanks to Scott, to Kung Fu, and finally to recommend his methods to all of those who may be considering taking the journey. This is a program that is an asset to any community and, speaking from experience, to the personal development of any individual.

Adam N. Scale

Dear gentle reader,

Thank-you in your interest in our Kung Fu club. I began my own personal path in this art back in 1998 when I first met “Sifu” Scott Craig here at McMaster University Though I have practised several other martial art forms in the past, there was something distinctly unique about Shaolin Kung Fu that spoke directly to my heart. For lack of a better phrase, something about this art “just felt right.”

In the years that followed, I have learned various Kung Fu forms; many practical self-defense applications; and a variety of sparring techniques. Moreover, I have felt an inner transformation that has enhanced my physical health as well as my spiritual well being Not oniy have my cardio, my reflexes and my flexibility all improved immensely, but I also believe that Kung Fu has helped to keep me “young” and my senses ever keen. In many ways, Kung Fu has brought out the best in me and has touched areas of my life that I never expected it to.

Paramount in my learning however, is the wisdom that a deeper appreciation of this Art has conferred upon me I have come to understand that Kung Fu is not about violence; it is about cultivating loving kindness and compassion Kung Fu is not about fighting; it is about making and living at peace with one’s self. Kung Fu is not about showing off; it is about the humble transcendence of the egotistical self.

Through this all, “Sifu” Scott’s influence in my life has been immeasurable. Like many of his students, I have found his teaching style to be intensely engaging, yet relaxed and always supportive. This in turn has nurtured a very student-friendly and positive social atmosphere. That environment was highly conducive to our surprisingly quick rate of learning.

Thank-you again dear reader for your interest in our club. With the sincerest of hearts, I wish you all the best in your life path and hope that your walk with Shaolin Kung Fu, should you choose to pursue it, will be a delightfully enlightening one.

Safe Journeys,

Ben Huynh
B. Arts and Sc. (Honours)
B. A. Social Sciences

Dear Scott,

I have been a member of the McMaster Shaolin Kung Fu Association for the past two and a half years. From my experience with the club I have developed many skills, which have proved to be extremely valuable in my life. Aside from my abilities to defend myself, I have also developed an understanding of how a club is run and the work that is involved. You are a very dedicated teacher and extremely generous with your time. Perhaps above all else I have benefited in terms of friendship. These friendships have been so vital to me, not only as a McMaster student, but as an individual adapting to a new city. In my opinion the personal relationships I have made through my involvement in the club, are due to the fact that it provides a very unique social environment. The students in the club ranging from beginner to advanced, all interact comfortably during our sessions and outside of class as well. I am very thankful for what the club has done for me and my friends, and look forward to its continued success in years to come.

- Jeff Arnold