Class Students
Thomas J. May
Tom has trained in the martial arts for over 20-years. He trained in Japan and Okinawa for over 8-years while serving in the U.S. Navy and is a Yudansha in Okinawan Matsubayashi Ryu karate. Tom has also trained in Hakko Ryu jujutsu and Eishin Ryu iaido. In 2004, he began learning Wing Chun kung fu under Sifu Greg Leblanc in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Tom continues to train at Sigung Gary Lam's Wing Chun school in Monterey Park, California.
Steve Larkin
Originally from England, Steve is the most senior Oakland student having joined the class shortly after Sifu LeBlanc moved up from LA in August of 2006. Despite some initial classes in judo as a teenager, Steve had put his mild fascination in the martial arts aside for many years, instead focusing on soccer as his major recreational pursuit.
It was not until early in the new millenium that he discovered Wing Chun may be that art worthy of study and in 2003 he joined a local school, namely Lo Man Kam in Oakland under the guide of Jasan Fujii where he attended until early 2005 before going on to study under Sifu Ken Chun in San Carlos, and (for a brief period) WT with Sifu Simon Mayer in San Francisco.
It was in July 2006 that Steve noticed a thread on the Inside Kung Fu forum making reference to Greg LeBlanc moving to Northern California. Posted by Ernie Barrios (Greg’s LA based Kung Fu brother) the message was entitled - "Gary Lam in San Francisco” Says Steve ‘This sums it all up really since anyone who wants to learn the entire system as taught by Sigung Lam need not travel to LA – it is now all right here in the Bay Area with Sifu LeBlanc”
Aaron Miller
Aaron commenced his Martial Arts path studying Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate. In 1999 he commenced wing chun initially studying the various applications of the art. In 2000 he joined the Lo Man Kam school under the tutelage of John Kang.
Aaron subsequently was able to accomplish the level of instructor at the Oakland based school. In 2006 Aaron commenced training with Sifu LeBlanc in the WSL lineage.
Dave Rodriguez
I started like many people that have a love for the martial arts, watching Kung Fu Theater in the early 70s. My formal training started in kajukenbo at an early age. In my late teens I started in kenpo. After a few years of kenpo I started to cross train with Judo and Jujitsu until the school closed.
I started training in Escrima up until the middle of 05. Before my Escrima teacher passed he told me that if i wanted to train in another art it should be Wing Chun ,so my journey started again. I started in San Francisco with Wing Chun until I found Si Gong Lam's website and e-mailed Sifu Gregory LeBlanc,who is now relocated in Oakland Ca.
So, it's been a great journey studying with geat teachers. I have the utmost respect for Sifu's skill as a teacher, martial artist and as a person.
Gaidi Nkruma
I took my first steps on a 1,000 mile journey in 1991 with Sifu Bill Owens, a 1st generation black belt student of Sigung Al Dacascos and the Wun Hop Kuen Do system. Sifu Bill introduced me to the beauty of the Filipino Martial Arts as taught to him by his arnis instructor, Professor Remy Presas. My desire and love to learn more about the FMA's led me to train with ESKABO DAAN Master Robert Castro and Largo Mano GM Leo Giron and Bahala Na Arnis/Escrima. While on a trip to London in Y2K I noticed that Wing Chun was very popular there. I found a wing chun instructor in San Francisco and started training with him in 2004. Thru a chance training workshop with Jesse Glover, Bruce Lee's first USA student, I realized my wing chun was lacking in the proper fundementals so I sought out to find an instructor in the Wong Shun Leung lineage which led me to become a student of Sifu Gregory LeBlanc's toward the end of 2007. Sifu LeBlanc is a great wing chun coach and I'm very happy to have him guide my wing chun development.
Guadalupe Acosta
Guad is a veteran of the boxing game, with 13 professional fights and over 40 amateur fights to his record. In addition to his 21 years of experience in western boxing, Guad has an extensive background in Choi Lei Fut, Wing Chun and Muay Thai boxing.
Steven Moody
I started my martial arts training at 14.
In 2008, after five years studying several other Wing Chun styles and without a teacher, I was delighted to find that Sifu LeBlanc had started a school in the Bay Area. I was aware of the reputations of both Wong Shun Leung and his student, Gary Lam, and I was excited at the opportunity to learn about their approach to Wing Chun, an approach tempered by their fighting experiences.
Sifu LeBlanc says he was told that "everyone has to travel the same road" toward martial skill. But it is important to be sure the map (or training direction) is accurate. You don't want to spend a long time going miles in the wrong direction.
I finally feel that with Sifu LeBlanc, I am on my way and pointing in the right direction.
James Perry
Mr. James Perry has been a student of Sifu LeBlanc’s for several years now, studying Wing Chun Kung Fu and Taoist Qigong. James holds a Shodan (1st degree Black Belt) in Kyokushin Kai Karate. Kyokushin is a style of stand-up full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Korean-Japanese karate master Masutatsu Oyama. James taught Karate for many years at local public schools and through parks and recreations programs in Oakland, teaching both children and adults. James was a long time student of Dion Burns (Nidan) at his School of the Tiger; Burns Sensei was trained by Donald Buck. Hanshi Don Buck taught Karate and Kung Fu, founding the Golden School of the Tiger. In a public ceremony held here in the U.S., Mr. Buck was promoted by Masutatsu Oyama to 7th degree black belt. James is pictured with his Kyu ranking certificate and his Shodan ranking certificate, signed by Sensei Dion Burns and Hanshi Don Buck.