Grand Master/founder (Soke, meaning "founder") Ron Craddock began studying Karate in 1963, at the age of 9 and has now been actively involved in Teaching, Studying, Judging, Competing, Organizing, and performing Research and Development for more than 40 years. Soke Craddock has been recognized in Black Belt Magazine as one of the East Coasts top referees. He has also been a #1 Ranked Heavyweight fighter in the mid-atlantic region. His courses have been taught in colleges and universities locally and around the world.

Soke Craddock was inducted in
the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2006.

Soke Craddock holds the Rank of Ku-Dan, 9^th Degree Black Belt in Shinki-Ryu, 1st Degree Black Belt in Wado-Ryu, 8th Degree Black Belt in Chinese Kuen Sow and 9th Degree Black Belt in Okinawa Kempo. He has had the privilege of studying with (5) five 10^th Degree Black Belts from Okinawa, Japan, China, the Philippines and United States.  

Master Craddock with Grand Master Remy Presas

Master Craddock with Professor Wally Jay  

              Master Craddock with Taika Seiyu Oyata

Soke Craddock is President of the American – Ryukyu Fighting Arts Association and a member of the National Association of Professional Martial Artists and the American Federation of Martial Arts.   

Soke Craddock has worked with noted sexual abuse counselor Dr. Stephen Alexander, of Charlottesville (VA), helping to work with rape and abuse victims during their recovery and conducting self defense awareness, prevention and counter measures training.  

He has trained nuclear security personnel and military special forces in one –strike methods of defense. Soke Craddock has been a Defense Tactics Instructor for the State of Virginia training law enforcement personnel since 1978. He still trains Correctional Officers in close quarter management of inmates.  

Soke Craddock has sponsored martial arts tournaments for over 30 years. Many of these events were conducted to benefit the Thomas Jefferson Food Bank. Soke stayed actively involved with the Charlottesville YMCA in the late 1970’s and 1980’s training local youth in the martial arts.

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