Come on Irish, read the previous replies. You guys are from his school and now that he is not there, you are questioning his background on a public forum? I was always brought up that in Kenpo, we are all family. Black Belts should be a little more respectful of their instructors.
All of these questions should be directed to your current instructor and owner of Roberts previous school, Rich LePage.
www.ak-karate.com Or you can go to Roberts' EP Kenpo instructor, Lee Wedlake.
www.lwkarate.com
Atlanta-Kenpo already posted that Robert had black belt rank in another system. If someone is a 6th degree in another system of Karate, they are a 6th degree, period. If you ever visited Mr. Wedlakes' school for his classes or a seminar, he always honors the individuals rank regardless of what style the individual is ranked in. So Robert signed your certificate with his highest black belt rank. Mr. Ray started learning Kenpo as a beginner learning the material from white belt. Still he was a 6th degree blk blt and deserves the respect of a 6th degree. (if Mr. Wedlake honored and respected Robert Ray as a 6th degree blk blt, that is good enough for me. And for those of you studying with Mr. Wedlake, it should be good enough for you.)
I have been to several Kenpo seminars and weekend camps that Mr. Ray attended. Just like you kenpo guys training learning other arts, Mr. Ray, already a ranked blk blt, wanted to expand his knowledge. He was introduced to Kenpo and became hooked. He met Lee Wedlake Jr. and he started taking Kenpo lesson with him. Throughout the year, Robert would travel to Kenpo seminars and camps. He would also take vacations to S. FL. where he would spend his vacation taking private lessons with Mr. Wedlake and attend the classes going on in Mr. Wedlake's Kenpo school. Mr. Ray also brought Mr. Wedlake to Atlanta to host Kenpo seminars in the Atlanta school for you guys. While Mr. Wedlake was there, Mr. Ray would have more private lessons with Mr. Wedlake.
I respect Robert Ray and consider him a good friend. He has taken the steps to learn Kenpo the proper way, from the bottom up. But more importantly, he took the steps to bring proper kenpo instruction to you guys in his school. Through him and his efforts, some of you that are still there in the Atlanta group were introduced to Lee Wedlake and are furthering your study through him. Mr. LePage is furthering his kenpo study as well. All of this is because of Robert Ray taking the proper steps to learn Kenpo correctly. That is why Mr. Ray has an IKKA certificate and why he is listed on Mr. Wedlakes family tree as a promoted blk blt.
If anyone has any further questions regarding Mr. Ray, please go to Mr. LePage first for an answer. Ask Mr. Wedlake the next time he is in the Atlanta area. Mr. Ray sold his school and has been out of the Atlanta area for a while now.
Mr. Ray owned the Atlanta area school as a 6th degree blk blt in another system of Karate. (if anyone has questions about that, again ask Mr. LaPage, Mr. Wedlake or Mr. Ray) Mr. Ray already a 6th degree blk blt got hooked on EP American Kenpo. He took steps to change his Karate schools previous curriculum to EP Kenpo curriculum and he brought Mr. Wedlake up to this school to further his Kenpo instruction and to MAKE SURE HIS STUDENTS WERE LEARNING KENPO CORRECTLY. Thank you Mr. Ray. There are others out there that should follow your lead.
So Mr. Ray signed certificates as a 6th degree. As the school owner, that was his choice. As part of Lee Wedlake's Kenpo lineage, your certificate will never be questioned.
Teej
artyon:
