Mark Hayes - Chief Instructor
Sport Karate
Mark started his Martial Arts training with Wado Ryu Karate, at the beginning of
1983 in Sheffield with Patrick Scantlebury,
He gained his 1st Dan Black belt on
13th December 1986. He carried on teaching and training with Patrick until around
1988, moving around training at different clubs, trying Tae kwon Do, Shotokan, Kickboxing
amongst other styles, until at the beginning of 1993 when he found JKD and Eskrima
with Dave Carnell in Stoke on Trent.
Pat Scantlebury
During the first class at Dave Carnell’s, Mark
realized that this is what he had been looking for.
After seeing an article in 1995 in Fighters Magazine for W.E.K.A.F - G.B, Mark started
training with Andy Gibney, in Kettering, taking private lessons and also attending
seminars. With out meeting Andy a lot of doors would still be closed now, during
this year Mark’s journey into competitive Stick fighting started, it was also around
this time that he began attending seminars with various JKD and Eskrima Instructors.
1995 Mark saw fight at the W.E.K.A.F - G.B Luton open, beating Sheraz Hussain in
the Final for 1st place, this was Mark’s 2nd stick fighting competition, after competing
in The W.E.K.A.F British championships later the same year he was selected to compete
on the British team for the 1996 W.E.K.A.F World Championships, to beheld in Los
Angeles U.S.A.
The 1996 W.E.K.A.F World Championships was Mark’s 4th stick fighting competition,
walking away happy with a 3rd place was a major highlight from the visit to the
U.S.A and also his Martial Arts journey.
Other highlights of the trip were training and meeting with Sifu Richard Bustillo,
from this first meeting with Sifu Richard, Mark has trained with Sifu Richard every
year either at the IMB Academy or while he has been teaching here in the UK, during
the same trip he also had the opportunity to train with Guro Dan at the Inosanto
Academy.
Mark with Guro Dan Inosanto
It was in 1996 that Mark founded Combined Fighting Arts (C.F.A) a system for his
students to grade under, by using this system Mark has found he can change and evolve
this method to suit his ever changing style.
During a return to L.A in 1997, Sifu Bustillo invited Mark to train on the IMB Instructors
conference, which was a fantastic experience, this was also the year Mark got to
train privately with Grand Master Cacoy Canete at his home in San Jose, also during
this visit, Mark trained at the Inosanto Academy, where he met and trained with
John Spezzano for the first time,…….. they would later meet up again in the future.
It was while hosting a seminar with Sifu Richard at Mark’s club in Sheffield during
1999 he received his Apprentice Instructors certificate which was awarded to Mark
personally by Richard.
In 2001 Mark competed in Cacoy Canete’s Doce Pares World Championships in L.A where
he won first place in lightweight single stick event.
While in L.A 2001, Mark met and trained with Sifu Ron Balicki, who has had a huge
impact on Mark’s training, and continues to do so, Mark trains with Sifu Balicki
every year while he is in the UK.
On a return trip to L.A in May 2004, while taking classes at the Inosanto Academy
Mark met back up with John Spezzano, from this second meeting a great friendship
was built, Mark has returned every year since 2004, to train with John, plus other
instructors as well.
Richard Bustillo and Mark
At the 2nd IMB - UK Conference in Kettering October 2005, hosted by Andy Gibney,
Mark received his Full Instructor certificate from Sifu Bustillo.
3rd May 2006 saw the opening of Mark’s new school “Sheffield Martial Arts Centre”
the new home to C.F.A and a new chapter in Marks life in Martial arts. He continues
to train with the best people he can find, for all areas of his Martial Arts, by
attending seminars and return visits to the States to train with various instructors,
the latest being Jeff Jones from Tri-State Martial Arts in Levittown P.A.
At present Mark is a full time Martial arts Instructor and part time door supervisor.
Achievements
Mark's Instructors