Wing Chun Kung Fu
The Colorado School of Wing Chun is a Colorado non-profit.
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Wing Chun traces its origins in the Shaolin and Ming resistance to the Qing Dynasty. It is said that during this time the Shaolin temple was destroyed and one of the survivors, a nun named Ng Mui, eventually developed the system which became known as Wing Chun. There is strong historical evidence of the style in the 1800’s in Foshan, China.
After being popularized by Ip Man in Hong Kong until his death in 1972, Wing Chun has been carried on by his disciples. The Colorado School of Wing Chun traces its lineage through Ip Man’s 3rd disciple, Sifu Duncan Leung, who trained privately with Ip Man from 1955 through 1959.
The Colorado School of Wing Chun was founded in 1978 by Sifu Jerry Gardner and later run by Sifu Bart Mann. Sifu Bart passed away July 5th, 2006. The Colorado School of Wing Chun is now under the direction of Sifu Phil Switzer.
Classes
The Colorado School of Wing Chun does not require students to make long-term financial commitments. Class dues are payable as donations to our parent non-profit and go entirely to the overhead costs of operating the school. Our instructors are volunteers dedicated to passing the art along to the next generation of martial artists. All Wing Chun classes are held at our Broomfield, Colorado facility.
Visitors are welcome to watch and participate. Please contact us in advance so we know when to expect you. We ask for a $20 drop-in donation that is applied to your first month’s dues if you wish to enroll. Monthly dues are $120.
Wing Chun, Youth – Saturday: 10:00-11:00 am
Please contact us for more information and when the next youth session is starting. Classes are arranged in ten week sessions exclusively for children ages 8-13. A parent or responsible adult must call the school prior to visiting for more information and to enroll. The cost of the ten week session is $120.
Wing Chun, All Levels – Monday through Thursday: 7:00-9:30 pm
Authentic, Wing Chun Kung Fu training that begins with a solid foundation of Wing Chun skills, then moving on to advanced principles and techniques. Classes are frequently physically and psychologically demanding, pushing students through their self-imposed limits. This training follows the traditions and practices of our ancestors in the lineage.
Private Wing Chun lessons are available on a limited basis. Contact us for more information.
Pekiti Tirsia Kali – Visit the Massif Kali site for more information.
Due to the presence of weapons and the nature of Kali training, prospective students are required to be at least 18 years of age, of good character, and must have a certain level of maturity and discipline. New members are only accepted into the group after a mandatory probationary period.
Instructors
Our instructors have over sixty years of teaching experience in the Yip Man Wing Chun lineage through Sifu Duncan Leung.
Master Sifu Phil Switzer
Sifu Phil Switzer has been training Wing Chun continuously since he started training with his friend and Sifu, Bart Mann, in 1981. Sifu Phil is part of the 9th generation of Wing Chun in the Yip Man lineage.
Sifu Ron Kammerer
Sifu Ron is currently on hiatus for career reasons.
Sifu Jimmie McNeal
Jimmie McNeal is a retired Marine of 21 years with a background in Tai Chi, Ed Parker Kenpo, Jun Fan, and other different other systems and lineages of Wing Chun. Outside of Wing Chun, Jimmie is a certified Pekiti Tirsia Kali Instructor (Guro). Jimmie was accepted as Sifu Phil Switzer’s disciple and granted the title of Sifu in a ceremony on February 24th, 2008.
Sifu Jim Knepley
Jim has been training for most of his life. He trained in Taekwondo as a teenager, and began training again seriously in the late 1990s with Yuan-Tien-Hseuh Kung Fu, Gow-Ren-Lu Kempo, and now Wing Chun Kung Fu. Sifu Phil accepted Jim as his disciple in 2011, and Jim has been Sifu since 2014.
Sifu Kevin O’Melia
Sifu Kevin has been training Wing Chun since 2009 with the Colorado School of Wing Chun. Although he had an interest in martial arts while growing up, he didn’t start his training until he found the right school. The Colorado School of Wing Chun proved to be the home he was looking for. Kevin has embraced the path of Wing Chun and wishes to pass down all he has learned to future generations. He loves the intersectional nature of Wing Chun’s internal and external elements. The challenge has helped transform him into who he is now. He has also recently started training Chen style Tai Chi and seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the internal arts. Kevin has been Sifu since 2019.
Sifu Jerry Culbreath
Sifu Jerry has been training his own students in his new home in Ohio since he was made Sifu in 2019.
Sifu Sarah Anderson Ayako
Sarah has been training Wing Chun since 2010. This is her first martial art style, and her practice is informed by her background in taiko. Sarah was accepted as a disciple of Sifu Jimmie, with whom she also studies Pekiti Tirsia Kali, and granted the title of Sifu in a ceremony in 2022.