Our Instructors & Staff Members

Our Instructors have spent many years devoted to training in the martial arts and have attained a certain level of expertise to qualify them as teachers and also mentors.

Through extensive testing, certification and tournament level competition, our staff has attained mastery in this martial art and now enjoy sharing their skill and passing it on to their students. Here are a few of River Cities Martial Arts Academy's instructors and other staff members, starting with Cary Hawthorn:

Cary Hawthorn  (5 Degree Black Belt, Master Instructor) Master Hawthorn began training in the martial arts in 1977. He holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Hun Mu Do and a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Combat Hapkido. During the 90s he won 3 Grand National Champion titles in Weapons Forms, Empty Hands Forms and Sparring. In 2000, Mr. Hawthorn was chosen for the "2000 Millineum Tour" he was one of 28 Black Belts from the United States and Australia to tour and train in Korea and China. He has been fortunate to be able to train with some of the best Masters and Grandmasters in the world such as Dr. He-Young Kimm(9th dan), Grandmaster J.R. West(8th dan), Grandmaster Bong Soo Han(9th dan), Grandmaster John Pellegrini (9th dan) Grandmaster Kim, Jong-Sung(9th dan), Grandmaster Mike Brown(8th dan), Senior Master Yong Zeeb(7th dan) and Senior Master Robert Sublett(7th dan) He served for 3 years as Regional Director of the National Tae Kwon Do Federation of America. He was recently honored by being named "Outstanding Martial Arts Person of the Year".

Bobby Johnson  (2nd degree Black Belt) Bobby was named "Student of the Year" for 2006, along with "Outstanding Leadership Award". In 2007 Bobby won the AUMA Regional Championship in forms. Recently, he became the 2009 UTA World Champion in Black Belt forms for ages 14-15 boys.

Kayla Onishea  (2nd dan/Tiger Tiger Instructor) Kayla Onishea has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

Travis Colvin  (Black Belt) Travis received the "Indomitable Spirit Award" for 2006, as well as Outstanding Leader.

Rosie Poovey  (Leadership Team) Rosie Poovey has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

Reece McCarthy  (Junior Leadership Team) Reece McCarthy has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

Peyton Hicks  (Junior Leadership Team) Peyton Hicks has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

Jason Cook  (Grappling Program Director/Blue Belt Gracie JJ) Jason Cook has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

Derrick Curnutte  (Ground Combatives Instructor) Derrick is a certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt

Maurice Green  (Junior Leadership Team) Maurice Green has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

Zach Bailey  (Junior Leadership team) Zach Bailey has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

For more information about the River Cities Martial Arts Academy staff or training programs, please contact us at 318 773-4652 or by clicking here.