Lineage

Unlike many other schools and martial artists who claim to be "authentic", students of the Sin Thé Karate School have a direct lineage to the Shaolin Temples in China. Our teacher, Elder Master Bill Leonard, and many of the students study directly under Grandmaster Sin Thé. His teacher was Grandmaster Ie Chang Ming, who began his studies at the Shaolin Temple as a young boy. His teacher was the legendary Su Kong Tai Djin! We are only two generations from them!

1849 - 1928

1880 - 1976

1943 - present

You can read more about Grandmaster Su Kong Tai Djin, Grandmaster Ie Chang Ming, and Grandmaster Sin Kwang Thé on our history page.

A Shaolin-Do student is considered a Master once he or she has attained the rank of 5th Degree Black Belt or higher. Each rank also has a title — 5th Degree Black Belts are referred to as Associate Masters, 6th Degree Black Belts are Masters, 7th Degree Black Belts are Senior Masters, and 8th Degree Black Belts and higher are Elder Masters.

Many martial arts schools are lucky to have an instructor with a rank of 2nd degree black belt or higher teaching classes. Here at the Sin Thé Karate School, we have a plethora of masters and high ranking black belts to help the students increase their skill sets. The following is not a complete list of Masters in Shaolin-Do. However, it is a list of Masters who are active at the Sin Thé Karate School.

Eldest Master Bill Leonard

10th Degree Black Belt, Head Instructor

Eldest Master Bill Leonard is Grandmaster Sin Thé's most senior student, having been with him since 1967 and was the first non-Chinese to ever attain the rank of 10th Degree Black Belt, having been promoted to that rank in March 2023.

Eldest Master Leonard is the head instructor at the Sin Thé Karate School and brings his unparalleled 50+ years of teaching experience to the students there. He not only teaches all ranks of students at the gym, but as a nationally respected instructor, he is often sought out by Shaolin-Do students and masters from across the country for private lessons. He has personally trained more than 10,000 students to the rank of black belt, not to mention the countless other students who have trained under his guidance over the years.

While known for his intense dedication, loyalty, and sense of honor, he is also known as an incredible instructor. He is often the reason many students give for continuing their studies in Shaolin-Do. He is regarded as the premier fighter in Shaolin-Do, having won countless Shaolin-Do and open tournaments over the years.

His wife, Dale, who tragically passed away in 2017, was also 1st Degree Black Belt. Eldest Master Leonard has five children and seven grandchildren.

8th Degree Black Belt — Elder Master

7th Degree Black Belt — Senior Master

6th Degree Black Belt — Master

5th Degree Black Belt — Associate Master

Belts and sashes are used to distinguish between the external and internal students. Our external students wear a traditional gi (uniform) and belt while the internal students wear a sam (uniform) and a sash. While belts and sashes are not equivalent, they are comparable in gauging the abilities and progress of a student. Attaining the rank of a black belt or sash is by no means the end of the journey in Shaolin-Do. Rather, it is just the beginning — you are now considered a serious student and your real training begins. Essentially, each rank of black belt or sash is at least equivalent to training from white to black all over again!

Below is an incomplete (but growing) list of students who have received their black belt or sash while studying with us.

4th Degree Black Belt

3rd Degree Black Belt

3rd Degree Black Sash

2nd Degree Black Belt

2nd Degree Black Sash

1st Degree Black Belt

1st Degree Black Sash

If you have received your black belt or sash with us and your name does not appear on this list, or if your name or rank is incorrect, please contact the Webmaster and we will either add you to this list or correct your entry.

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