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Meet Mr. Coffey

Mr. Mike Coffey began taking karate lessons at the age of 13, when he was enrolled by his mother, Dorothy Coffey in an American Karate program at Clayton Junior College, in Morrow Georgia, in 1973. Mr. Coffey had been inspired like so many martial artists, by Bruce Lee’s television and movie career and through his father Paul Coffey, who had learned Ju-Jitsu in the United States Navy during World War II, and who encouraged his martial arts interests.

By the age of 19, Mr. Coffey had studied from various instructors of different styles including Jeet Kune Do, which was taught to him by Mr. David Roberts of Macon Georgia. Mr. Coffey continued to practice karate when, in 1990 he began studying American Kenpo Karate from Mr. Ingo Grammel, who was his chief instructor, and Mr. Ed Meehan who was also an instructor. The Kenpo karate style they teach was developed from the Tracey Kenpo karate system and the Ed Parker kenpo karate system.

In 1992 Mr. Coffey began training in Tang Soo Do with the Chuck Norris Karate System, at the Burnette Karate Studios - Forest Park dojang. He achieved the Burnette Karate Studios Most Outstanding Student award in 1993 and was promoted to Assistant Instructor in 1995.
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He earned his black belt in Tang Soo Do in 1997, with the American Fighting Arts Federation, under chief instructor Mr. Brian Smith, who has won three National Championship titles and who earned his black belt under Mr. Chuck Norris.

Mr. Coffey has trained with many of the worlds finest martial artist instructors from this system, including Mr. Richard Tirschel, Mr. Emory Gordy, Mr. Richard Burnette, Mr. Virgil Davis, Mr. B.J. Monte, Mr. Dwayne Sharpe, Mr. James Viar and Mr. Donald May.

He has also trained with and studied firearms throughout his entire life. He was a licensed federal firearms dealer along with his father for many years.

Mr. Coffey is recognized and continues to serve as a regional and national tournament official, judging for several years at Joe Corley’s Battle of Atlanta, one of the nation’s largest professional karate tournaments.

And while he has been teaching the martial arts for over a decade now, and he has over 30 years of experience, Mr. Coffey humbly remains a student as well as he continues to train and further educate himself within the martial arts. He is currently pursuing his next degrees in Tang Soo Do and American Kenpo Karate, and also attends training sessions and seminars with other instructors of various styles.

Mr. Coffey is married and has two children.  He is an Information
Technology (computer) professional with over 27 years experience, a
professional artist, a professional photographer, a writer and a musician!
Mr. Coffey has devoted his life to the teachings of karate and the study of
the martial arts, and his sole purpose for this has been knowing that there
is an opportunity to make a positive difference in someone's life."