Meet owner and head instructor Master Michael Sampson. He goes by many names, but to most of his students he is simply Sifu.
Master Sampson grew up in a military family and travelled often, which afforded him the chance to train in different martial arts including Taekwondo, Chin Na Tai Chi, and Shaolin Kung Fu, in addition to Wing Chun.
After 30 years of Wing Chun training, he decided to leave Arizona and return to his family roots in Savannah, GA. Shortly following he opened SVT Martial Arts- originally known as the Temple of Martial Arts- in late 2005, the first Kung Fu school in Savannah and the surrounding areas.
Since his opening in 2005, Master Sampson’s skills and accomplishments have grown. He now:
He currently trains under the guidance of Grandmaster Benny Meng out of Dayton, Ohio as Master Sampson believes that having someone to keep you accountable keeps you humble.
His continued aim is to share the art of Wing Chun with as many people as possible.
“The Art did so much for me. It changed my life… I know it can help others too.”
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Originally hailing from Trenton, Ohio, Mike enjoys good conversation surrounding hockey, horses, aircraft/machinery, and star gazing. A straight-laced hard worker who enjoys DIY projects and working in his yard, he acts as a senior aircraft maintenance technician for Gulfstream, with his career having taken him many places including Minneapolis, Detroit, DC Reagan, and Wichita.
Sometime after settling in Savannah, Mike began training with SVT in February of 2007. Currently he holds a second degree black sash in Shaolin Wing Chun. Since he joined us, he has taken on multiple leadership roles within the school. He is SVT's most senior student and disciple to Master Sampson, and has spearheaded multiple programs with Sifu over the years. In the school you will usually see him in his red shirt, assisting in any number of tasks; from tidying our beloved school to teaching or testing.
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Rachael is a middle Georgia native who transplanted to Savannah in 2013 to pursue her Doctorate in Physical Therapy, fell in love with the city, and never left. Married with two kids, she wears many hats.
Rachael has been a part of SVT since April of 2014. Starting out at 2-days a week, Rachael's love for the school grew and she began to attend more often, taking on more leadership roles over time. A jack of all trades and master of none, she believes in giving back to the art and school that has changed her life. You will frequently see her around 4-5 nights a week, training and assisting in any number of tasks. She currently has her red sash in Shaolin Wing Chun, and assists as part of the leadership program within the school.
If you ask her (or any of her friends) she (they) will tell you that Wing Chun has become her every day life and there are few days she is not thinking about the school and when she can be there again. But if you insisted on knowing her other interests, she very much enjoys music, philosophy, the arts, and having a good laugh with her friends.
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With a real heart of gold, Phil has been bringing laughter and smiles to the students of SVT with his special brand of humor and his general loving nature for some time.
Arriving to the doors of SVT somewhere around 2013, work and life tugged Phil in and out of Savannah up until late 2023, when he finally settled in Savannah for good. He is currently at the rank of orange sash in Shaolin Wing Chun and predominantly assists with the adults classes at this time.
Phil dabbles in multiple areas of work, surrounding commercial production art and project management. In his spare time he enjoys activities that take him out into the great outdoors, culture, traveling, computer, and hanging with friends.
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Liam has been with SVT since April of 2023 and is one of our student instructors. Liam has a background of Taekwondo and was a Taekwondo student for 9 years before coming through our doors. In 2024 he joined SVT's Wing Chun International Competition Team and went on to represent our school in the Phoenix Nationals and in the 1st Southern Shaolin Temple Wing Chun Worlds in China as a part of Team USA.
Liam is a hard worker both on and off the mat. Having graduated early, when he's not working, you may find him writing music or spending time with friends. Liam lends his time to artistic endeavors, working out, and enjoys teaching kids.
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