The Society of Ancient Warriors
Historical Development
By
Chuck Sullivan and Stacy Picascia
The Art of Karate and the Martial Arts, in general, are a young man’s pursuit.
And that’s exactly how it was when Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate was introduced to the United States, then to the United Kingdom, and then on to the rest of Europe.
Ed Parker was in his mid-twenties when he opened the first commercial Dojo in the United States, having come from Hawaii before it was even a State of the Union, and all of his students were young men, many still in their teens. In the late fifties, as far as women and children were concerned, there was only one young lady in his classes and absolutely no children. There may have been adult students teaching their own children at home, but there were no children’s classes or individual “kid” students in the adult classes, and that was true as late as 1959. It wasn’t until the early sixties that it began to change.
Being a young man’s endeavor also meant that there were no seniors involved in the Art. However, as time went on, and practitioners continued their training and eventually began teaching… those once young men ultimately became the “elders” or “seniors” of the Art.
All of us that have withstood the ravages of time, and have spilled our blood, sweat, and tears on the mats, without question, earned the title “Ancient Warriors.” Furthermore, we are still here in order to lead the present generation into the future, over the trails that were so courageously pioneered during the last (more than) half a century.
Ancient Warriors was conceived by a student of a school that was co-founded, co-owned and operated, in South West Los Angeles, USA, by Ed Parker and Chuck Sullivan. Established in early 1963 and commonly referred to as the “Crenshaw” Studio, because it was located on Crenshaw Boulevard, operated for a period of almost ten years, moving once during that time to La Brea Avenue in Inglewood, California. During that period of operation, there was a total of 15 students, all men, all adults, or at least advanced teenagers, whom were promoted to Black Belt.
The first student to be so promoted was a young man named Stacy Picascia, who continued as a student and teacher for a number of years after receiving his Black Belt. Eventually, he became a policeman in the same town the school had been relocated to (Inglewood), and also taught classes for police officers and other city employees at the Inglewood City recreation center.
Eventually, because of the demands of the job and other considerations, such as becoming an attorney, he discontinued teaching at the Crenshaw Studio, and his involvement with the school gradually diminished and finally stopped. Such is life.
Stacy went on to become Chief of Police in Seal Beach, California, where he again taught classes to police officers and city employees. However, between the time of his leaving for a career in Law Enforcement and his eventual retirement, due to occupational demands he had very little time for the friends he’d first made while studying and teaching the Art. Upon his retirement he reconnected with his former teacher, Chuck Sullivan, and reestablished himself as a student, rarely missed a workout session, and thoroughly immersed himself in the system that was developed by his instructor – the syllabus of kenpo taught under the auspices of the International Karate Connection Association.
Upon this reunion with his instructor and a few of his still active classmates of yesteryear, Stacy said it was like he’d never been gone. “It was as if we had our Thursday night class, and just a few days later were returning for our Tuesday night class.” The close friendship and brotherhood he knew “back in the day” had survived and continues even more strongly to this day.
Stacy thought about those enduring friendships and developed an idea that was intended to honor those friendships and bonds of brotherhood, and the now “senior members” of that once young and special class of martial arts practitioners, who have withstood that great length and test of time, and learned directly from the Masters – Ed Parker and Chuck Sullivan. So, he created the title of “Ancient Warriors,” sketched the artwork for a patch to symbolize those enduring character traits, and had the patches manufactured.
His intention was to present one patch to each of the surviving Black Belts of those first 15 Black Belts, that were promoted out of the “Crenshaw” school, as a symbol of their brotherhood and comradery. The surviving members of that group have been friends, not always physically close, but always close in spirit, for over 50 years… and that is what he wanted to acknowledge and celebrate.
Stacy had just enough patches embroidered for the 15 members of the group, plus one patch for each of their instructors. Only eight (8) members remain, while the other members couldn’t be found or were known to have passed away.
One patch was presented to each of those members that could be found, one patch was presented to Chuck, along with another patch for Chuck’s partner and the Crenshaw School’s co-founder Ed Parker. Because Mr. Parker has passed, his patch is being held in honor by Mr. Sullivan, framed and hanging in his home office.
Everyone that received the patches and letter describing the intent and meaning of what the “Ancient Warriors” symbolized, thought it was a great idea and immediately embraced it. However, one afternoon during a conversation between Chuck and Stacy, Chuck thought this concept should and could be so much more.
Chuck, realizing that once those “remaining members” have passed on, the essence of, and the basis for, creating the “Ancient Warriors” would forever be lost to antiquity. The goal then became how to maintain, build upon, and continue the legacy of this unique group of martial arts practitioners.
Chuck thought there were many, many more practitioners in the Art who deserved to be honored in the same way and for the same reasons. Stacy wholeheartedly agreed. Consequently, The Society of Ancient Warriors (SAW) was created, and a model was developed that would include all of our Kenpo brethren from the period of time of what has been called “back in the day.” Even though our Kenpo brothers and sisters are not together all of the time, when we do meet at seminars, competitions, promotions and banquets, that feeling of friendship and brotherhood comes flooding back and it feels like you were with them just a few days ago.
After much deliberation, a short list of requirements was formulated. We agreed that there should be a minimum age, a minimum rank, and a specified number of years involved in the Art. There were a number of other considerations that were discussed and rejected. We wanted membership to be exclusive, but not limited to just a few really old-timers. And, there would be no such category as an Honorary Member, even though each of us knew several people we would like to have included, because we believed it could diminish what those who are qualified have accomplished over the years, and what this honor was really supposed to represent.
The qualifications for membership are as follows:
- The applicant must be at least forty (40) years of age at the time of induction.
2. The applicant must have been promoted to the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt no less than fifteen (15) years before the date of induction.
a. This may be in any martial art.
3. This is the most important condition of all: The applicant must have been promoted to at least 1st Degree Black Belt by Senior Grand Master of Kenpo, Edmund K. Parker or someone within the “Parker Lineage.”
a. This means, for example, anyone promoted directly by Mr. Parker himself (First Generation), or by one of Mr. Parker’s students (Second Generation), or Third or Fourth Generation, and so on.
b. Example: Includes all Black Belt students of SGM Sullivan under the IKCA, and the Generations that follow.We felt it only right to acknowledge other Styles or Systems of Karate, or even other Martial Arts as to time in rank, however the applicant must also be at least a 1st Degree Black Belt within the “Parker Lineage.”
As the word spreads, the membership is growing and we are hearing from people we haven’t been in contact with for a number of years. It’s heartwarming to rekindle these friendships and talk about old times, with the people who lived through them.
Today, more than half a century has passed, with senior practitioners still committed to the Art, and the formation of the SAW was created as a logical vehicle to acknowledge the perseverance of those now Senior Members, as they have remained faithful and dedicated to the “Gift of Kenpo” that Mr. Parker bequeathed upon all of us.
The goal of the Society of Ancient Warriors is not only to recognize and celebrate the life-long friendships, bonds of brotherhood, and the camaraderie that developed between those first 15 original members of the Ancient Warriors, and continues to endure for over 50 years, but to encourage and inspire the new members of the “Society” to preserve and build upon those values.
It is the sincere hope and desire that new relationships and friendships will develop and flourish between all “new” and “old” members of the “Society,” in order to continue the “dedication” that is the foundation, and that has defined the lives, of every member of the original Ancient Warriors; and, that those new friendships will prosper and endure among “all” members, for another 50 years, so as to perpetuate and immortalize the legacy we have come to lovingly and honorably recognize as the “Parker American Kenpo Lineage.”
The hard-working individuals and dynamic personalities of those days gone by, will forever be honored here within the Society of Ancient Warriors. Warriors we were, and Warriors we remain.
The spirit still stands strong in our hearts and minds, and even though our bodies are willing, but in some cases might be less than able, when the spirit commands, when duty calls, there will still be a response, far-beyond that of the non-trained, non-initiated and non-tested.
We’ve been there, done that, and when necessary, we’ll do it again.
Hail to our Kenpo Brothers and Sisters,
Ancient Warriors – One And All
Membership
- There are no annual dues for membership in SAW.
- There is a one-time fee for a Lifetime Membership of twenty-five dollars ($25), which was calculated as closely as possible to the actual costs of the (1) PATCH for your uniform, (2) the CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP, (3) the LETTER of INDUCTION, and (4) all of the packaging, shipping and handling.
- This is a nonprofit endeavor, created to honor the Senior Members of our Art, and displaying the Ancient Warrior patch will tell the world who you are and where you came from.