With Chief Instructor Andrew Withford leaving for an overdue holiday and Maya Brown for Korea it seems like an appropriate time to look back at the Wing Chun life and times of the the founders of the Sunshine Wing Chun Academy.

Maya actually met Andrew while playing hackey sack in a park in Sydney in 1998. They started talking and Maya told Andrew about Sifu Jim’s IWCA where he was training for Cert III in martial arts instruction. Andrew travelled back to London to continue a working holiday and then returned six months later. This chance encounter led to Andrew later meeting Sifu Jim and beginning his Wing Chun training. After completing his Cert IV in Martial Arts Instruction and formal training under Sifu Jim he was sent with Maya to open the Gold Coast Branch of the International Wing Chun Academy. Both Maya and Andrew continued to work in Sifu Jim’s schools until his sad passing in March 2007.

The Sunshine Coast Wing Chun Academy was established in 2008 with the first classes running in Peregian Beach. It was around this time that Kim Raddon and Stu Leake  joined the school. Stuey just happened to be walking past and saw Andrew doing chi sau in his backyard. Bruce Lee had been Stuey’s idol ever since he was a little kid and he had been training Wing Chun for quite a few years under another lineage. But there was something about Andrew’s Wing Chun that impressed him and he was sold on it straight away. Kim had been training and teaching Karate for many years but felt that something was missing. His first lesson was with Maya who impressed Kim with his powerful punches and laid back teaching style.

I turned up to one of Andrew’s morning classes in early 2009. I had been training Tai Chi and other kung fu styles for a number of years but was looking for a school which focused more on the internal aspects of the art. The first lesson Andrew gave me a throw punch on the chest that put my back out for a week. That was internal enough for me to sign up straight away! Not long after I met  Maya who spent most of the class joking around, talking about relaxation and comparing Kung fu to golf and tennis. I learned he had his own special style known as “Mongo”  kung fu which basically consisted of smashing your opponent!  About 3 months later I signed up for full-time training.

So heartfelt thanks to Andrew and Maya from everyone at the QWCA for your teaching and friendship. Hope both of you enjoy your travels and will be back soon.

Jon Collins

Treasurer

QWCA.