Depicted below is the United States World Tournament Team for 1996. Seated in front are the President, General Chen, and Vice President, General Wu of the International Chinese Kuoshu Federatioin, based in Taiwan, the site of the 8th Annual World Tournament. Also seated are the United States Team Leader Grandmaster Huang Chien Liang, Men’s Head Coach Shr Fu Mike Patterson and the Women’s Head Coach Shr Fu Richard Lee, the Assistant Coach Shr Fu Kevin Preston and the Team Manager Andrea Cheng. The United States Team placed third overall in the World competition among fifty countries competing. The U.S. came away with three World Champions in the Full Contact fighting events: Alexander Sphigel, Dwayne Harrell and Maria Munayer. Two third place finishes: Mario Mancini and Bob Reynolds. Two fourth place finishes: Norma Futini and Joan Murakami. Also, one Gold, one Silver, one Bronze, and two fourth place finishes in the empty hand, weapons and two person forms competitions.

About the KuoShu contests

The Chinese KuoShu contest rules have changed gradually over the decades as the focus was shifted away from the concept of only testing the strongest and the best the Chinese styles had to offer in combat, and toward a balance of said test mixed with concerns for the safety of the combatants. Since I am often asked what the rules of the contest are, they are posted in their current form here:

The contests are three rounds of three minutes continuous fighting with a one minute break between rounds. Sometimes the preliminary bouts will be a reduced round length, depending on the promoter of each respective tournament.

The contests are fought on a platform ranging currently from two to three feet high, and twenty four by twenty four feet square.

Contests are decided by either knockout, or point accumulation, with the current point structures as follows below:

• One point awarded for any clean and powerful strike to any valid target area. (Forbidden targets are the groin, back brain and throat only.) (No gouging permitted.)
• Two points awarded for a clean throwing technique, where the person executing the throw does not touch the floor with any part of his/her body other than the feet. (No ground fighting permitted.)
• Three points awarded for execution of a technique, whether strike or throw, that succeeds in ejecting the opponent off the platform entirely.

In International competitions, strikes with the Hands, Feet, Elbows and Knees are allowed. However, in National competitions, the Elbow and Knee strikes are deleted. (No head butting in either structure.)

Currently, the safety gear worn consists of a "head cage" (basically a boxing head guard with a cross hatch of a few plastic bars on the front to protect the nose), fingerless 4 oz. gloves and a groin cup (women also wear breast protectors). No taping of the hands or feet, and no padding of the feet or shins is permitted.

The contests are open to all styles and backgrounds. Classes are according to weight only. To compete in the World tournaments (held every four years), you must demonstrate actual ability in both empty hands and weapons of a Chinese persuasion. This requirement is waived for other events.

In World, International and National events there is also presented an overall team scoring system, and first through fourth places are awarded based on this point accumulation. The point scoring system is as follows:

•  1st Place Lei Tai fighting = 5 pts.
•  1st Place Lei Tai fighting = 3 pts.
•  1st Place Lei Tai fighting = 2 pts.
•  1st Place Lei Tai fighting = 1 pt.

•  1st Place forms competition = 3 pts.
•  1st Place forms competition = 2 pts.
•  1st Place forms competition = 1 pt.
•  1st Place forms competition = 1/2 pt.

In this way, it becomes possible to win an overall place even though a team may not have had the greatest number of first place finishes (although it certainly helps go along way). Prior to 1998, this was an overall compilation from both fighting and forms competition events. But, in 1998 the fighting and forms competitions were separated into two different awards.

Mike Patterson's KuoShu Teams, since 1994

The following is a listing of accomplishments of Shr Fu Mike Patterson’s Chinese KuoShu Full Contact Teams, since his re-involvement in such training in 1994. All of places depicted below were achieved in World, International, National and Regional Full Contact forums open to all styles and ranks.

The fighters are hand picked students of Shr Fu Patterson and are trained in Classical Hsing I Chuan. Some of them also have Pa Kua and Chen Style Tai Chi training under Shr Fu Patterson as well. We wanted to let people know that the Internal Arts are dynamic and effective fighting systems! As they are well known for in Asia... This, in addition to having tremendous health benefits to the practitioners involved with their study.

Achievements of Fighters and Awards from 1994 - 2000

2000 International Tournament
Team took 2nd Place Overall
7 Person Team; 5 Men, 2 Women
Five of the below individuals qualified for a seat on the 2000 U.S. World Team which was not held due to a change of political party in Taiwan in the 2000 elections. They were: Alex Shpigel, Mario Mancini, Step Taylor, Ali Cheng and Cathy Reedy.

• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 195 lb. 1st place Alex Shpigel
• Men’s Unlimited 1st place Step Taylor
• Women’s 105 lb. 1st place Ali Cheng
• Women’s 145 lb. 1st place Cathy Reedy

In addition this team placed 1st in the Advanced Hsing-I Division;

• 2nd in Intermediate Hsing-I Division;
• 3rd in the Intermediate Hsing-I Division.

1999 National Tournament
Team took 2nd Place Overall
7 Person Team; 5 Men, 2 Women

• Men’s 165 lb. 3rd place Brandon Drouillard
• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 195 lb. 1st place Alex Shpigel
• Women’s 105 lb. 1st place Ali Cheng
• Women’s 145 lb. 1st place Cathy Reedy

In addition this team placed 1st in the Advanced Hsing-I Division;

• 1st in Advanced Pa-Kua Division;
• 2nd in Advanced Chen Tai-Chi Division;
• 1st in Intermediate Hsing-I Division;
• 3rd in the Intermediate Hsing-I Division.

1999 German International Invitational
One Placed in Finals
1 Person Team; 1 Man

• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini

1998 International Tournament
Six Placed in Finals
10 Person Team; 8 Men, 2 Women

• Men’s 154 lb. 2nd place Michael Corradino
• Men’s 187 lb. 2nd place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 195 lb. 1st place Alex Shpigel
• Men’s 210+ lb. 2nd place Steven Zamiara
• Women’s 105 lb. 2nd place Ali Cheng
• Women’s 145 lb. 1st place Cathy Reedy

In addition this team placed 2nd in the Advanced Hsing-I Division;

• 2nd in Advanced Pa-Kua Division;
• 2nd in Advanced Chen Tai-Chi Division;
• 2nd in Hsing-I Weapons Division;
• 4th in Hsing-I Weapons Divsion;
• 1st in Intermediate Hsing-I Division;
• 3rd in the Intermediate Hsing-I Division.

1998 German International Invitational
One Placed in Finals
1 Person Team; 1 Man

• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini
• Men’s Royal Rumble 1st place Mario Mancini

1996 World Tournament
U.S. Team took 3rd Place Overall
Six of the ten U.S. Men came from this Institution.
They were: Alex Shpigel, Mario Mancini, Steve Cotter, J.P. Hickman, Doug Gargaro and Bob Reynolds.
Of the above men, the following three won medals.

• Men’s 176 lb. 3rd place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Alex Shpigel
• Men’s 210 lb. 3rd place Bob Reynolds

1996 International Tournament
Team took 1st Place Overall
8 Person Team; 8 Men

• Men’s 132 lb. 1st place J.P. Hickman
• Men’s 154 lb. 1st place Steve Cotter
• Men’s 165 lb. 1st place Doug Gargaro; 2nd place Robert Marzo
• Men’s 176 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Alex Shpigel
• Men’s 210 lb. 2nd place Bob Reynolds

In addition this team placed 1st in the Advanced Hsing-I Division;

• 2nd in Advanced Hsing-I Division;
• 2nd in Advanced Pa-Kua Division;
• 2nd in Advanced Chen Tai-Chi Division;

1995 National Tournament
Team took 1st Place Overall
10 Person Team; 8 Men, 2 Women

• Men’s 132 lb. 1st place J.P. Hickman
• Men’s 154 lb. 1st place Steve Cotter; 2nd place Tony Acaldo
• Men’s 165 lb. 1st place Doug Gargaro
• Men’s 176 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Alex Shpigel
• Women’s 132 lb. 2nd place Anna Lagios
• Women’s 154 lb. 2nd place Jaime Morgan

In addition this team placed 2nd in the Advanced Hsing-I Division;

• 3rd in Advanced Hsing-I Division;
• 2nd in Advanced Pa-Kua Division;
• 4th in Advanced Chen Tai-Chi Division;

1995 West Coast Regional Tournament
No team scoring awarded
7 Person Team; 7 Men

• Men’s 143 lb. 1st place Michael Corradino; 2nd place J.P. Hickman
• Men’s 154 lb. 1st place Steve Cotter; 2nd place Rocky Valentine; 3rd place James Lynch
• Men’s 176 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 187 lb. 1st place Alex Shpigel

1994 International Tournament
Team took 3rd Place Overall
7 Person Team; 7 Men

• Men’s 143 lb. 2nd place Michael Corradino
• Men’s 154 lb. 3rd place Steve Cotter
• Men’s 165 lb. 2nd place William Revak
• Men’s 176 lb. 1st place Mario Mancini
• Men’s 187 lb. 2nd place Bob Reynolds; 3rd place Louie Addeo
• Men’s 210 lb. 3rd place John Butcher
• Men’s 210+ lb. 3rd place Paul Smith

In addition this team placed 1st in the Advanced Hsing-I Division;

• 2nd in Advanced Hsing-I Division;
• 3rd in the Advanced Hsing-I Division;
• 2nd in Advanced Pa-Kua Division;
• 3rd in Advanced Pa-Kua Division;