Bios

About the team founder: Steve “Sensei Steve” Gross is the owner of Sensei Steve’s Karate Centers with 2 locations in the Chicago Metro area. Steve has won several martial arts championships including the 2007 KFCI World Championships. In 2008 Steve was inducted into the Illinois State Martial Arts Hall of Fame and is the co-director of the 2008 KICK-WAKO USA Nationals featured on national television. In 2010 Sensei Steve was named the Event Director for Kickboxing for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Arnold's Classic. He is a certified boxing coach through USA Boxing and the owner of Gus' Boxing Gym. He is a regularly sought after judge and official for Kickboxing, MMA and open martial arts tournaments, Gross has judged several national and world title events.  Steve is active in both adult and children ministries at the Momence Church of the Nazarene. Steve is the Illinois State rep for Karate for Christ International Sensei Steve is the father of 5 children.

    -Board Member for MAKA Martial Art's Assoc.

   -Illinois State Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee (2008)

   - Event Director for Kickboxing for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Arnold's Classic

    -Illinois State Rep for Karate for Christ International

   -Judge for the Super Grands World Games (Martial Arts World Championship)

    -Director of the Mats Division- KICK/WAKO USA Nationals 2008 (Chicago, IL)

    -Featured Weapons Instructor for National Assoc. of Professional Martial Artist (NAPMA)

  -Weapons Instructional DVD sent to over 1000 Martial Arts Instructors in USA- CAN- UK -AUS & NZ

   - Director of Sensei Steve's action film stunt team

   -Scheduled Official for the 2009 Super Grands World Martial Arts Championships (Buffalo, NY)

   -Certified Boxing Coach USA Boxing

   - Former Referee for Official TOUGHMAN Competition Chicago, IL & Hammond, IN (Gary Area)

   - Former Nationally ranked kickboxer, point fighter and tournament competitor

  - Appointed Head Judge by Sony Pictures for the Karate Kid Challenge at Six Flags Great America Theme Park

- Black Belt Champion forms, weapons and extreme creative divisions at the 2010 North American Nationals Martial Arts Championships