Steel City Martial Arts

**TopRamen** · Posted On: 9/29/2010 11:47pm

Great karate and BJJ school! Tons of classes in both styles. The school is run by Sonny Achille who holds numerous belts including the rank of black belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu awarded to him by Professor Sauer. Plenty of great instructors in both styles.

-Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Pedro Sauer affiliate school. Offers Gi, No Gi, beginner and advanced classes, and open mat times. Two BJJ black-belts and numerous brown, purple, blue, and white belts who compete locally, nationally, and internationally. Seems to be the place for visiting black belts to train at when in town.

-Karate: Offers kids, adults, advanced adult/kids classes, and open mat times. Numerous black belt instructors with years of experience.

Bottom line: This is one of the nicest, cleanest, and best run martial arts school in the area.

**frodo** · Posted On: 3/24/2011 1:07pm

I don't think they were very nice. I found them to be political and cliquey. I started at another school but cross-trained here about 1-2x a week for about a year and a half.... until they told me they wouldn't help me anymore for not showing loyalty. Then they lied to people - saying I left to get promoted. I haven't been there for years, so I can't comment on what they do now. Their instruction was ok, but it was not better or worse than any other school.

Their web sites brags about their instructor being a champion where he was 1st out of 1 or being a medalist being 2nd out of 2. Seriously, winning "silver" at the pan-ams consisted of losing 1 match. All his gold medals at nationals were 1st out of 1. The only medal I can respect is his silver at nationals one year, because he could have won a match.

I run another school now, but I will never go to Steel City again. I tried to be nice several times, and they've shown nothing but contempt. Frankly I've had enough.

**Soldiermedic** · Posted On: 3/24/2011 1:21pm

So are you degrading this school and the one on this thread...

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=57034

based on the fact you now run your own school?

**frodo** · Posted On: 3/24/2011 2:17pm

I've run a school for a few years. I usually kept quiet, but saw the thread pop up somewhere about South Hills Judo. It brought up some very unpleasant memories from last year. I just looked up the poster, and then read this thread too. Just needed to get it off my chest when my personal experience was so contradictory.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 3/24/2011 2:20pm

Could you please answer his question?

Right now it sounds like you have an agenda.

**Soldiermedic** · Posted On: 3/25/2011 8:21am

Originally Posted by frodo

I've run a school for a few years. I usually kept quiet, but saw the thread pop up somewhere about South Hills Judo. It brought up some very unpleasant memories from last year. I just looked up the poster, and then read this thread too. Just needed to get it off my chest when my personal experience was so contradictory.

So you happened to have two "bad" experiences with two schools that just happen to be your current competitors for a growing market?

Opinions are fine, but when you obviously have a stake in how a competitors school is perceived, they have to be taken with a grain of salt. On the other hand, if you had verifiable facts about the other school's instructors or the quality of teaching, whether positive or negative, it would be a different story.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 3/25/2011 8:32am

He contacted me so, I will put my PM response in here:

You lying is not the point. Although, you saying "I don't lie" lends no weight either way.

You are an instructor who blasted two schools in threads that were long inactive. You then go on to insult a BJJ Blackbelt's competition record for no reason and in another thread talk about an alleged insult.

I won't respond to another email as this can be discussed on the thread not out of the public eye.

I

**TopRamen** · Posted On: 3/25/2011 1:29pm

Originally Posted by frodo

I don't think they were very nice. I found them to be political and cliquey. I started at another school but cross-trained here about 1-2x a week for about a year and a half.... until they told me they wouldn't help me anymore for not showing loyalty. Then they lied to people - saying I left to get promoted. I haven't been there for years, so I can't comment on what they do now. Their instruction was ok, but it was not better or worse than any other school.

Their web sites brags about their instructor being a champion where he was 1st out of 1 or being a medalist being 2nd out of 2. Seriously, winning "silver" at the pan-ams consisted of losing 1 match. All his gold medals at nationals were 1st out of 1. The only medal I can respect is his silver at nationals one year, because he could have won a match.

I run another school now, but I will never go to Steel City again. I tried to be nice several times, and they've shown nothing but contempt. Frankly I've had enough.

I am pretty sure that it had a lot more to do than just loyalty. I think your behavior plaid a big part in you being asked to leave. Frodo you were asked to leave several years ago! Get over it! No one cares and no one is out to get you. You constantly make negative comments about SCMA whether it be on facebook, here, or anywhere else. Your only reason for doing so is because you have a grudge. You are the one who constantly tries to start something. I personally have tried to defend you but you do not make it easy. That is why i stopped. Do you even have any bridges left to burn?

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 3/25/2011 2:21pm

I actually believe your story, but I have a completely different perspective.

I don't think they were very nice. I found them to be political and cliquey. I started at another school but cross-trained here about 1-2x a week for about a year and a half.... until they told me they wouldn't help me anymore for not showing loyalty. Then they lied to people - saying I left to get promoted. I haven't been there for years, so I can't comment on what they do now. Their instruction was ok, but it was not better or worse than any other school.

Both school compete and I do wonder if I checked records if they would show you beating some of their students under your original school's banner?

I haven't bothered to check thoroughly, but I do wonder if you competed under a different banner against SCMA while training and receiving rank form your main school. If this is the case I am not surprised that they treated you negatively at all.

Did you leave? According to your own post yes you did.
When you left did you receive rank? Yes, you did.

So, I don't think they lied. I think they refused to give you rank until, you decided your loyalties. Then they told their version, semantics or not, of what they felt happened. So, saying you left to receive rank is not a lie at all IMO.

As I said above you insult a BJJ BB's competition.

Edited to add:

Congrats on your MMA career and you really need to let this **** go.

**TopRamen** · Posted On: 4/06/2011 1:28pm

Originally Posted by frodo

Then they lied to people - saying I left to get promoted.

No they didn't. Not one instructor said you left to get promoted. I can see why people may have thought you left to get promoted. You received your blue belt from SCMA then left. Not long after that (6 months?) you were promoted to a purple belt by another school. Can you see why some may think you left to get promoted?