CLAY PRATKA | nextgenjkd

2015

2015 Included lots more training as Clay and Beverly got

an appartment in Monterey California in order to be closer

to Sifu Singh. The now go back and forth from being in

California Training Privatly with Sifu Singh on a dailty basis

to comming back to Texas to share the knowlege with the

Texas JKD Family. This year Clay and Beverly were fetured

in another of Sifu Singh's DVD Sets JKD for MMA shot in

Denver Colorado. The preperation for this DVD really

opened Clays mind up to the effetivness of JKD training

methods for Sportive Combat which led to the Lauch of the

Texas JKD Competition Team. Since Then Clay has

coached Shawn Solis to win his Debut MMA Fight with

Legacy MMA as well as coached Gunnar Davis, Keith Van

Ness, Chase Dorris, and Beverly Pratka in Muay Thai

Kickboxing Fights. During this years Texas Retreat Clay

was promoted to a Level 6 In Military JKD and SPEC OP

KALI and he and his crew were featured in the Military JKD

DVD. Clay as well as many of his students can also be

seen in the Bar Fight 101 DVD which was shot on site in

the Tough Country Saloon at the Pratka Ranch. Clay was

Honered at the JKDAA EXPO with the JKDAA MVP Awared

for all his contributions to the organization. During a visit

back to Texas Clay was Promoted to a Purple Belt in

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by Professor Joe Soliz. 2015 Ended with

Shawn Solis winning his second MMA Fight with Legacy

2014

In 2014 Clay's El Campo School was chosen as the setlocation for the

JKDAA DVD Curriculum Shoot. Clay as well as Texas JKD Instructors

Beverly Holik, Gunnar Davis and Shawn Solis were all featured in the

DVD. Additionally the 4 were chosen for fight scenes in a short

comedic action film showcasing JKD. The same year Clay and Beverly

were featured in atrapping video shot in southern Florida. Clay

continued his tactical training earning a level 5.5 in Military JKD /Spec

Ops Kali, additionally he was certifiedas an Expandable baton and

Pepper Spray Instructor. Clay also put his firearm skills to the

test going through force on force Simunition Training. Clay waslooking

to increase his grappling skills and found just what he was looking for

with Coach John Clarke's Reflex Combat Wrestling Program. After

PrivateTraining with John Clay was certified as a Level 3 Coach in

Combat Wrestling. 2014 Ended with Clay getting Married to his long

fiancé, training partnerand fellow JKD Instructor Beverly Holik.

2012 - 2013

In 2012 Clay Hosted Sifu Singh for a Texas Retreat, This event has grown into an annual event and the official Texas Retreat of the JKDAA. That year

Clay was promoted to a Senior Instructor In Progressive Fighting System Jeet Kune Do and Kali. In 2013 Sifu Singh Established the Jeet Kune Do Athletic

Association in which Clay was granted the rank of Coach 1. Later that year Clay started the Texas Jeet Kune Do Athletic Club as his Texas Hub of the

JKDAA. Texas JKD now has 4 locations and continues to grow. Along with the Martial Arts Training, Sifu Singh also exposed Clay to his methods of

Fuctional Fitness Training called Action Strength. Action Strength combines Body Weight, Kettlebells, the Gada (Indian Mace) with Tai Chi to create the

Ultimate Athlete. After man hours of training Clay was Certified as a Coach Level 1 in Action Strength.

Clay was promoted to a Full Instructor in Progressive Fighting Systems

Jeet Kune Do / Kali under Paul Vunak. In 2009 Clay while at an Edged

Weapons seminar Clay competed in a Knife Tournament with around 100

competitors. Clay made it to the finals and was knocked out in 5th place. At

this event Clay was certified as an Edged Weapons Instructor after

completing therequired training. Hungry for more knowledge Clay made

many trips toCalifornia and during this time was reacquainted with Sifu

Singh. Sifu Singh becamenot just his teacher and his mentor but also a

close friend. Sifu Singh is a world renowned Martial Artist who has trained

agencies like the US NavySEALS, Secret Service, CIA, DEA, SWAT, Varies

Special Forces Groups and over 50 other Law Enforcement, Military and

Government Agenciesinternationally. After hundreds of hours of private

training with Sifu Singh Clay began to travel with him as one of his top

students and assist him withseminars. Clay has assisted with seminars in

San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, and

More. Clay has personally assistedwith training over 25 different

Government Agencies throughout the country. Once Clay began to train

regularly with Sifu Singh his eyes were opened to a whole new level of martial arts and he noticed his skill begin to rise. As he grew so did his teaching

ability and he began to teach seminars throughout the state of Texas in cities like Houston, Austin, College Station, El Campo,Wharton, San Antonio and

More. Clay taught many weekend crash courses including self-defense seminars

for Texas A&M University. Clays training caught the attention of several high

ranking law enforcement agencies and shortly after his student base consisted

of Texas Based Police Officers, US Air Marshals, Homeland Security Agents, and

SWAT Officers. Always looking to grow and improve Clay wanted to improve his

grappling skills so he went back to his original Instructor Joe Soliz who was now

a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt along with his son Jason Soliz. Realizing that their

qualifications and standards were different from the Self Defense focused

Jiu-Jitsu he was certified in Clay started over as a white belt earned his second

BJJ Blue Belt this time under Joe Soliz. Although its technically the same art

Clay felt as if they were two different ranks in two different systems because the

focus of the training was so different. During this time Clay began to take his

team to compete in many BJJ and Submission Grappling Tournaments. Although

Clay was only a Blue Belt his knowlege of the basics and many years of grappling

and teaching knowledge allowed him to develop a sucessful competition team.

2008 - 2011

In 2008 Clay opened his first school in El Campo Texas and Began teaching

Jeet Kune Do. Later that year Clay was selected from applicants all across

the world to attend the firstever Gracie Combatives Instructor Course held

at the Gracie AcademyHeadquarters in Torrance California. Gracie

Combatives was a programdesigned by the Gracie Family originally to teach

basic Jiu-Jitsu skills to the Army Rangers and was later made available to the

general public. The program was focused around teaching the self-defense

side of Jiu-Jitsu rather than the sportive styles that had become so commonly

taught at academies around the world.Training was hands on and clay got to

spend lots of time on the mat with Rorion Gracie, Ryron Gracie, Rener

Gracie, and Ralek Gracie. After 100 hours of training Clay was granted a

Blue Belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu by Rorion Gracie and given the authority to

teach the Combatives programon a 6 month probationary basis. This was the

final test in which he had 6 months to pass his knowledge on to a student

in order to prove his effectiveness not only as a fighter but as a teacher. Clay was one of the first 10 people in the world to pass all qualifications and

become an official Gracie Combatives / Jiu-Jitsu Instructor. Clay’s Academy (Then called the Tactical Defense Academy) was the first Academy in the

State of Texas to be recognized as a Certified Training Center by the GracieAcademy Headquarters. Clay was able to host a seminar at his academy for

Rener Gracie as well as several more for Ryron Gracie, Ryron came and stayed at Clay’s home and provided him with a variety of knowledge from

Jiu-Jitsu to life in general. Clay visited the Gracie Academy often for continued training and after getting to know Ryron better got to stay at his home in

Hollywood which brought onmore training, and more philosophy. Along with hosting seminars clay wasable to assist the Gracie Brothers in multiple

seminars in Austin and SanAntonio. Clay also assisted Rener Gracie teaching Gracie Combatives atthe UFC EXPO in Houston Texas. Due to a heavy

travel schedule clay eventually had to put his academy’s status as a Certfied Gracie Jiu-Jitsutraining center on hold but he continues to practice the

material and isforever grateful for the knowledge passed on to him by the Gracie Family. Also in 2008 while training in San Clemente California

2004 - 2007

1996-2003

Clay started training martial arts around 1996 under the guidance of

Professor Joe Soliz. At that point Joe was a Full Instructor in Progressive

Fighting System – Jeet Kune Do and Kali and a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Clay Trained regularly with Joe Soliz and also traveled several times a year to

California, Tennesee and a few other locations to train with Joe's JKD

Instructor Paul Vunak. Clay’s love was JKD and Kali but he trained a little in BJJ

and even competed in a few tournaments winning 1st Place at the Battle of

H-Town Submission Grappling Tournament in the Teens Division.

Martial Arts Certifications

Jeet Kune Do Athletic Assoiation - Coach Level 1
Progressive Fighting Systems (JKD/Kali) Senior Instructor
Action Strength - Coach Level 1.5
Military JKD and SPEC OP KALI - Level 6 Instructor
RFLEX WRESTLING - Level 3 Instructor
Edged Weapons - Certified Instructor Level 1 & 2
Law Enforcement Instructor
Pepper Spray Instructor
Expandable Batton Instructor
High Gear Senario Instructor

Other Martial Arts Achivements

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Purple Belt under Joe Soliz
2015 JKDAA MVP
Gracie Combatives Instructor Certifcation Course
Gracie Bullyproof Instructor Cerfitication Course

In 2004, after 8 years of Training with Joe Soliz and Paul Vunak Clay earned an Apprentice Instructor certification in PFS – JKD/Kail under Joe Soliz.

Between 2004 and 2007 Clay traveled frequently training in a variety of systems with many different world class Instructors. During this three year period

Clay was certified as a Stunt Man by SASA Stunts out of New York, Certified as a High Gear Scenario Instructor in LasVegas, and was Certified in

Executive PFS in Southern California. While doing the Executive PFS Training in 2006 Clay meet Sifu Harrinder Singh although the two became friends

right away he had no idea how much their paths would be crossed in the future. Along with the Martial Arts Training Clay was looking to supplement his

skills with firearms training. He grew up in a family of firearm enthusiast so shooting was nothing new to him but hewas looking for the tactical

applications. His curiosity lead him to take part in several Weapons Systems courses with the Revolver, Semi AutoHand-Gun, Riot Shot Gun & Urban Rifle.