Sifu Clay Pratka - Professional Summary
Founder / Head Instructor of Texas Jeet Kune Do Athletic
Club
Jeet Kune Do Athletic Association - Coach 1 Instructor
Progressive Fighting Systems (JKD/Kali) – Senior Instructor
Military Jeet Kune Do - Level 5 Instructor
Spec Op Kali - Level 5 Instructor
Action Strength - Level 1.5 Instructor
Gracie Combatives Instructor
RFLX Combat Wrestling – Level 3 Instructor
Edged Weapons Instructor
Law Enforcement Instructor
Expandable Baton Instructor
Pepper Spray Instructor
Executive PFS Instructor
High Gear Scenario Instructor
Trained in Simunition Force on Force
Certified Stuntman by SASA Stunts
Jeet Kune Do Athletic Association - Coach 1 Instructor
Progressive Fighting Systems (JKD/Kali) – Senior Instructor
Military Jeet Kune Do - Level 5 Instructor
Spec Op Kali - Level 5 Instructor
Action Strength - Level 1.5 Instructor
Gracie Combatives Instructor
RFLX Combat Wrestling – Level 3 Instructor
Edged Weapons Instructor
Law Enforcement Instructor
Expandable Baton Instructor
Pepper Spray Instructor
Executive PFS Instructor
High Gear Scenario Instructor
Trained in Simunition Force on Force
Certified Stuntman by SASA Stunts
Full Bio
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. In 2004 Clay earned an Apprentice Instructor certification in PFS – JKD/Kail under Joe Soliz. Between 2004 and 2006 Clay traveled frequently training in a variety of systems with many different world class Instructors. |
During this two year period Clay was certified as a Stunt Man by SASA
Stunts out of New York, Certified as a High Gear Scenario Instructor in Las Vegas, 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 he was looking for the tactical applications. His curiosity lead him to take part in several Weapons Systems courses including the Revolver, Semi Auto Hand-Gun, Riot Shot Gun, and Urban Rifle. |
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 first ever Gracie Combatives Instructor Course held at the Gracie Academy Headquarters in Torrance California. Gracie Combatives was a program designed by the Gracie Family originally to teach basic Jiu-Jitsu skills to the Military 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 program on 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 Gracie Academy 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 on more training, and more philosophy. Along with hosting seminars clay was able to assist the Gracie Brothers in multiple seminars in Austin and San Antonio. Clay also assisted Rener Gracie teaching Gracie Combatives at the 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-Jitsu training center on hold but he continues to practice the material and is forever grateful for the knowledge passed on to him by the Gracie Family. |
Also in 2008 while training in San Clemente California 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 the required training. Hungry for more knowledge Clay made many trips to California and during this time was reacquainted with Sifu Singh. Sifu Singh became not 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 Navy SEALS, Secret Service, CIA, DEA, SWAT, Varies Special Forces Groups and over 50 other Law Enforcement, Military and Government Agencies internationally. 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 with seminars. Clay has assisted with seminars in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, and More. Clay has personally assisted with 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. Clay continued on to ear 2 stripes on his Blue Belt under Professor Joe Soliz and looks forward to his next chance to train and test under him further. |
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. This 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 3 locations and continues to grow. Along with the Martial Arts Training, Sifu Singh also exposed Clay to his methods of Functional Fitness Training called Action Strength. Action Strength combines Body Weight, Kettlebells, the Gada (Indian Mace) with Tai Chi to create the ultimate athlete. After many hours of training Clay was Certified as a Coach 1 in Action Strength. In 2014 Clay's El Campo School was chosen as the set location 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 a trapping video shot in southern Florida. Clay continued his tactical training earning a level 5.5 in Military JKD / Spec Ops Kali, additionally he was certified as an Expandable baton and Pepper Spray Instructor. Clay also put his firearm skills to the test going through force on force Simunition Training. Clay was looking to increase his grappling skills and found just what he was looking for with Coach John Clarke's Reflex Combat Wrestling Program. After Private Training with John Clay was certified as a Level 3 Coach in Combat Wrestling. 2014 Ended with Clay getting Married to his long fiancé, training partner and fellow JKD Instructor Beverly Holik. In 2015 Clay and Beverly moved to Santa Cruz California in order to be closer to Sifu Singh. They now train privately with Sifu Singh on a Daily Basis. Recently Clay and Beverly were featured in Sifu Singh's latest DVD Set JKD for MMA shot in Denver Colorado. The look forward to spreading the arts in the Santa Cruz and San Jose Area of California while keeping their Texas organization continually growing and improving |