Shihan Richard Metteauer, Master Instructor, Shen Chuan Martial Science, Lansdale's Self-Defense Systems

Considering the early age that people are getting involved in Martial Arts, Richard got a late start. Late in 1983 his brother persuaded him into visiting a karate school.

Richard started in the American Taekwondo Association in December of '83 under 2nd degree black belt Ronald Swint as his instructor. Swint ran the Nacogdoches adults class for then 3rd degree black belt J.D. Olford. Because of job limitations Richard attended class for a month and would then miss for a while. It wasn't long however before he realized how much he enjoyed the sport and being a part of the ATA. He continued through the colored belt ranks sometimes sharing rank with two of his brothers and sometimes trailing them. As a blue belt Richard began instructing the lower ranks and continued to teach until he received his black belt in July of 1988. As a 1st degree black belt he ran the ATA School in the Nacogdoches Parks & Recreation Center for Mr. Olford. Sparring and forms competition was the backbone of the ATA training, so they spent a lot of time going to tournaments.

Richard earned his 2nd degree black belt & instructors certification in 1990.

Training twice a week wasn't enough for some of his students, so they did backyard workouts and such to get in more time. Richard saw techniques' and skills from a couple of them that were more practical than some of the self-defense he was currently teaching. This in turn sparked a search in him for more practical moves.

The last of these students tested for his black belt in December of 1991 and Richard decided to make that his last testing with the ATA. In 1992 he left the ATA and joined the United States Taekwondo Federation searching for something different from the tournament competition. He received his 2nd degree black belt and an instructor certification in USTF also. USTF, like the ATA is a wonderful organization, but still didn't offer what he was looking for. He ran Metteauer's TKD in a flood-prone building on Pillar Street for a couple of years before selling everything to Joe Lansdale. This in an effort to spend all of his time with his wife and kids.

	Master Instructor: Shihan Richard Metteauer Considering the early age that people are getting involved in Martial Arts, Richard got a late start. Late in 1983 his brother persuaded him into visiting a karate school. Richard started in the American Taekwondo Association in December of '83 under 2nd degree black belt Ronald Swint as his instructor. Swint ran the Nacogdoches adults class for then 3rd degree black belt J.D. Olford. Because of job limitations Richard attended class for a month and would then miss for a while. It wasn't long however before he realized how much he enjoyed the sport and being a part of the ATA. He continued through the colored belt ranks sometimes sharing rank with two of his brothers and sometimes trailing them. As a blue belt Richard began instructing the lower ranks and continued to teach until he received his black belt in July of 1988. As a 1st degree black belt he ran the ATA School in the Nacogdoches Parks & Recreation Center for Mr. Olford. Sparring and forms competition was the backbone of the ATA training, so they spent a lot of time going to tournaments. Richard earned his 2nd degree black belt & instructors certification in 1990. Training twice a week wasn't enough for some of his students, so they did backyard workouts and such to get in more time. Richard saw techniques' and skills from a couple of them that were more practical than some of the self-defense he was currently teaching. This in turn sparked a search in him for more practical moves. The last of these students tested for his black belt in December of 1991 and Richard decided to make that his last testing with the ATA. In 1992 he left the ATA and joined the United States Taekwondo Federation searching for something different from the tournament competition. He received his 2nd degree black belt and an instructor certification in USTF also. USTF, like the ATA is a wonderful organization, but still didn't offer what he was looking for. He ran Metteauer's TKD in a flood-prone building on Pillar Street for a couple of years before selling everything to Joe Lansdale. This in an effort to spend all of his time with his wife and kids.
Richard kept in touch with Joe for the next couple of years, watching his school evolve and grow. Between Joe & Britt Labbit, Richard continued to talk and think about taekwondo until they eventually talked him into teaching again (although it didn't take much persuasion). In September of 1997, Lansdale's Self-Defense Systems began a new branch of Maverick Martial Arts, titled Shen Chuan StreetBoxing. The concepts are derived from taekwondo, Shen Chuan, and a good old-fashioned dose of "East Texas" butt kicking. Currently Richard is a 4th degree black belt in the International Taekwondo Federation, the Maverick Martial Arts Association, as well as Master Instructor in Shen Chuan StreetBoxing.


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Master Instructor: Shihan Richard Metteauer