Our Instructors & Staff Members

Our Instructors have spent many years devoted to training in the art of Aikido and other martial arts and have attained a certain level of expertise to qualify them as teachers and also mentors.

Through extensive testing, certification and tournament level competition, our staff has attained mastery in this martial art and now enjoy sharing their skill and passing it on to their students. Here are a few of The Martial Way Aikido School of Self Defense's instructors and other staff members, starting with :

Alicia Maranto  (Sensei 1st Dan RYUHENDO GOSHINJUTSU Owner / Office manager / Kid Tigers Instructor)  Alicia began her martial arts training in 2001 at The Martial Way Aikido School of Self Defense. where she is presently owner / office manager. Alicia is also a Kid Tiger and W.A.S.P. (Womens Assault & Self Protection) instructor. Alicia has 12 years of banking experience and is currently pursuing a Real Estate career with CJ Brown Reality and Office Manager for Tri-Parish Contractors. Alicia was Promoted to Shodan December 15th 2008. Any correspondance in relation to enrollment, tuition, programs, or free trial classes should be directed to her. "You may contact me with any questions you may have at: themartialway@bellsouth.net 225-749-8623/voicemail, 225-939-5897/cell" - Alicia Maranto

Randy Austin  (Senior Instructor / Sensei 1st Dan Nihon Goshin Aikido 4th Dan RYUHENDO GOSHINJTSU) Sensei Austin, after dabbling in Tae Kwon Do and Kuk Sool Won, got serious about his martial art studies in 1984. While attending an international tournament in June of 84’, he observed members of the White Crane Gung Fu Society competing in forms and fighting. Intrigued by their movements, graceful yet very powerful, he took up training. During the next ten and a half years he studied White Crane Gung Fu under Hall of Fame member Sifu Lou Illar, reached the rank of Black Sash, competed and placed in both local and national martial art tournaments, and participated in hundreds of demonstrations. He has performed in front of crowds ranging from twenty to ten thousand (Superdome) that included Governors, Senators, local and national celebrities. In 1993, Sensei Austin performed with Chuck Norris and the rest of the cast of the feature film, SIDEKICKS at a Kick Drugs Out Of America fundraiser in Houston, Tx. It was during this time spent on the set of SIDEKICKS that Sensei Austin developed his interest in acting. Wanting to be able to deliver lines as well as delivering kicks on screen, he began taking acting classes and performing in numerous stage productions at the Baker Little Theatre and the Cabaret Theatre in Baton Rouge. He has worked on commercials from Baton Rouge to New Orleans and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) having worked on the following feature films, THE APOSTLE, LUSH, TEMPTED, THE BADGE, and an episode of the television series, ORLEANS. Being able to work on screen with actors like Burt Reynolds, Mike Starr, Peter Facinelli, Billy Bob Thornton, Partricia Arquette and Saffron Burrows has taught him a lot. He’s currently working on getting a martial art / action script titled, HUNG JURY, produced. After leaving the White Crane Gung Fu Society, Sensei Austin trained independently until 2000 when he began to train at the Martial Way Aikido School of Self Defense. He currently holds the rank of third degree black belt in RYUHENDO. In 2001, Sensei Robert MacEwen, Jr., along with Sensei Jim Giorgi, was brought in to do a seminar covering Nihon Goshin Aikido. After seeing how effective the NGA was, Sensei Austin began to and is still studying and attaining rank in NGA. The past two years he has taken trips up to train at Sensei MacEwen’s dojo in Middletown, NY. He has also been to Sensei Michael Stabile’s NGA dojo in Conyers, GA. Sensei Austin feels that you can never learn too much.

Mike Spears  (Sensei / 5th Dan RYUHENDO GOSHINJUTSU)) Sensei Mike Spears was born July 24th, 1972 in Baton Rouge, La. and has wanted to study martial arts as far back as he could remember. He began his martial arts training in 1989 at the age of 16 in the Korean art of Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do. Being so young and not having much money, he agreed to clean the dojo after every class in exchange for lessons. After 3 years of training he received his first Black Belt in May of 1992. Since then, Sensei Spears has studied and became proficient in many martial arts styles such as Aikido, Ninjutsu, Jujutsu, Wing Chun, Tiger Claw, Eagle Claw, Praying Mantis, and the Iron Palm system. Sensei Spears has been qualified as a Police Tactics Instructor, and is an expert in the field of Nerve Attacks and Joint Locks. Sensei Spears is an instructor at The Martial Way Aikido School of Self Defense, and co-founder of the martial art Ryuhendo. He is President of Ryuhendo International Pressure Point Explosive Defense (R.I.P.P.E.D.), Vice President of the Ryuhendo International Stick and Knife Society (R.I.S.K.S.), Ryuhendo International Black Belt Club. Sensei Spears has had the opportunity to train in the martial arts with many talented instructors that include Sa Bum Nim Keith Duncan of Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, Seth Molin of Combat Jujutsu, and Mr. Art Bailey of the Pneuma system. He has attended seminars with A.J. Advincula of Isshin ryu Karate, and Dan “The Beast” Severn, professional wrestler, and 3 time UFC champion. Sensei Spears holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in the art of Ryuhendo Gohsinjutsu, a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Judo/Goshinjutsu, a 3rd Degree Red Belt in the Pneuma system. He is currently Studying Nihon Goshin Aikido.

Joey Bourgoyne  (Chief Instructor / Sensei 3rd Dan RYUHENDO GOSHINJUTSU) Sensei Bourgoyne began his training at the Martial Way School of Self Defense on March 1, 1995 Where he studied and became proficiant in the Martial art styles of Isshinryu Karate, Aikido, Judo, and Goshinjutsu Under the Direction of Sensei Troy Maranto. In 1996 Sensei Bourgoyne began training in the art of Tang soo Do under the direction of Shihan Mike Spears until all styles were incorporated into RYUHENDO GOSHINJUTSU in August 1997. Sensei Bourgoyne tested for his 1st Degree Black Belt (Shodan) on November 25, 2000 Scoring a total Score of 896 points out of a possible 1000 points the one of the highest ever scored in the history of the Martial way School of Self Defense. In December 2001 Sensei Bourgoyne was promoted to his 2 Degree Black Belt (Nidan). Sensei Bourgoyne is currently chief instructor of The Martial Way Aikido School of Self Defense and also a R.I.S.K. (Ryuhendo International Stick & Knife Society) and a W.A.S.P (Womens Assault and Self Protection) Certified Instructor.

Sonny Massey  (Sensei 2nd Dan RYUHENDO GOSHINJUTSU) SONNY MASSEY WAS BORN IN PORT ALLEN, LA. ON JULY 13, 1963. SENSEI MASSEY HAS BEEN MARRIED FOR 21 YEARS TO HIS WIFE KRISTY (SHAW) MASSEY. HE HAS A 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BREANA EMPLOYED AT THE WEST BATON ROUGE SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR 24YEARS NOW, HE HAS SERVED AS A DEFENSIVE TACTICS, PRESSURE POINT CONTROL INSTRUCTOR. SENSEI MASSEY STARTED HIS MARTIAL ARTS CAREER 13 YEARS AGO IN THE ARTS OF JUDO AND ISSHINRYU KARATE UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF SENSEI MARANTO. SINCE THEN HE HAS EARNED THE RANK OF SHODAN IN THE ARTS OF JUDO, AND TANG SOO DO UNDER THE DIRECTION OF SENSEI MARANTO AND SENSEI SPEARS. HIS INSTRUCTION GOES FURTHER INTO THE ART OF RYUHUENDO WHICH INCORPORATES 9 DIFFERENTS ARTS AS A WHOLE. IN HIS SPARE TIME, SENSEI MASSEY ENJOYS PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS. HE HAS BEEN A FOOTBALL COACH AT HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL FOR 16YRS AND HAS CURRENTLY JUST FINISHED HIS 2ND YEAR AS SPECIAL TEAMS COACH AT HIS ALMA MATER PORT ALLEN HIGH. HE UMPIRES FAST AND SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL WITH THE RIVER CITY UMPIRES ORGANIZATION AND WHEN HE CAN HE ENJOYS WATCHING HIS DAUGHTER PLAY SOFTBALL AND VOLLEYBALL. IN DECEMBER OF 2007 SENSEI MASSEY WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF NIDAN BY SENSEI MARANTO IN THE ART OF RYUHENDO GOSHINJUTSU.

(Uncle) Jimmie Jackson  (Sensei 1st dan RYUHENDO GOSHINJUTSU) (Uncle) Jimmie Jackson has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

Chelsea Clouatre  (Administrative Assistant) Chelsea Clouatre has numerous credentials and accomplishments. We will be updating this section shortly to detail them.

For more information about the The Martial Way Aikido School of Self Defense staff or training programs, please contact us at 225-749-8623 or by clicking here.