Our Mission

Training Leaders Through Martial Arts for Stronger Community Outcomes.

Since 2004, I have worked with students teaching them self defense and confidence through competition.  Teaching them leadership through teamwork that has helped them in and outside of the sport.

Community IMPACT

  • We have coached and mentored hundreds of competitors over the course of  working with the local youth.

  • We have competed all through out Ohio and surrounding states as well as Las Vegas, California, Florida, and Japan.

  • We have had many of our former students go on to become successful mentors an coaches elsewhere.

  • We have became a small but well respected part of the community, always trying to help others reach their goals.

I was still in college while starting my mixed martial arts career. I traveled an hour to come in and work with the team at Lancaster Academy of Mixed Martial Arts. Not only did they allow me to progress my skills as a fighter, but they treated me like family. Whether it was Vince or Dave or any of the other coaches at the Academy, I was treated like a member of the family. They asked very little of me in return and did it all out of the goodness of their hearts. I will be forever grateful for what I was taught and how I was treated at the gym and can always point to them as helping to give me a start to my professional MMA career.



— Nikolai Gionti

Matt Smith (left)Vince Herman (right)

Matt Smith works for United Methodist Children and Families as an intensive home-based treatment supervisor. Every year he unites our fundraising with his foster care program.