Andrew Smeltz

 

Andrew is a long term student of José Johnson and assistant instructor at the Chinese Martial Arts Center in Harrisburg, PA. Andrew studies Taijiquan, Bagua, and Xingyi, as well as Qigong, which is not a martial art but a Chinese method of exercise which maintains and improves health.

 

Andrew's teacher, Sifu José Johnson, retired from active competition in 1995 as one of the top competitive wushu athletes in the U.S. He was the first person to be both USA All-Taijiquan Grand Champion and the USAWKF Internal All-Around National Champion in the same year. As a coach, he has helped 5 athletes gain national championships, including the 1999 and 2000 U.S.A. All-Taijiquan Grand Champion awards, the 2000 USAWKF Women's Internal All-Around National Champion, the 2002 USWU Men's Internal All-Around National Champion, and the 2003 USWU first runner-up for Men’s Internal All-Around National Champion. Mr. Johnson has received Master level ranking from the International Wushu Sanshou Dao Association and is a certified instructor of Medical Qigong through the Qigong Empowerment Association. He currently serves on the executive committee of the US Wushu Union.

 

Andrew began competing in 2002. He performed well at the Summer Bash in New York, the International Chinese Kuoshu Championship Tournaments in Maryland, the Arnold Battle of Columbus, and USWU National Championships. He won the title of 2002 Men's Internal All-Around National Champion and first runner-up for Men's All-Around Internal Champion in 2003. Andrew is currently among the top-ranked wushu athletes in the U.S.

 

For Andrew, wushu is a means to physical, mental, and spiritual cultivation. It is a way of exploring and reaching one's potential. Andrew would like to see wushu continue to grow as a living art, and he would like to help more people discover and enjoy wushu as he has.

 

Andrew's sponsors for 2003 are:

 

Diane Weicksel and Jasmine Burrell

 

Richard Hawley, O.D.

 

Susan and Earl Mull

 

Pierre B. Turchi, M.D.

 

Glen and Marian Weicksel

 

And I must publicly thank my dentist, Dr. Jack Ferry, and his staff for such outstanding dental care. After many years of neglect, on my part, they put my teeth back in shape. I never thought a visit to the dentist could be so (almost) pain free.