While serving in the U.S. Army in 1994, and searching for a Tai Chi Chuan instructor, SiFu Carroll was introduced to Wing Chun by a student of SiFu Duncan Leung. After being given a couple of lessons in the effectiveness of Wing Chun, he wanted to learn all he could.
However, luck was not on his side because he suffered an injury during military maneuvers that ultimately led to his discharge from the U.S. Army and leaving the Norfolk area.
Before leaving the Norfolk, VA. area, he discussed training Wing Chun in Mississippi with SiGung Leung hoping that Master Leung would know of an instructor there. Master Leung did not know of any instructors of Wing Chun in Mississippi. However, SiFu Carroll was able to study Jeet Kune Do, which he trained to instructor status. He also trained in Aiki-Jitsu, Combat Knife Fighting, Muay Thai, Arnis and Kempo. He was a Martial Arts instructor in college while studying to become a professional educator which remains his primary occupation.
After college, SiFu Carroll moved to Houston, Texas, and began training multiple Kung Fu styles, but still could not find what he had seen and experienced in Norfolk. After becoming disillusioned with all the mysticism associated with most of the martial arts instructors he encountered, he began a quest to learn the total Wing Chun Kung Fu system that was taught by World Renowned SiFu Duncan Leung. Using SiFu Leung’s website, he contacted a long time student and friend of SiFu Duncan Leung. He began training as a private student in SiFu Savage’s Florida school (Executive-Fitness), eventually completing the system and becoming a formal disciple under SiFu Savage in Wing Chun Kung Fu as taught through Master Duncan Leung’s lineage.
SiFu Savage asked SiFu Carroll to open a school in Houston, Texas in 2004. SiFu Carroll did so and named it Shadowhand Wing Chun Kung Fu and established Shadowhandwingchun.com.
In 2006, SiFu Carroll moved to Alabama and established The Wing Chun Boxing Academy™, to promote and preserve the Complete Fighting Art of Wing Chun Kung Fu. He currently is the author and creator of a widely distributed and acclaimed training aid for those wishing to learn Wing Chun Kung Fu known as the Wing Chun Workbook™. He has taught military personnel, Law Enforcement Officers, Federal Agents and masters of other martial arts. It is his wish to be a positive influence in his community, country and generation.
“It is not how good the teacher is, but how good he or she can make you.”- SiGung Duncan Leung
