Head Instructor at MAUSA Health & Fitness Center, Grand Master Bill McCloud started training in 1963, when he began boxing at the “Police Athletic League” (PAL). He boxed in various PAL’s learning the fundamentals of the art of boxing, but one of the places he enjoyed going to box was at St. John’s recreation center in Brooklyn.
During the time he was boxing from 1963-1967, he was hearing a lot about “Karate”. So in 1967, he started studying ShotoKan Karate with Sensei Ken Morgan. He continued to study with Sensei Morgan until one day in 1967, when training in the gym at the Old St. George Hotel, he me a gentleman named Rolle “Lamumba” Hernandez. “Lamumba” whom he had known from years earlier and introduced him to this other art martial forms that he had heard of, but not seen. The martial art was called Ju-Jitsu.
“Lamumba” was a black belt in the Sanuces-Ryu System of Ju-Jitsu, under the legendary Master Moses Powell. After watching the flowing movements of this art, which seemed to combine all of the things that he studied before, he was ready to change systems. It wasn’t that Shotokan wasn’t a good effective combative art form, it was just that Ju-Jitsu reflected the direction of where he wanted to continue his martial arts training. Thus began his study in this modern form of Ju-Jitsu.
Mr. Hernandez was a black belt in Vee-Jitsu te/Vee-Jitsu Ryu Systems under Grand Professor Florendo “Mr. Vee” Visitacion. Mr. Vee was the teacher of Dr. Moses Powell. His introduction into Ju-Jitsu began with the Vee Jitsu te/Vee Jitsu Ryu Systems. Vee Jitsu was recognized as and called the “System of Systems” at the time.
Therefore he began his love and study of both these systems under very well renowned instructors. He had the privilege to study under and with Author Hudson, Carl Davis, Ken Brown, Rollie Hernandez, Soke “LiL” John Davis, Prof. Vee himself and the world-renowned Dr. Moses Powell. He now holds Master and Professor ranks in Sanuces-Ryu (10th degree), Kumite-Ryu Ju-Jitsu (7th degree), Vee-Jitsu Ryu/Vee Jitsu Te systems (4th degree) and Shodan rank in Aikido.
The other arts that he has studied are Seven Star Mantis, Southern Mantis, as well as some other styles of Kung-Fu under Sijo Mutakkabir.