Video summary
The United Fighting Arts Institute, founded in 2002 by Crew alongside his high school friends, has evolved into a unique martial arts hub under the leadership of owner Debra Ballard. Originally established with multiple locations, the gym faced a significant challenge when one of Crew's best friends and partners passed away, leading to the closure of their second location in Shelburne. In 2016, Crew sold the business to Debra, who has since managed the institute while maintaining Crew as the head coach. Today, the gym stands out as the only facility in Vermont to host a registered fighter from Thailand, a distinction that sets it apart from other local gyms where practitioners may have fought locally but never traveled to Thailand for authentic training.
Crew's expertise is deeply rooted in his extensive experience in Thailand, where he has trained approximately six or seven times and became the only certified practitioner in the state of Vermont. His credentials include passing rigorous exams that required not only fluency in the Thai language but also the ability to demonstrate complex techniques firsthand. Beyond his personal achievements, Crew played a pivotal role in shaping the local martial arts community by helping to write the official rules for Muay Thai as early as 2008. The institute has also expanded its offerings, with Debra recently earning her black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and third-degree rank in Japanese Jujitsu, reflecting the gym's commitment to diverse disciplines and continuous growth under the mentorship of senior instructors like Professor Mike.
The core mission of the United Fighting Arts Institute extends beyond physical training to fostering a supportive environment where every member feels safe, loved, and respected. Recognizing that students join for various reasons—whether for self-defense, competitive fighting, or as a hobby—the gym emphasizes creating a positive atmosphere free from external drama or baggage. This philosophy is reinforced by community initiatives such as the Blue Belt Program launched in partnership with the Burlington Police Department, highlighting the organization's dedication to public safety and local engagement. The culture within the gym encourages members to leave their worries at the door, ensuring that the focus remains on personal development and mutual respect among practitioners of all levels.
Ultimately, the journey from a white belt to a black belt is described as a transformative process that requires stepping through the doors and engaging directly with the training mats. Debra emphasizes that while contacting the gym via phone or email is possible, true progress and growth only occur when individuals actively participate in classes and practice sessions. This hands-on approach allows students to shine, learn new skills, and build lasting connections with a diverse group of people who often extend their friendships beyond the dojo into daily life. The institute believes that persistence through the initial challenges of training is the key to unlocking one's potential, proving that anyone willing to commit can achieve their goals within this welcoming and dedicated community.
Read the full video transcript
Hi, I'm Debra Ballard and I am the owner
of UFAI.
Uh UFAI opened in 2002.
Crew, who um he is the founder.
He started it with a bunch of his best
friends from high school.
I think a few years later, um his best
friend Glenn had passed away. So, we had
to close our second location, Shelburne.
From then on, um
kind of just prepared me. So, he sold me
the gym in 2016
and I've been running it ever since. So,
Crew is our head coach. Um he's actually
the only certified Crew in the state of
Vermont. He actually went to Thailand um
about six seven times. He actually had
to take an exam and he had to not only
be able to read and write in Thai, but
he also had to
demonstrate all of his techniques as
well.
Today I think that with our gym, what
makes it so special is again we are the
only gym in the state of Vermont to have
an actual registered crew from Thailand.
A lot of people locally, they will say
that they've had one or two fights, but
they've never even stepped foot in
Thailand. So to say that we've actually
have one is quite an amazing thing.
I hope that everyone gets something. You
know, everyone comes in for different
reasons. It might be for self-defense,
it might be they want to fight, or maybe
you know, they just want to a hobby. So
whether whatever it is, I just want
everyone to come in and have a good
time. So we we request that if you have
any extra baggage, drama, or anything
that you kind of leave it at the door
cuz it will get beat out of you.
Honestly,
>> [clears throat]
>> a lot of things have been changing
lately. So I have recently gotten my
black belt in BJJ,
which is super exciting. So that
happened about two years ago.
At the same time I also got my third in
Japanese jujitsu. So Professor Mike and
crew have been pushing me more to be
you know, the center of attention, the
one to teach, the one to be pushing
forward cuz I'm not as broken as they
are.
I think our role in the community is to
help everyone feel safe, loved, and
respected. Um we've been doing it for a
long time. We started the Blue Belt
Initiative for the Burlington PD. Um
we've done all kinds of things.
Crew was part of writing the rules for
the the Muay Thai. Um it's kind of funny
cuz Rex is running his show now and he's
just finding out that Crew has written
on those rules from 2008. So, he's
really he's been such a huge part of the
martial arts community here and he still
is.
Martial arts, it takes a while. So, the
biggest thing is coming through the
doors um and getting actually on the
mats and hitting the bags or putting the
gear on. Um that's the biggest step for
anyone um is being a white belt, you
know? So, if you can push through and be
a white belt, you can push through and
be a black belt.
I think I've had such an awesome
experience here with all the people that
I get to meet. I meet some amazing
people. I love, you know, knowing people
in the community and even going out to
say lunch or shopping and I get to see
everyone. So, I definitely think it's
the people.
Uh it's just the biggest thing is just
coming through the doors. Um you can
call, you can email me, you can do all
of those things, but it's not going to
change until you step through the doors
and you get on the mats cuz that's where
you really shine and you learn and you
grow and you get that awesome experience
and you want to come back.
>> Mhm.