Sigung Albert Sy
(Active)
1996 Sifu Albert Sy ©Reyes/Kajukenbo Archive
2014 Sifu Christopher Reyes, SGM Alan Reyes, Sifu Albert Sy.
NAME: Albert Sy
TITLE: Sigung / Master Instructor
RANK: 6TH DEGREE BY GM Zickowski
SYSTEM: KAJUKENBO
METHOD: EMPERADO METHOD
STYLE: HARD STYLE
SCHOOL: REYES KENPO KARATE CLUB
LIVED: 1975-Present
TRAINED: 1986-Present
INSTRUCTOR: GM Alan M. REYES
LINEAGE: EMPERADO > ALEJU REYES > ALAN REYES
AFFILIATIONS: KSDI
Sigung Albert Sy has been a long-time student of Senior Grand Master Alan M Reyes. He started his training in 1988, at the age of 12 at the Suisun Marina dojo located in Suisun City, California. Today, Sigung Albert Sy still assists GM Ed Zickowski on a part-time basis with the instruction and testing of current Reyes Kenpo Karate students. Sigung Albert believes that “self-defense training should be as close to real life as possible, and that controlled contact is an important part of training and conditioning.”
1996 Sifu Danny Gaskell Albert Sy ©Reyes/Kajukenbo Archive
1997 Sifu Albert Sy
2022 Sigung Albert Sy, Sigung Christopher Reyes
Reyes Kenpo Karate, Kajukenbo. 2017 3 Oaks Community Center Vacaville, CA
Albert Sy Internationals Winner
Sifu Albert Sy, SGM Reyes, (Kids) Jadon Sy and Rigel Sy.
2020 Lilybeth Sy dancing at SGM Reyes Celebration of Life.
HISTORY
Early on, Albert's father thought the hard-style training and militaristic discipline offered by Reyes Kenpo Karate would be good for Albert, as he was a troubled teenager at the time. It took several years for him to earn his first belt, purple and white.
In his youth, Sigung Albert Sy was known for his lightning-quick reflexes and high-flying kicks. He was also known for his ability to endure physical punishment and had a fierce attitude on the mat. As he matured, he became more serious and dedicated to the martial arts and to Reyes Kenpo Karate.
He was a competitive point contact fighter and kata/forms division competitor. He was consistently in the top three places for his fighting weight division and in kata/forms for many years.
“Sifu Albert had style and grace on the mat. When we were young, he certainly had a flair for competition.” - Sigung Christopher Reyes
When the dojo moved to 1313 W. Texas St. in Fairfield, California, Sigung Albert Sy continued his training there. This is where he spent the most formative years of his training and received his first black belt. He received mentoring, guidance, and training not only from SGM Alan Reyes, but also from senior black belts, including Sigung Lee Hart, Sigung Ed Zickowski, Sifu Russ Far, Sifu Alan Smith, Sifu David Gaskell, Sifu Pat Gaskell, Sifu Theresa Walters, and Sifu Joe White. With the permission of SGM Alan Reyes, Sigung Albert Sy also trained for a year with Professor Jimmy Tanaka, who ran the Judo program for Solano Community College.
“Giving up was not an option. There were times during testing or training I would collapse onto the mat from exhaustion and SGM Reyes would shout across the mat "I DID NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO DIE ON MY MAT!" No matter how bad I felt, tired, sick, or exhausted I had to get back up and keep going.” Sifu Albert Sy
While Sifu Albert was heavily involved in Karate, he met his life partner Lilybeth through the Reyes family’s Hula school. Auntie Te and Auntie Mary (Maria) even convinced Sifu Albert to pick up the drums with Clair Cruz.
2020 GM Zickowski, Sifu Reyes, Sifu Letard, Sifu Albert SGM Reyes’ Celebration of Life
HIGHLIGHTS
1992 Ed Parker Internationals Long Beach 2nd place fighting lightweight division
1993 Northern Pacific Nationals, Grand Champion fighting lightweight division
1993 National Black Belt League US western board ranking
1995 Albert received his student black belt
2014 Sifu Albert received his 5th degree testing along side Sifu Christopher Reyes.