WTW-Online: Dai-Sifu Andreas, you are the longest-serving instructor at the WT Academy in Langenzell Castle. How did this come about?
 
Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: By chance. I came to Langenzell with the 9th student grade to take a course of instruction as a professional WT teacher. After my time in the armed forces I was able to take advantage of a vocational sponsorship programme organised by the German ministry of defence.
I had become acquainted with WingTsun in the armed forces. I had always been interested in the Asian martial arts, even though I never had problems in defending myself. After I had taken a look at a number of martial arts styles, e.g. Karate and Jiu-Jitsu, a soldier recommended WingTsun to me. I was immediately convinced and joined a WT school. I then trained at several schools in the Saar region for several years, and in time the idea came to me to become a professional WT instructor.
So in 1987 I started my training at the WT Academy in Langenzell Castle. Owing to an injury which caused the resident instructor to be absent for a while, Si-Fu asked me to help out with the teaching. Together with Siegfried Altmayer I therefore assisted the instructor, and when the instructor position later became vacant, he asked me if I would take it on completely – something I naturally perceived as a great honour.

WTW-online: In addition to teaching, you are responsible for the EWTO’s head office and membership administration. Did this also come about by chance?

Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: Yes, more or less. At first Simo asked me if I was able to man the telephone in the office once a week (always on Thursday evenings). At that time the office was a small room which we now use as a store-room.
Over the years the EWTO continued to grow, with more and more administration required, so my areas of responsibility gradually expanded.
The number of headquarters personnel clearly shows this development: to day 15 people are employed in the EWTO’s head office and membership administration on a full or part-time basis.

WTW-online: Does this mean that your own WT training suffers?

Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: Anybody who has administrative duties to perform – and this applies to all owners of larger WT schools – knows that a great deal of time must be set aside for this. Naturally I am unable to train during this time, but teaching also involves training oneself in my view. I can always learn something from every student while I am teaching him.

WTW-online: During seminars we often see you in “civilian clothes“, busy doing this or that. How do you assess the relationship between your teaching and organisational functions?

Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: Working for the association simply involves a large number of organisational tasks. Success does not merely come from correct WT techniques. Many WT instructors underestimate the importance of organisational aspects when building up a school. They attach particular importance to good technical skills and are surprised if their perhaps even outstanding martial arts skills do not automatically lead to success.
On has to do justice to the size of a school and of an association. You can’t simply remain a WT teacher.

WTW-online: You have been in the EWTO for a long time, sitting at the heart of things one might say, and this means that you know what is going on. What has changed compared to the early years?

Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: Things have to change as the organisation grows. This already starts with lesson planning. Ten students must be taught differently from one hundred. One thousand members require a different organisational effort from ten thousand.
Every change involves the need for new changes. Some people are afraid that things will change, requiring them to adapt to new circumstances.
But in our training we WT people practice flexible responses to change. That is one of the most important principles in WingTsun, therefore I am less concerned about changes versus earlier times, and more with our response to new arrangements.

WTW-online: What does Andreas Gross do outside WT as a private individual?

Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: He is Andreas Gross, and not Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross. In my private life, it is also important to me to have people around me who have no connection with WT. I do not see myself only as a teacher who is always leading. In my private life I like to be simply “normal“.

WTW-online: What are your goals for the future?

Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: I always try to use my capabilities to further the aims of the association. For me this means putting further improvements in place, so that the size of the association does not become a disadvantage. In my view we can best achieve this by working together more. Everybody should be prepared to do something for this. My motto is: “United we are strong!“

WTW-online: What have you learned from the martial art of WT?`

Dai-Sifu Andreas Gross: During instructor seminars I try to teach advanced WT teachers to use the WT principles in their daily lives. Forces do not just come towards us in the form of punches. Activity is the key to success, in accordance with the 1st fighting principle in WingTsun: ”If the way is clear, go forward!“ This can be applied in all manner of daily situations. Activity does not automatically mean that you will do the right thing, but at least you are moving. WT enables us to motivate people to shape their lives actively.
WingTsun gives you all the prerequisites for a successful life. Being active wherever possible and passive whenever necessary.
There are always forces impacting on each other, and WingTsun gives us the key to dealing with them. We must learn to persevere (stick), see new ways and make use of them (follow). WingTsun is life management.
But that is not what a student should learn first. He should first learn how to defend himself.