Instructors
Lady Master Nicola Ford
6th Degree Black Belt, Former Sparring World Champion
School Owner/Master Instructor
Nicola Ford is the co-owner of ATA Martial Arts. She holds a 6th Degree Black Belt and the title of Master Instructor in Songahm Taekwondo. Known at ATA Martial Arts as Lady Master (a name given to her by a young student), she is a former World Champion in sparring and multi-time national champion in several divisions. After training and performing in dance disciplines, primarily ballet, for 14 years while growing up in southern Alberta, she began her martial arts training as a student at a club on university campus. She competed for several years and retired from competition as the number one ranked woman in her division. She now devotes her career to teaching martial arts to students of all ages, especially focusing on the junior leadership program and community outreach. Her favourite part of teaching is watching students of all ages discover that they are capable of so much more than they thought. Lady Master is also a blue belt in BJJ, a certified yoga instructor, an accomplished vocalist, and mother to two teen/young adult men.
Mr. Adam Vandermeulen
4th Degree Black Belt, Krav Maga Instructor
Nationally Certified Instructor
Mr. Vandermeulen is a fourth degree black belt and is an award winning nationally certified instructor in Songahm Taekwondo. He holds a blue belt in BJJ, and a level 3 Krav Maga instructor certification. Mr. V. (as everyone calls him) particularly enjoys sparring and the combat systems of the martial arts. He also loves the nunchucks. He has been training at ATA Canada since 2004, and began teaching in 2008. Off the mat, Mr. V enjoys soccer and trail bike riding, is a husband, and a father of three boys.
Chief Master Kevin Ford
8th Degree Black Belt, BJJ Black Belt, Krav Maga Instructor
School Owner/Chief Master Instructor
Kevin is a lifelong martial artist. He started studying as a teenager, and began teaching in his first club after earning his black belt and graduating university in 1992. In addition to instructing martial arts, he was also a longtime competitor, finishing with several national and international titles. Master Ford has trained students from white belts to world champions, has taught seminars, done demonstrations, refereed tournaments, and judged testings all over Canada, the United States, Mexico, and even Jamaica! Chief Master Ford has produced several masters, dozens of instructors, and multiple locations across Canada and the United States. He is currently the Regional Director of Instructor Certification for Alberta, and was inducted as a Chief Master Instructor at World Championships in 2023. Master Ford is also a BJJ Black Belt Professor. and a Certified Level 5 Krav Maga Instructor. Kevin enjoys painting, board games, NFL football, camping with his family, and is an award winning poet.
