Mary Davis-Cates
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Mary Davis-Cates (March 30, 1951 - May 16, 2006) was chiefly known as the highest ranking woman in the international Cuong Nhu Oriental Martial Arts school, and as a popular trainer in self-defense in many venues, including the U.S. Navy.
Davis-Cates had 35 years of training and instructing martial arts. She had been actively involved in organizing, directing and teaching martial arts throughout the United States and Europe. An 8th degree black belt at the time of her death, Cates was the highest ranking instructor in the Cuong Nhu Oriental Martial Arts Association (CNOMAA), a non-profit association headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Cuong Nhu, which means "hard/soft" in Vietnamese, is an international system of martial arts with over 3,000 members.
Davis-Cates began her training in the martial arts in 1970 under the direction of Grandmaster and Founder Ngo Dong. She had achieved the rank of 8th Dan in Cuong Nhu, and was the highest ranking female and senior student in that system. She served on its Board of Directors in all positions from 1974-1995, in addition to serving on its Black Belt Committee. From 1974-1979 she conducted self-defense clinics at the University of Florida Campus Police Department, Housing and Intramural Sports Departments. In addition she directed demonstrations for the Special Olympics, Intramural Sports and Homecoming events. She began assistant teaching in 1973 and was given her own school in 1977 on the University of Florida campus. She served as Chief Instructor for the UF Cypress School of Cuong Nhu from 1977 to 1984. Having relocated to Atlanta, GA in 1984, she began training and teaching at Sung Ming Shu Dojo and in 1985 became Chief Instructor where she taught and trained for 15 years.
In 1988 she participated as a trainer for the Pacific Association of Women Martial Arts held in San Luis Obispo, California and went on to teach at Special Training, (NWMAF) National Women’s Martial Arts Federation in La Honda, California. In 1994 she was contacted by the U.S. Navy, Astor, Florida to coordinate and conduct a Women’s Self-Defense Training Seminar for their recruits.
In 1987 and 1990 respectively she was featured in Atlanta Weekly Parade section of the Atlanta Journal Constitution and in NWMAF’s Women in the Martial Arts Calendar. She trained in Nekyo Ryu Goshin Jitsu (self-defense), and taught seminars nationally and internationally with her husband Professor Ernest H. Cates.
