BIOS - Precision Martial Arts

BEYOND KICKING & PUNCHING

FOCUS. DETAILS. RESULTS.

Master Nominee Degener

Owner & Chief Instructor

6TH DEGREE BLACK BELT

Fairy Degener has been involved in Martial Arts in NW Arkansas for over 20 years. She is also a Rogers High School, NWACC, University of Arkansas, and Harding University alumnus. She holds a bachelor degree in Political Science and Mathematics as well as a masters degree in Teaching. She is a certified teacher in secondary mathematics. Mrs. Degener has been married for nearly 30 years to Chad, and they have one amazingly adventurous daughter, Kristen.

Master Nominee Degener is the owner of Precision Martial Arts. She started training in martial arts as a kid in 1987 with her three brothers and dad and trained into her teen years. After a long hiatus for education and having a family, Mrs. Degener returned to martial arts after her daughter expressed interest to train. She watched her daughter as a spectator parent for six months before stepping back on the mat. Since that moment, she has worked tirelessly toward making a childhood dream a reality.
Mrs. Degener is a 6th Degree Black Belt with ATA International. She is a Certified Instructor in Martial Arts with certifications in numerous weapons as well as Krav Maga and kickboxing. She is also actively involved in the ATA tournament circuit as a competitor, Level 3 tournament judge, and a member of the regional and national tournament staff. Most recently, Mrs. Degener was appointed in 2020 to the ATA Business Council which was designed to provide the opportunity to make a real impact on the activities, content, and direction of the business efforts of ATA academies – including marketing, sales, staff development, and financial management.
Master Nominee Degener has earned several honors through her martial arts career with multiple Arkansas State and South District Champion titles across all individual events. Along with multiple silver and bronze World title medals across all the events, she has earned six World Champion titles across four events – traditional forms, combat sparring (3), extreme forms, and extreme weapons, having the most ATA World titles of any individual in NW Arkansas.

Mr Ryburn

Instructor

3RD DEGREE BLACK BELT

Mr. Ryburn’s martial arts journey is not your traditional journey. He grew up watching Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme and Jackie Chan in movies. Watching them display power, agility and speed made him want to join a martial arts studio. So, when he was 17, he joined an ATA licensed school and started his martial arts training. After about 7 months he stopped training to focus on his academics to get into college. He went to college, got married obtained his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and started a family. When his daughter turned 6, he enrolled her into an ATA licensed school. He wanted her to gain the benefits of ATA to build her confidence, respect, discipline, and learn self-defense. After a few months of observing his daughter in classes, Mr. Ryburn and his wife decided that they would enroll in the school and make it a family activity.

They joined the leadership program and started competing at regional and national ATA sanctioned tournaments. Competing only intensified his passion for martial arts. Mr. Ryburn says “I get a thrill from competing against my fellow competitors to earn state champ, district champ and a spot in the top 10 in the world.” Competing gave him the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and make lasting friendships. He first started competing to earn titles, but now that passion is only secondary to watching his students compete amongst their peers. He takes pride in watching the students’ progress towards their martial arts goals and their goals at home and at school.

Training in martial arts has had a major positive impact on his life. He is more physically fit and has learned patience and discipline. Mr. Ryburn has made lasting friendships at the school and through attending ATA sanctioned tournaments. The benefits did not stop there. Each member of his family has obtained at least their first degree blackbelt.

Ms Cross

Program Manager

2ND DEGREE BLACK BELT

She is an Arkansas native and attended the University of Arkansas where she received her Bachelors and Masters Degrees. She is a nationally licensed Speech Pathologist and works in early intervention with a specialization in children birth to age 5. Sloan began her Martial Arts after graduate school. Coming to martial arts as an adult has allowed her to view the skills and benefits it provides differently. She has a stronger understanding of the importance of goals, patience, and drive. Sloan joined the Legacy Program and became a certified instructor in 2021. She took over the Tiger Program and has been able to utilize her therapy skills and experience to help our youngest members lay the foundation for their own marital arts journeys. In March 2022 she took over as Program Manager for the school.