About Grandmaster Pati Grossman

Pati Grossman started her martial arts training in 1972 with Debbie Fryer at Beliso Karate School. Several months later Pati began training with her future husband's instructor Senior Grand Master Rick Alemany. Due to an illness Pati was forced to temporarily stop training.

While attending Karate tournaments as a spectator Pati was inspired by a female black belt fighter named Mary Stark Owens. In the ring Mary was a skilled technician, out of the ring she was a kind gentle lady. Pati found a role model; it was time to start training again.

Pati resumed her training with Senior Grand Master Alemany as well as with her husband Bill Grossman who by now had received his black belt from Senior Grand Master Alemany. There were not many women in the sparring classes; it was usually Pati and the guys. Those were the days, training during the week and traveling to tournaments on the weekend. Tournaments regularly took us from the bay area to Seaside, San Diego, Stockton, Manteca, and Reno and everywhere in between. It was not unusual to compete in two different tournaments in one weekend and occasionally two tournaments in one day.

The C.K.L. days were especially memorable for Pati, there was a certain excitement and competition was fierce. At the C.K.L. national tournaments you could regularly see the likes of George Chung, John Chung, Charlie Lee, Cynthia Rothrock, Steve Anderson, Billy Blanks, Linda Denley and Arlene Lemus to name a few. And then there was the Northern California vs. Southern California rivalry, which always made for great fighting.

Professor Pati Grossman

Grandmaster Pati Grossman

In 1978, while continuing their training at Alemany’s, Pati and Bill Grossman opened their first school, it was a garage school with 35 students.  In 1986 they made their big move, Bill quit his job as an equipment mechanic and opened their school in South San Francisco, which they continue to operate today.

From 1983 to 1997 Pati and Bill Grossman promoted three annual tournaments:

• Gold Coast   Karate Classic
• Cable Car Karate Challenge
• As well as the popular California Battle of Champions which drew competitors from around the country and abroad.

Some of Pati’s Favorite Accomplishments:

• 1981 C.K.L. Competitor of the Year – Kata
• 1981 C.K.L. Competitor of the Year – Fighting
• 1982 C.K.L. Competitor of the Year – Kata
• 1982 C.K.L. Competitor of the year - Fighting
• 1984 Diamond Nationals – 1st Place Kata
• 1984 USA Nationals – 1st Place Kata
• 1987 A.M.A.P.A. Competitor of the Year – Fighting
• 2000 -2002 President A.T.A.M.A. (Affiliated TeachersAssociation of Martial Arts)
• 2005-2006 Vice-President MAI (Martial Arts Instructors Association)

Grandmaster Pati Grossman was promoted to 10th Degree Black belt on February 1st, 2024 by Senior Grand Master Rick Alemany.