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 | Mr. Bryan Fagerstrom Owner/Head Instructor
I began my journey through Martial Arts in January of 1991 at 8 years of age. I was encouraged by my parents to give "karate" a try. At that age it was kind of a scary adventure and I really didn't know what to think. Mr. Steve Yukich was the instructor and I was joined by a handful of students my age. It took a little while to get past the awkward stage, but when I finally did, Martial Arts became an exciting activity. Every class was a new opportunity to learn new techniques. I was hooked and began advancing through the ranks. As I began to mature both mentally and physically, some new challenges arose. I now began to grow and techniques became awkward again and my flexibility seemed to be getting worse. I was at the stage where my body was growing faster than my ability to control it. I became frustrated and began to think that the Martial Arts weren't for me. Mr. Yukich continued to encourage me to push through. I did, and in August of 1994 I passed my Cho Dan Bo test (black belt candidate). The next four years were a difficult and long road to my Black Belt. In December of 1998 I passed my Black Belt test and was Mr. Yukich's first official Black Belt. Over the next several years college became an important and busy part of my life. My attendance suffered along with my training. However, after settling into college I was presented with a challenging but exciting offer. Mr. Yukich was retiring and asked if I would purchase and continue running the school. Wow, after some thinking I agreed, and June 1st 2003 Range Martial Arts was officially my responsibility. I was excited, I had a lot of things to learn, but with the help of fellow black belt Ramona Wickstrom, things worked out. The school continued to grow and expand in both students and facilities. In July 2006 I successfully tested for my second degree Black Belt and second degree instructor. I am very proud of the school and am excited to see it continue to flourish and be a big part of our community. I am a career firefighter/paramedic for the Hibbing Fire Department, operate on the technical rescue team, am a tactical paramedic for the Hibbing S.W.A.T. team, and a volunteer firefighter for the Chisholm Fire Department. I am happily married to my beautiful wife Jennifer and am currently residing in Chisholm. My wife and I are both invovled in our local church as high school youth advisors. |
 | Mrs. Ramona Wickstrom Assistant Instructor
I began martial arts in August of 1992 at 38 years old for health reasons. My cholesterol was elevated and my doctor told me to get some exercise and to eat healthier. Eating healthier was not as difficult as finding an exercise I could continue to practice at home-you need the right music and you need the teacher counting out the beats for aerobics classes. Walking alone these days is not very relaxing. I saw the Range Martial Arts sign and pointed it out to my husband. He suggested I call and ask some questions. That was all I needed. I signed up at that same evening's advanced/adult class. Mr. Steve Yukich was the instructor and was the only black belt. As I moved through the ranks, I began teaching beginners. Being an adult at a green belt level, I became responsible for summer morning classes. I then would record what I accomplished in the morning classes so that Mr. Yukich could review with me during the advanced/adult classes in the evening. In October of 1996 I successfully tested for my Cho Dan Bo rank. This began a long road to black belt. I helped train a 16-year old boy, Bryan, to his black belt. Mr. Yukich's wife became ill and he needed to depend on me to teach more and more classes as the years passed. Mr. Yukich retired and moved to Texas for his wife's health in June of 2003. That 16-year old black belt was Mr. Bryan Fagerstrom and June 1st, 2003 he took over the school. I successfully completed my black belt test in September 2003 and have become a certified instructor for the WTSDA. Since becoming a cho dan bo and then cho dan, I have been a part of the black belt team that conducts self defense clinics across northeastern Minnesota. The groups range from as few as six to as many as 175. The groups have ranged from the Girl Scouts of America to the Red Hat Society, religious groups to professional groups, high school English classes, and a group called Kids Plus. I was asked to speak at the Velvet and Iron Conference in March of 2006. The theme of the women's health conference was "Staying Strong on Your Life's Journey". My speech/presentation was titled "Martial Arts for Women: Mind/Body Benefits". Since then, I have also been featured in a quarterly newspaper magazine, "A Range of Women". I am a teacher of social studies and learning disabilities and am nearing completion of my Master's Degree in Special Education. I am particularly interested in how traditional martial arts instruction can benefit a child with ADHD. I have been married to my husband, an auto mechanic, for nearly 30 years and our daughter is an acoustic engineer. I am active in my church and have recently begun exploring Ki Gong. I am a new member/instructor for the World Ki Gong Club.  |
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