For more information about Dr. Ping, read “The Legend of a Long-Shot Marine” 2.62 Mb published in Leatherneck Magazine, March, 2013.
Dr. D.S. Ping is dedicated to the philosophy of striving for and maintaining the highest standards in helping each individual reach his maximum potential in two major areas: the world of professional sports and in the art of Jishukan-Ryu Jujitsu. Since 1983, Dr. Ping has been representing and training professional athletes. He has helped many athletes enjoy long careers in the National Football League. In Jujitsu, he holds the rank of SHIHAN, the highest rank awarded in the world of martial arts.
Dr. Ping immigrated from China at age 9 after his family fled first to Bangkok, then to the Island of Taiwan to escape the Chinese Communist government. Dr. Ping’s father, a military general, feared for his son’s future, so he arranged for Master Ping to settle in the United States. Young Ping worked hard learning the English language and soon excelled in academics as well as sports, earning high school letters and notoriety in track, wrestling and football.
Upon high school graduation, Dr. Ping enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the beginning of his military career, he was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. It was there he met his future wife, an American exchange student. At that time he was also introduced to the world of martial arts. Dr. Ping’s martial art training contributed to his military career. He was soon awarded the rank of Staff Sergeant and held positions such as Military Police Trainer and Indoctrination NCO for U.S. Fleet Activity (Yokosuka, Japan), Instructor of Hand-to-Hand Combat and Brig Warden.
In 1969, Dr. Ping returned home to Michigan after serving a tour-of-duty in Vietnam to reunite with his wife and begin a family. He attended Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where he received his undergraduate degree and later his Master of Science in Physical Education. As an EMU instructor, Dr. Ping established and taught a series of self-defense classes in Jishukan-Ryu Jujitsu. These classes generated enough student interest in the martial art to warrant opening the first dojo (place of martial art training) in 1973. As student membership grew, the dojo expanded its services to include physical conditioning and weight training classes, women’s self-defense and police nightstick training. Dr.Ping’s life was a flurry of activity with family, teaching, and numerous excursions to Japan to study Asian Medicine and Jishukan-Ryu Jujitsu under the Grand Master, Honorable Soke Sugita.
The 1980s was a decade of high accomplishment.
- In 1983, Dr. Ping was certified by the National Football League Players Association as a contract advisor. This certification led to the establishment of Ping’s Professional Sports Agency, Inc. (PPSA).
- Also during this time, Dr. Soke Sugita, the Grand Master of Jishukan-Ryu Jujitsu, awarded Dr. Ping the rank of SHIHAN which includes a doctorate degree in Asian Medicine. Today he serves this role as one of only four living in the world and the only of his kind in North America.
Dr. Ping has represented many fine athletes since 1983. Some of them have gone on to become coaches. More information about the athletes may be found on the Sports Agency/Players page of this site. Ping’s Professional Sports Agency, Inc. is one of the most unique and complete agencies in the Midwest. Not only does Dr. Ping represent players, he provides a complete training and conditioning center. Over the past 20 years, his training method has been so successful in helping professional athletes enjoy long, injury-free careers that today The Ping Method (overview available on DVD) of training is being sought after by NFL teams. Since 1990, Ping’s Professional Sports Agency, Inc. has held an annual charity golf outing. The event features many of PPSA’s pro football players and coaches and raises money for scholarships at local schools.
Today, the Saline Recreational Center, a top-notch training facility, is where the athletes train. It also serves as the North American Headquarters of Jishukan-Ryu Jujitsu. It is here that Dr. Ping has succeeded in bringing two worlds together to create one of the most unique training opportunities in the United States.
Dr. Ping has four grown children: Alicia, Jessica, David, and Mary Beth and two grandchildren.