About Us

The Academy of the Martial Way was founded in 2009 by Master Steve Nesky, who has earned a 5th Dan Black Belt from the World Taekwondo Federation. He is also a Probation Manager at the Coconino County Juvenile Court. Mr. Nesky is the department’s officer safety coordinator and is a certified Lead Defensive Tactics Instructor for the AZ Supreme Court’s Officer Safety Program.

Born and raised in Detriot, MI, Mr. Nesky moved to Arizona with his family when he was 15 years old. Upon his high school graduation he attended Northern Arizona University on a music scholarship where he earned a B.S. in Psychology.

Mr. Nesky completed graduate school with a master’s degree in counseling and began working in the fields of mental health, substance abuse treatment, and juvenile justice.

Mr. Nesky now lives in Flagstaff with his family (2-legged and  4-legged) and loves teaching, kayaking, and traveling throughout the world.