Tristan Matthew

Mr Tristan Matthew was born in Thousand Oaks, California and moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, when he was just 2 and a half years old. Growing up, he’s always had a mix of interests. He’s been playing the viola for over 11 years and loves taking photos with his DSLR in his free time.

Mr Matthew’s martial arts journey started unexpectedly at the Taste of Fort Collins in 2014. He spun a prize wheel at Ripple Effect’s booth, tried a class, and instantly fell in love with it. At the time, he wasn’t involved in many other activities, but martial arts quickly became his main focus. Soon after starting, he convinced his parents to join him in training, and one of his proudest moments was earning black belts alongside them in 2017.

Mr Matthew now holds the rank of 3rd-degree black belt. Over the years, he’s grown with Ripple Effect, starting as a Junior Admin Assistant, helping behind the front desk and cleaning the school, and working his way up to becoming a junior instructor, certified instructor, and now the Head Instructor at the Fort Collins location. His favorite part of teaching is helping students grow as leaders and working with them during Prep Cycle.

Mr Matthew is on track to graduate high school in May 2025 as a straight-A, honor roll student. He’s passionate about developing the next generation of martial artists and instructors, and his patience and ability to push students to reach their personal best make him a fantastic coach.