My Dad Wrote a Book: Victory For Life
September 2026 · 5 min read
I have to share something I am so proud of. My dad wrote a book. On September 1, Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling, the founder of Victory Martial Arts and my dad, is releasing Victory For Life: 7 Life Skills To Victory. If you have followed me for a while, you know martial arts is not a hobby in our family. It is the whole foundation. I grew up on those mats. So watching him put decades of it into a book has me a little emotional.
Victory For Life: 7 Life Skills To Victory
By Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling, founder of Victory Martial Arts.
Get it on Amazon → Out now on Amazon. If you buy through my link I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.Who my dad is
My dad's story is honestly wild. He was born in Paraguay, the seventh of ten kids, and grew up with almost nothing. He started helping support the family as a little boy, and he found martial arts at twelve, which changed the entire direction of his life. In 1988 he and my mom sold everything they owned and moved to the United States with a young child and a few suitcases, chasing a bigger vision.
He founded Victory Martial Arts in 1993, earned his ninth degree black belt, and spent more than thirty years building it into one of the largest martial arts organizations in the country. But if you ask him, none of that is really the point. The point was always the people he was helping become braver, more disciplined, and more sure of themselves. That is the man who raised me.
What the book is about
Victory For Life is not a martial arts manual, and you do not need to have ever set foot in a dojo to get something out of it. It is his real life, told with a lot of honesty. The victories, the failures, and the lessons that shaped him, turned into practical tools you can actually use.
It is built around the values he has taught for decades: vision, discipline, and faith. He wrote it so that parents can find real language for raising kids with values, young people can find the push to get past their own limits, and anyone leading anything can find the backbone to keep going. Every chapter is a story that lands on a lesson. It is the kind of book you are meant to reread and keep close, not read once and shelve.
Why this one is personal for me
So much of who I am traces straight back to what is in these pages. The discipline, the show-up-anyway mentality, the belief that where you start does not decide where you finish. I got all of that on the mats with my dad. Sharing his book is not a brand deal or a partnership. It is my family, and I could not be prouder to put it in front of you.
Grab your copy and tell a parent, a kid, or a leader who needs it
If it speaks to you, the best thing you can do for an author on launch day is buy it early and leave an honest review.
See Victory For Life on Amazon → Available now on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.Frequently asked questions
When does the book come out?
It launches September 1 and is available now on Amazon. You can grab a copy through the button above.
Who wrote it?
My dad, Grand Master Sergio Von Schmeling, the founder and president of Victory Martial Arts and a ninth degree black belt with more than thirty years of teaching.
Do I need to do martial arts to enjoy it?
Not at all. It is a personal-growth book built on real stories and practical life skills. It is written for parents, young people, and anyone leading a family, a team, or themselves.
What is it about?
His life and the values behind it: vision, discipline, and faith. Real stories that turn into tools you can use, from someone who built something big starting with almost nothing.
Janet
Orlando creator and the face behind Planet Janet TV. I grew up in martial arts, and I share the real family, travel, and lifestyle moments behind the scenes. Come say hi on Instagram.
The family stuff, minus the polish
The real trips, finds, and moments I actually live here in Central Florida.
Browse all posts →Sources: Victory Martial Arts, and the book on Amazon.