Results Are In: Best of Liberty Hill 2026
The official results are out, and we have two pieces of wonderful news to share with our community.
🏆 URBAN DEFENSE ACADEMY WINS COMMUNITY CHOICE
This one stands alone — and it means everything to us.
Community Choice is unlike any other honor on the ballot. There is no regular category for firearms training — so Community Choice exists for exactly this purpose: recognizing the businesses our community loves that don’t have a place on the standard ballot. Every vote for UDA was a write-in. Nobody simply checked a box next to our name. Each person who voted for us had to think of us, remember what we do, and take the extra moment to type it in themselves.
That kind of support can’t be accidental. It means professional firearms and self-defense training has earned a genuine place in the hearts of this community — alongside the restaurants, shops, and schools you love. For a school whose mission is grounded, trustworthy defense training, that trust is the highest compliment we could receive.
To everyone who wrote us in, nominated us, and voted for us in our very first year: this award is yours. Thank you.
SHIN GAN DOJO — RUNNER UP, BEST MARTIAL ARTS
For the fifth consecutive year, we earned a top-two finish in Best Martial Arts — continuing a streak that reflects our dedication to traditional martial arts in Liberty Hill.
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Runner Up |
| 2023 | WINNER 🏆 |
| 2024 | WINNER 🏆 |
| 2025 | Runner Up |
| 2026 | Runner Up |
We know there are many excellent martial arts options in our area. Being recognized year over year — first under the name of Urban Defense Academy, and now as Shin Gan Dojo — is an honor we don’t take lightly. Whether you’ve trained with us for years, just started your journey, or simply know our name around town, being chosen again and again affirms that our focus on quality instruction, community involvement, and genuine care for each student’s growth resonates with you.
While we officially split our programs last year, focusing our firearms and armed self-defense training at Urban Defense Academy and our traditional martial arts at Shin Gan Dojo, our core mission hasn’t changed. We are dedicated to providing a grounded, welcoming space where students can build confidence, master real-life self-defense skills, and learn to protect what matters most. Knowing our work on the range and in the dojo makes a difference for you and your families means everything to us.
Whether you train with us or not, we’re proud to contribute to a community that celebrates local businesses — and even prouder that you keep choosing us. From our family to yours — thank you, Liberty Hill.
With gratitude and respect,
Sensei Brian & Gigi Simmons
Urban Defense Academy | Shin Gan Dojo
