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About the Instructor
I've been in the Martial Arts for over 39 years. I've trained on the East Coast, West Coast, Hawaii, and Guam and the one thing I've
learned is that good serious training produces good results. As I grow older,
the big picture of about Karate-Do becomes clearer. I'm trying to pass this on
to my students, and hopefully a some of them will grasp these ideas and move
forward.
Photo from June 2002
My goal is to have some of my Dan ranked students go out on their own and start
their own schools. I have a small area at my house that I will dedicate to
teaching my advanced students as they come to visit. I'm hoping my son Vince,
who is a Sandan, will continue on in Karate-Do. He is 25 years old and is
exceptionally talented for a young martial artist. He is on the right path as a
true martial artist. My younger son, Will, attends classes, watches and imitates ... the first
steps in a good direction.
 
Photo from August 2003
Photo from May 2003
Martial Arts Career
I started Karate at the very end of the 1960's. I
then entered the military and joined a Tae Kwon Do club. As I moved from area to area
during my 6 years in the military I continued my training. When I left the
military I continued my training for 2+ more years achieving 2nd degree
Black belt. I was introduced to Seibukan Shorin-Ryu school headed by Walter
Dailey Sensei here in Pennsylvania. I was hooked within an hour. I resigned from
my Tae Kwon Do school, and started from scratch under Dom Mattioni Sensei who at
that time came under Walter Dailey Sensei umbrella of students. I then became
part of the International Seibukan Karate-Do Association. Within a few years I
achieved Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt). During the late 70's, Dom Mattioni and I started a Seibukan school here in West Chester Pa. Dom was
the Sensei and I was the Sempai (assistant). Basically he ran the teaching part
and I assisted teaching and ran the business part. By 1984 Dom retired from Seibukan.
I was awarded the title of Sensei by the International Seibukan Karate-Do
association. In 1984, I was adopted by a new sensei - Ed Takae Sensei. He was my teacher
from 1984 until 1997. In 1997 I retired from the North American branch of
Seibukan and joined up with Zentokukai which was founded by Tim Rodgers Sensei
and Angel Lemus Sensei. Chronological
listing of my Martial Arts experiences Basic Life Path
I was born and raised in West Chester, PA. I graduated from
Henderson High School. I served 6 years in the US Navy Submarine service,
followed by graduating from Widener Univ. and West Chester Univ.
I've been working in the computer industry for the past 31 years.
My family consist of: my wife Karen; my
children: Lindsey (27), Vince (25),
Maria (17), Will (10)
Many Thanks
I want to thank the following people who either guided me through
part of my martial arts career, or were very instrumental in my martial arts
development. I apologize if I missed anyone. This list is in random order.
Sensei
Dom Mattioni, Sensei Tim
Rodgers, Sensei Angel
Lemus, Shidoin Vince Pizii,
Sensei Walter Dailey, Sensei Ed
Takae, Sensei Zenpo Shimabukuro, Sensei
John Hughes
Sensei Bill
Goebel, Stuart
Smith, Sensei Don Kennedy, Sensei Mike Salomone,
Sensei Andy Rodriguez, Sensei Larry
Hall, Sensei Mark Thompson
Sensei's Corner
Bellow is a collection of my thoughts and
opinions about the martial arts. These comments do not necessarily reflect those
within Zentokukai or the Zentokukai organization. These comments and thoughts
are in random order. You are most welcome to comment back to me on them at: Sutorikan@comcast.net
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Martial Arts |
- I think everyone should believe that their school is the
best, it's good for their sprit. I also believe that everyone should also
believe that their are many school just as good as theirs and of many
different styles.
- Never criticize one's technique, if they can successfully
apply it.
- I find it irritating when someone who is relatively young
tells me they are a black belt, but they haven't trained in many years. My
opinion is that they are not a black belt. If one trains most of their life,
then slows down age age increases, then it is understood that the physical
aspect may be gone, but the mind and spirit of being a black belt is still
there. You would not believe how many people I come across telling me that
they are a black belt, but they haven't trained since they were i.e. 11
years old. If a person makes black belt and then stops totally in the martial
arts, then the best they can say is that at one time in their life, they
attained the rank of black belt.
- It's never to late to start training in the Martial Arts.
- Being a good Martial Artist goes well beyond being skilled
in Self Defense. A Martial Artist must posses a spirit within the Martial
Arts that last a life time.
- It is easy in the martial arts to make an excuse to miss a
class.
It is hard for a martial artist to make an excuse to miss a class.
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Kata |
- Kata attributes include: Technique, speed, good technique,
power, fluid movements, balance, expansion and contraction, soft and hard
techniques, and focus. Kumite includes these same attributes plus some
others, so ... we can learn Kumite from Kata.
- I have witnesses many people from many Dojos searching for
the exact way a particular Kata was taught. They seem to chase after the
sequence and maybe the technique applied, well! the originators of the Kata are long
gone, so it is never going to happen. The most important thing is to
understand the moves within the Kata and how they can be applied
efficiently.
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Kumite |
- Cherish your good days and learn from your bad
days.
- Don't plan your techniques, just let it come out
naturally
- Don't hit anyone any harder than what you expect
to get hit back (in a Dojo/class room situation).
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Tournaments |
- I have been to many tournaments in my day, not
one has ever started on time or come close to starting on time. I
am amused by the brochures that advertise that they start on time,
but they don't. Unfortunately making money prevails and
tournaments are held up so more revenue can be generated by late
arrivals.
- A lot of tournaments focus mostly on children.
Again, that is where the money is. Some tournaments give out small
trophy's just for signing up. I think a lot of schools have lost
focus on what martial arts competition should be about.
- I never have given a tournament in my community
simply because it would be a financial disaster. My ideal
tournament would be one for adult Black belts only, no weight
class, no gender class, and no age class. It would start on time,
so any late comers would miss the competition. There would be
three awards for the top three competitors.
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General Training |
- Never ignore your basics, it's essential to your
style of martial arts, plus there are many physical benefits built
into them that most students are not aware of.
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The Martial Arts Business |
- A lot of good martial artist have traded their
Dojo spirit for money.
- There is nothing wrong with having a successful
Martial Arts business so long as you are honest with yourself and
your students.
- Selling belt plans (Black belt training program,
Advanced under Black Belt program) makes no sense, it's a rip off
on the student.
- It's amazing how many martial art schools promote
children to black belt. It's nothing more than a revenue gimmick
and a sell out of true martial arts.
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Self Defense |
- Having a good sense of awareness and avoiding a
bad situation can elimination most potential attacks.
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Lineage |
- Lineage is important, but should not be confused with one's
skill and/or martial arts spirit. Having a true linage line to some
of the founders of a martial arts does not make one a better martial
artist.
- Just because you may be attached to a star, does not make you a
star.
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