Category Archives: featured

SMAC Down

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Congrats to Team Kumite!  From our first timers to our black belts… I am so proud of all the Allegheny Shotokan students. 23 team members strong signed up for the tourney, and we made allot of noise!  We had more fighters represented on stage than any other team, and really showcased continuous sparring skill. I also wanted to thank all the coaches and parents who helped make the weekend a success. This is a great team, and it was a great team effort.  Keep up the good work. Next stop, Grand Slam Open in Virginia.

Pictured left to right (back): Liz Leasbuerg, Dominic Leader, Rachael Bartuska, Nick Kosan.  (middle) Raun Churchfield, Luke Lokay, Gabriel Anthony, Sara Russell, Cameron Klos. (front sitting) Ryan Frankovic, Colten Worbak, Ethan Zontek, Dean Crissman, Parker O’Shell 

Team Kumite Wins SMAC Titles

North Huntingdon, PA — March 13th, 2012

The 2012 SMAC Internationals were held March 10-11th in Niagara Falls, New York part of the National Black Belt League’s National Can-Am Conference.  The  competition showcased athletes from across North America and serves as a stepping stone for the NBL World Games held annually over New Years. Team Kumite is comprised of the regions top all-star karate competitors. The members all secured seeds for the year end championship by placing in the top of their divisions.

2010 World Champion Dominic Leader made a successful debut as an adult 18-34 class by defeating the reigning World Champion in the new weight class. Both Dominic and his older brother Billy notched impressive team victories in the finals.  In all, Team Kumite had more fighters earn a place in the finals than any other team represented.

23 team members competed at the New York competition including 5 students from the Norwin Ninjas class (4-7 year olds) and 18 from Allegheny Shotokan Karate. The Team Kumite trains under the supervision of Bill Viola Jr.  He is the instructor at the Allegheny Shotokan Karate Club and Norwin Ninjas based in North Huntingdon.

 

Viola Family

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Addie Viola, Jacque Viola, Ali Viola, Bill Viola Sr, Bill Viola Jr, Joce Viola

The Viola Family!  Sensei Viola proudly stands with all five of his children.  The Allegheny Shotokan Black Belts include (left to right): online casino Addie Viola, Jacque Viola, Ali Viola, Bill Viola Sr, Bill Viola Jr, Joce Viola.

The Viola”s  Addie Viola, Jacque Viola, Ali Viola, Bill Viola Sr, Bill Viola Jr, Joce Viola.

Party Time

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The annual Christmas Party was a big hit.  Congrats to Gary Klos who won the obstacle course for the second year in a row, beating out Billy Leader by less than a second.  The food was great, we appreciate the wonderful group of parents who helped out this year.  We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.  No class next Monday.  Have a nice holiday break.

Homecoming King

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Team Kumite Member Dominic Leader was recently crowned 2011 Norwin Homecoming King.

Only a handful of Western Pennsylvania athletes have claimed a sport karate world title.  Norwin junior Dominic Leader not only claimed his first world title, but he did so with an undefeated record. Leader won every match at every competition for the 2010 season, cumulating with a sweep of his division at the 2010 World Games in Sacramento, Calif., over the winter break. The games are the equivalent to the Super Bowl for martial arts, with more than 2,000 world-class athletes from across North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Europe battling for world titles. Leader has excelled over the past few seasons in a competitive division, but 2010 was the year he made history. The 165-pound weight class continuous sparring championship is a modified version of kickboxing that requires an extreme amount of endurance and physical toughness.

Leader defeated contenders from Canada, Mexico and U.S. leading up to his World Games bouts. In the semifinals, he faced the highly favored Juan Pablo Santiago of Guatemala, the reigning world champion. In 2009, Leader lost to Santiago in the finals. Four inches taller and visibly stronger, Leader overwhelmed his rival and unleashed an offensive attack to win by a unanimous decision and advance to the double-elimination finals.

During the finals, he faced Curtis Fresh of El Paso, Texas. After four rounds, Leader was named world champion and brought home Pittsburgh’s only world title in 2010. “I couldn’t have done it without my training partner and older brother, Billy,” the champion said. Billy Leader also earned a spot in the World Games finals, only to be hampered by injuries that have plagued him throughout the season. He was not medically cleared to finish the final fight and was awarded second place in the 143-pound weight class.

The Leader brothers are coached by Bill Viola, head instructor at Allegheny Shotokan Karate and Norwin Ninjas in North Huntingdon. Dominic Leader joins an exclusive list of NBL Karate World Champions from Pittsburgh that includes Ali Viola, Jose Rivera and Terrence Tubio. All of the former champions are teammates of Leader, making Team Kumite the only NBL World Champions in the region’s history.

Kumite Classic 2012

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The Kumite Classic is bigger and better in 2012! Join us May 25-26th at The Monroeville Convention Center for Pittsburgh’s most established fitness expo.  The media has dubbed The FAST Expo as a “One stop shop for everything fitness.” The expo showcases the latest fitness products, exercise equipment, sports gear, clothing, nutritional supplements, health foods, and cutting edge cosmetic advancements.

The Fitness And Sports Tour campaign is dedicated to promoting healthy active lifestyles through a full scale interactive consumer expo. The event is Pittsburgh’s most established fitness expo, celebrating its 13th annual season attracting thousands of fitness enthusiasts and health conscious consumers from across the country. The multifaceted expo is surrounded by “non-stop action” playing host to simultaneous championships, competitions, and demonstrations in one expansive area for spectators to enjoy. The audience is one of the most diverse (demographic & geographic) in the fitness industry attracting fans from over 15 different sports. The prestigious Kumite Classic brand is synonymous with athletic excellence.

Health and wellness consultations are available with industry professionals and onsite evaluations are presented by doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and natural health experts. The FAST Expo collaborates with health professionals and educators on comprehensive and sustainable approaches to preventing and reducing serious health problems from both conventional medical and holistic approaches. The expo provides spectators the opportunity to participate in workouts, seminars, certification courses, competitions, and challenges.

The general public can meet & greet with celebrities, professional athletes, Olympic champions, and fitness icons. The expo highlights sports performance athletes, strength competitors, and fitness experts though a multitude of athletic skills competitions and world class sport championships.

City of Champions

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-Pictured left to right:  Bill Viola Sr, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Frank Caliguri, Bill Viola Jr.

The Champions Association presented the 36th Annual Pittsburgh M.V.P. awards at the Willie Stargell Memorial Awards Banquet, Monday December 5th.  The distinguished ceremony honors industry leaders and professional athletes who are making a difference in the community.

North Huntington resident Bill Viola Sr. received the “Pittsburgh M.V.P.” award for his work as a Mixed Martial Arts pioneer.  Viola co-founded CV Productions in 1979, a company which is credited with creating a new sport, known today as mixed martial arts..   The award brought recognition to the city of Pittsburgh and the Western PA region celebrating the true birthplace of modern Mixed Martial Arts in the United States.  Most fight fans had believed that the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) established the first mixed martial arts competitions, however Viola and his partner Frank Caliguri actually developed the sport in 1979.  They promoted 10 competitions across Pennsylvania in 1980 until the State Legislature banned mixed martial arts with the passage of  SENATE BILL No. 632 Session 1983. The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum of the Heinz History Center in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute unveiled an exhibit on June 23rd 2011 to document Viola’s role in developing mixed martial arts in America.  Dr. Fred Adams of Penn State University is currently writing a new book the history of Mixed Martial Arts that will chronicle Viola and Caliguri’s creation.

Over the past thirty years, The Willie Stargell Banquet has attracted some of the countries most prolific figures including basketball legend Michael Jordan and  World Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali.  Viola was honored to be recognized with such an elite alumni.   Viola said, “Pittsburgh is known as the City of Champions and now they can have pride that the fastest growing sport in the World (MMA), was started here as well.”  Dr. Fred Adams of Penn State University is currently writing a new book the history of Mixed Martial Arts that will chronicle Viola and Caliguri’s creation.

Other distinguished guests and honorees at the 2011 banquet included Pittsburgh County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Judge Dwayne Woodruff just to name a few.  The event was co-sponsored by The Hillman Foundation and the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The banquet was hosted by Champion Enterprises founder Bill Neal, who has dedicated his life to community service.  Proceeds from the event support a Christmas Toy drive for underprivileged kids in Pittsburgh.