viola karate Archives - Viola Karate Dojo

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Allegheny Shotokan Karate aka “Viola Karate” founded in 1969, is an award winning Martial Arts School. The club was founded by Sensei William Viola II. The name “Allegheny” represented the school’s first location in Allegheny County (East Allegheny High School) in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. “Shotokan,” is the base style of Japanese Karate taught. Since its establishment, the school has held classes in the suburbs of Pittsburgh including Turtle Creek, North Versailles, Paintertown, White Oak, Irwin, North Irwin. The school currently resides in Irwin / North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

The dojo was founded on the traditional principles of the Japanese Karate Association (JKA) and The All American Karate Federation and later became affiliated with the United States Karate Association and USA Karate Federation.

In the late 1960s Viola began teaching private lessons in the Brownsville, PA area. By 1969 Viola accepted a position at East Allegheny High School and established Allegheny Shotokan Karate in the school gymnasium. Among his earliest students was fellow teacher Keith Bertoluzzi, who was the Master of Ceremonies at the Holiday House, Monroeville, PA. Jack Bodell, would become the Viola’s first black belt and later a member of the United States Secret Service responsible for the protection of President Jimmy Carter.

Mixed Martial Arts
In 1980, Allegheny Shotokan Karate member Dave Jones of North Huntingdon represented the school in the first Tough Guy Contest, a Mixed Martial Arts competition, by recording a TKO victory over Mike Murray of Vandergrift in the 3rd round.

Over the years, the dojo earned the nickname “Home of Champions” as a dominate force at martial arts competitions and kickboxing championships. Allegheny Shotokan has produced hundreds of regional, national, and international champions including titles from; Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), United States of America Karate Federation (USAKF), United States of American National Karate Federation (USANKF), National Black Belt League (NBL), Sport Karate International (SKI) North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA), and Police Athletic League (PAL) Pennsylvania Karate Rating Association (PKRA).

USA Karate Team Members Doug Selchan and Dustin Baldis began their training at the school. Selchan went on the win a Gold Medal the 1999 Pan-American Games for the United States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate_at_the_1999_Pan_American_Games Allegheny Shotokan Karate is the only karate school in Pennsylvania Karate Rating Association (PKRA) history to win all seven grand championships at the Pittsburgh Karate Championships in 1996. Viola’s son, Bill Viola won 8-consecutive black belt overall state titles (1992-1999) and was inducted into the PKRA Hall of Fame. In 1998 the school was honored by Arnold Schwarzenegger as the #1 Martial Arts team in the United States of America.

Allegheny Shotokan is the home of Team Kumite, an all-star travel team. The dojo is the most successful sport karate school in the Pittsburgh region producing World Champions in including; Sara Russell, Dominic Leader, 3x World Champion Terrance Tubio, 7x World Champion Alison Viola

Viola Family
William Viola has had the opportunity to teach all five of his children Shotokan Karate; Bill Viola, Addie Viola, Jacque Viola, Alison Viola, and Joce Viola have all earned black belts and have served as instructors at Allegheny Shotokan.

Shihan (Master) Bill Viola founded Allegheny Shotokan Karate in 1969. Viola is master of the martial arts and member of the USA Karate Hall of Fame. Viola established Allegheny Shotokan Karate in 1969 and over the past 5 decades Viola has taught thousands of students and coached hundreds of regional, national, international, and World champions. Arnold Schwarzenegger recognized his school as the number #1 team in America in 1998. In 1992 Viola hosted the USA Karate Junior Olympics under the sanction of the USAKF, the national governing body for Karate in the United States and member of the US Olympic Committee. Viola’s experience lead him to be named to the USA Karate Organizing Committee, responsible for coordination of the USA Karate National Championships. In 2003 The USA Karate Federation named William Viola as Man of the Year, and was awarded the lifetime achievement award.

Viola has promoted hundreds of events in his career and in 1979 he co-founded CV Productions Inc. with his partner Frank Caliguri. In 1980 the company introduced a new sport to America, which now known as MMA. The first mainstream mixed martial arts competitions in the United States began in Pittsburgh in 1980. Viola is a documented innovator and pioneer of modern mixed martial arts in America, honored by The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum in 2011. The Heinz History Center, in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute, unveiled an exhibit on 23 June 2011 to document Viola’s mixed martial arts roots. As a result of Viola and Caliguri’s unique new sport concept, Pittsburgh is considered the birthplace of modern mixed martial arts as a sport in the United States.

Viola has had the unique opportunity to teach all five of his children Shotokan Karate; Bill Viola Jr., Addie Viola, Jacque Viola, Alison Viola, and Joce Viola have all earned black belts and have served as instructors at the Allegheny Shotokan Karate School.

William Viola II is an American entrepreneur, martial arts instructor, event promoter, and mixed martial arts pioneer. Viola is recognized internationally for his promotions and advancement of martial arts as a sport.

Viola was born in Brownsville, PA and graduated from the California University in 1969 with a teaching degree. He did his graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh and served as a science teacher in the East Allegheny school district from 1969 to 1999.

As a high school student, Viola studied shotokan karate in the early 1960s. Viola established his first karate club, Allegheny Shotokan Karate, in 1969 at Park Terrance Junior High School (East Allegheny School District). He later achieved rank from late Grand Master Robert Trias (United States Karate Association), and late Grand Master George Anderson (USA Karate Federation). Viola was a champion competitor in kata and kumite and retired from competition in 1979. He has coached hundreds of regional, national, and international champions.

Viola has promoted over 200 events in his career beginning in 1975 with karate and kickboxing competitions, followed by a host of unique productions including; The Crossroads Antique Faire, auctions, baseball card shows, martial arts banquets ,seminars, and mixed martial arts fights.

In 1979 he co-founded CV Productions Inc. with his partner Frank Caliguri. In 1980 the company introduced a new sport, the first mainstream mixed martial arts competitions in America. Caliguri and Viola are credited with inventing the “Toughguy” competition and promoted 10 mixed martial arts style fights across Pennsylvania including the “Battle of the Brawlers” and “Battle of the Superfighters.” Viola is a documented innovator and pioneer of modern mixed martial arts in America, honored by The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum in 2011. The Heinz History Center, in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute, unveiled an exhibit on 23 June 2011 to document Viola’s mixed martial arts roots. As a result of Viola and Caliguri’s unique new sport concept, Pittsburgh is considered the birthplace of modern mixed martial arts as a sport in the United States.

In the 1970s Viola founded the annual Laurel State Karate Championships. In 1990, the Laurel State Championship was sanctioned by the NBL (National Black Belt League) and joined the Northeast National Conference. In 1986 s Viola was appointed Pennsylvania regional administrator for the USA Karate Federation. He promoted the Allegheny Mountain Championships, a qualifier for the USAKF National Championships. In 1992 Viola hosted the USA Karate Junior Olympics at the University of Pittsburgh Field House. The USAKF was the national governing body for Karate from 1985-1995 in the United States and member of the US Olympic Committee. Viola’s tournament experience lead him to be named to the USA Karate Organizing Committee, responsible for coordination of the USA Karate National Championships.

In 2003 The USA Karate Federation named William Viola as Man of the Year, and inducted him into the USA Karate Hall of Fame. He was awarded the lifetime achievement award by the USAKF. In 2010 Viola resurrected CV Productions Inc. and promoted Caged Kumite, a pro-am mixed martial arts fight held in conjunction with the Kumite Classic at the Monroeville Convention Center.

Other Companies and Promotions include: