Terry Valentino is the guest instructor at the 2012 Ryusei Summer Camp

When the Ryusei Summer Camp runs in the Ottawa area on the weekend of August 25, the guest instructor will be Terry Valentino, a 7th Dan with the Koshin-ha Chito-Ryu Karate Federation, who will come to the camp with students from Pittsburgh.  Valentino-Sensei also brings with him a wealth of experience. His bio:

With over 40 years of experience in the martial arts, Kyoshi Valentino holds a 7th-degree black belt in Chito-ryu Karate and a 2nd-degree black belt in Koseido-ryu Jiu-Jitsu.

Kyoshi Valentino’s training began informally under the guidance or his father Anthony “Val” Valentino who was both a student of Koseido-ryu Jiu-Jitsu founder Dewey Deavers and a hand-to-hand combat instructor for the U. S. Navy during World War II.

Kyoshi Valentino’s formal training began in 1972 under Hanshi Joseph Hedderman, 10th-degree black belt in Koseido-ryu Jiu-Jitsu, 9th-degree black belt in Chito-Ryu Karate and head instructor of the Allegheny County Budo-kai in Pittsburgh Pa. He has also achieved the Chuden level in Koseido-ryu Jui Jitsu and in 2004 began the study of Tongbei Quan ,Xingyi and Bagua Zhang with the Yin Cheng Gong Fa.

Kyoshi Valentino was the 1986 National Champion of the United States Chito-ryu Karate Federation, and the co-captain of the U.S. Team in the 1987 Chito-ryu World Championships held in Kumamoto, Japan. He is the vice chairman emeritus of the United States Chito-ryu Karate Federation and is a former member of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, Japan’s oldest martial arts society. He was awarded the title of Renshi (master of training) in 2002 and Sensei of the Year Award at the 2002 and 2004 Chito-ryu National Banquets.

Kyoshi Valentino has also taught self-defense classes to the community and developed and helped institute a martial arts curriculum for high school students.

In addition to his martial arts skills, Kyoshi Valentino holds a Master’s Degree in Counselor Education and has served as a high school counselor for the past 25 years in the North Allegheny School District. He is also a former recipient of the North Hills Jaycees Outstanding Young Educator of the Year Award.

The video clip above is a preview from a DVD of applications he’s done for Sanchin, arguably the most important kata in the Ryusei/Chito-Ryu syllabus. To buy the DVD ($35.50 plus shipping), go to his dojo store.