CHIEF INSTRUCTOR
Salvatore Lopresti Sr.
Chief Instructor, 7th Dan
Born 1949
Began Training 1972
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CHIEF INSTRUCTOR Salvatore Lopresti Sr. |
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Mr. Salvatore Lopresti started training in Shotokan Karate in 1972 under Mr. Leslie Safar at the South Jersey Karate School. Mr. Lopresti received his Shodan in 1976 from ISKF and JKA Chief Instructor Teriyuki Okazaki Sensei and continued to train under Sensei Safar. In 1977 Mr. Lopresti attained the rank of Nidan and entered the ISKF and JKA instructors training program at the Philadelphia Karate Club of Okazaki Sensei. Mr. Lopresti received his Sandan in 1979 from Okazaki Sensei and continued his competition career which spanned from 1974 to 1986. He achieved his Yondan in 1982 from Okazaki Sensei and continued his training and study of the Arts and received his Godan in 1995 from Osamu Ozawa Sensei. In 1999, he received his Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt) from Sensei Vince Morris’ Kissaki Kai Karate Do. He was a former Assistant Technical Director of the AJKA. On July 23rd 2004, Hanshi Patrick McCarthy awarded Sensei Lopresti his 7th Dan.
His competitive career achievements included New Jersey State Champion in 1976, East Coast Kata and Kumite Champion 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1982 and he was a member of the East Coast Team Champions in 1980 and the Pan American Games National Team member in 1978. His career culminated in his winning the 1985 International Kata Championship at Long Island University in New York. His formal teaching career began in 1980 when he opened his own school in Cinnaminson, New Jersey and it has continued to the present. He has taught students through seminars in Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bermuda and throughout the United States. He was a member of the Traditional Karate International Technical Committee and Chief Instructor for Karate Club Shotokan in New Jersey. He has also been an instructor and professor for the Karate Instructor Program (KIP) offered by Scientific Karate Institute International Ltd. in affiliation with Long Island University School of Continuing Studies as well as the American Japanese Karate Association. He was awarded a Distinguished Instructor Award for the (KIP) program as well as an Outstanding Instructor Award. He is currently in the process of hosting the Karate Instructor Program offered by Scientific Karate Institute International Ltd. in affiliation with Long Island University School of Continuing Studies. He has conducted a two year instructor training program for 30 trainees for Kissaki-Kai Karate Do under Sensei Vince Morris of Nottingham, England. He is currently the Chief Instructor for the Shotokan Karate Jutsu Academy as well as consulting Chief Instructor for several Deleware Valley area karate schools.
In September of 2006 Sensei Lopresti was officially entered into the International Shotokan Karate Shihankai.
Note: Mr. Lopresti continues to instruct and train even though he received two artificial hip joints, in double hip replacement surgery in 1994 and double knee replacement surgery completed January 2008. He has been the keynote speaker for various nursing seminars regarding this comeback and his physical maintenance program.