Instructor

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Sensei Camillini:

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Young Sensei Camillini performing Yoko Geri

Patrizio Camillini was born on the 3rd of July, 1961 in a very small town called Urbino, in central Italy. He started training in Judo at the age of 3. He stopped Judo when he was 9, following his father, Agostino, he switched to Shotokan Karate.

Patrizio's first teacher was Lamberto Franca 3rd Dan. He trained 3 times a week at his father's dojo Yoshitaka Karate Club - Urbino. He also had another instructor, Pinto Renato with whom he trained twice a week for the regional competition squad. But his main Master and guide was, and still is Sensei Hiroshi Shirai. Shirai moved from Japan to Milan in 1966 to spread karate along with other Japanese Masters to Europe and still teaches in Italy today. In 1973 Patrizio received his green belt 6th Kyu. 1974 saw Patrizio rise up the belt ranking gaining purple 5th Kyu, purple 4th Kyu, brown 3rd Kyu and then brown 2nd Kyu. In 1975 he was awarded 1st Kyu Brown belt. All his Kyu grades were taken under Sensei Lamberto Franca teaching at Yoshitaka Karate Club - Urbino.

Sensei's successes in Italy.

In 1976 Patrizio reached the rank of black belt, 1st Dan, in Pesaro. He graded under 3 exceptional karate-ka; Senseis Shirari, Keinosuke Enoeda, Masoe Kawasoe (the latter two being based in the United Kingdom). He became the youngest black belt from in the Marche Region as he was just 15 years old when he was awarded 1st Dan. In 1982 he was awarded 2nd Dan in Pesaro with Senseis Shirai and Enoeda. He received 3rd Dan in Rome, in 1985, the grading examiner was Professor Peirluigi Aschieri, the current Italian team coach. With the same instructor and Sensei Ofelio Michelan he gained his 4th Dan in Genova, in 1989. Recently, in January 2008, Patrizio received 5th Dan in Cardiff with the Welsh Karate Governing Body grading examiners assessing him, including Sensei Chico Mbakwe.

He started teaching karate at the age of 14 as a brown belt when he used to assist his father with the beginner students. Patrizio and his father opened 9 different clubs in Italy where he taught until 2002. Then Patrizio moved to Swansea with his family and he opened his 10th school, Yoshitaka Karate Club - Swansea, because after over 30 years of training and teaching at Yoshitaka he could not leave the name behind in Italy.

Patrizio has represented his Italian Regional Team, Marche many times in competition, and he has competed at a national level since 1976, specialising in Kata. Patritzio's best ever result was 3rd place in both Kata and Kumite at the National Championships 1985 in Milan. His favourite Kata for competition were and still are Gangaku, Unsu and Kanku Sho. His competition success has continued as a coach, and his students have received many podium positions at a national level especially in Kumite.

These days Patrizio Camillini is running his own association, the USKW, United Schools of Karate Wales. He trains his students in traditional Karate, however also incorporates modern competition Kumite training techniques. But, as he is the first to admit, his real Karate passion lies with Kata and Kata Bunkai (applications). His enthusiasm for Kata is especially apparent during the Friday night Kata sessions, where Sensei will explain in more depth his wealth of knowledge of the intricate movements of the Shotokan forms and encourages students to understand the practical aspects of the moves they perform.

At the moment his club counts more than 60 young karate-ka between 6-12 years old and many adult members. The club meets 4 times a week for training, with separate junior and senior sessions. Since 9th January, 2008 the club has again grown, and so Sensei Camillini has opened Shotokan Karate classes at a larger venue, Sketty Primary School, Swansea. He hopes the club will continue to grow, and hopes his students enjoys practicing Karate as much as he does!

Sensei in Training in the Italian sun!