PHOTO ALBUM

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some pictures that include many of the most renowned martial artists in the world.  THIS PAGE WAS LAST UPDATED JULY 2008.  ADDL. PHOTO'S WILL BE ADDED AS TIME & SPACE PERMIT.

EARLY TRAINING 1960's

PICTURES (L-R):  #1 & 2:  While attending Albany State Univ. Sensei Campos found some willing Uke's and he practiced in the dorm.  This is 1966-67.  Notice the roundhouse over the table and the short Gi pants.  He had already had training in Judo & Karate starting in 1959 but had only officially earned the rank of 5th Kup in TKD.  #3:  Sensei Campos started teaching school in Sept. 1968.  He had already begun training with Sensei Les Mayo and was also taking a Judo again with Ron McDuffee, who was just out of the Air Force.  Unfortunately, the Judo class ran for only a few months.  Can you find Sensei?

FIRST MARTIAL ARTS CLASS IN FULTON COUNTY

By 1969 Sensei Campos had earned 1st Kyu Brown Belt under Sensei Mayo - no easy task!!!  Notice the taped up ankle and glasses.  Campos established the first Karate Program at Fulton-Montgomery Comm. College, Johnstown, NY in 1969.   Sensei Mayo came to the college once a week and Campos taught the other night.  In 1970 Sensei Mayo promoted Campos to 1st Dan and moved to California.  Unfortunately we recently learned that he passed away at the relatively young age of sixty-one.

Circa 1972 at FMCC:  (R) Sensei Campos in the process of landing after executing a flying side kick and (L) fully extended executing a flying front kick.  He was 28 years old and had no trouble getting air and getting his kicks over six feet high.  Ah...to be so young again!!!

THE FIRST DOJO IN FULTON/MONTGOMERY/HAMILTON COUNTY, NY

After instructing at the college for a few years Sensei Campos decided to open a dojo in order to expand his schedule and offer the opportunity for people to get more intense and in-depth training.  The dojo was located at 12 W. Main. St. in Johnstown, NY.  It opened on March 1, 1974 and he taught at that location until July 1, 2004 when it was turned over to his senior Johnstown instructors, Bob & Bonnie Streeter.  They relocated the dojo to 490 N. Perry St., Johnstown in July 2007.  Here are a few pictures recently sent by Tom Greco, one of our black belts from those early days.  Everyone in these photo's began training at the ZDK while in H.S. (except Tom Greco) and all eventually achieved black belt rank:

PICTURES (L-R):  1)  Tom Greco (Marine Vet) executing a ridge hand break at a demo.  Steve Holden holding & Sensei Campos in background;  2) Craig Corato doing kata at the demo.  Craig was the first local competitor to be rated nationally in Black Belt magazine.  He founded the Cobleskill, NY ZDK which is still in operation;  3)  Vinnie Rizzio doing a wheelkick using Rick Bowne as his victim;  4)  Tom Greco demo-ing a sidekick with Ed Taglialatela;  5)  Tom Greco on the receiving end of Rick Bowne's front thrust kick;  6)  Steve Holden abusing Rick Bowne.  That seemed to happen a lot!!!

COMPETITION

Sensei Campos retired from competition in 1996 after winning 1st place in Kata at the Herkimer Karate Tournament run by Tom & Dana Arcuri.  This picture is of him with the two first place and two Grand Champion trophies he won for Form & Sparring at the 1986 Thousand Island Karate Championships.

Johnstown, NY students Hiro Sasada from Japan, Mr. Campos, Cara Nielson, Arni Arnesson from Iceland, back at the dojo after competing at a local tournament.

Sensei Campos at various events.  He competed in Kata, Weapons, & Sparring from the age of thirty until he was 52.  He won approx. 100 trophies and never walked away from an event with less than a 2nd place award after becoming a "senior" competitor.  He competed in Texas, Ohio, NYC, & the upstate NY region.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING 

Sensei Campos after a seminar with Master Fumio Demura in the 1980's.  This was taken at the seminar he did on ZDK Banquet Weekend.  Sensei Demura also participated in our demonstration on Friday evening at half-time during the Colonials Semipro Football Team.  Sensei Demura did all the fight scenes for Pat Morita in the original Karate Kid movie.

Grandmaster Wally Jay, Sensei Campos, & Guro Remy Preses (deceased) at the Boston Small Circle Jujitsu camp in 1991. Sensei came to learn and sweat!

Back row:  Ed Melaugh, Small Circle Jujitsu; George Mattson, Uechi-Ryu Karate;George Dillman; Remy Preses; Leon Jay (Wally Jay's son); and Evan Pantanzi.  Sensei Campos kneeling.  Taken at a Small Circle Jujitsu Camp in Boston, MA in Nov. '99.

SUPER SUMMERS SEMINARS

The very first Super Summer Seminars was held at the Lake Placid Club in Lake Placid, NY in 1983.

First SSS Camp (L-R):  Sensei Al Cannella, one of the first martial arts instructors in the Albany, NY area, Master Hidy Ochiai, our first "Special" guest instructor, Sensei Campos.  We had approx. 95 participants and staff.

Sensei Campos with world famous Kathy Long at Super Summer Seminars Martial Arts Camp.  She was a Special Guest Instructor.  One tough lady!!!!

Francis Fong with Sensei Campos at Super Summer Seminars camp.  He was a Special Guest Instructor.

TEACHING INTERNATIONALLY

Sensei Campos has instructed in Canada, Peru (SA), Greece, & New Zealand.

Campos, Michael Kossivakis, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace in Athens, Greece.  Sensei Campos did several Self-Defense Seminars in April '94.  Traveling with BW was interesting!  

Bill Wallace and Campos outside the Acropolis in Athens, Greece in 1994. They were able to do a little sight-seeing.  Bill stuck to his hamburger diet, while Campos enjoyed the Greek food.

Jean Frenette, Black Belt Hall of Fame member, with Campos in Greece in 1995.  This was the second trip to Greece to teach self-defense.

HALL OF FAME AWARD

Campos with Prof. Nick Cerio (deceased) in 1991 at the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame induction in Cleveland, OH.  Master Cerio was a renowned Kenpo instructor.

Campos with Wally Jay at his 1991 induction into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame.  Professor Jay nominated him for the award.

CHUCK NORRIS

Sensei Campos, Chuck Norris, and Amy Campos at Mr. Norris' house in Dallas, TX.  Sensei Campos was invited to meet Mr. Norris and recognized for leading the ZDK effort to raise funds for his KDOA (now KickStart) foundation.

Campos, Norris, & Bob Gifford, senior ranking ZDK member at his Safety America dojo in Sugar Land, TX.  Mr. Norris came to recognize the ZDK for reaching the $175,000 donation level.  We have surpassed $200,000 as of July 2008 thanks to Mr. Gifford's continued support of the program.

On our visit to Mr. Norris Dallas, TX home (L-R):  Amy Campos, world famous fighter, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, Bob Gifford, Norris, Sensei Campos, Sue Jackson, Bill Hickl, & Paul Obmaces.

 THE OLD DAYS AT THE NORTHERN NY ZDK

In the mid/late 1970's Mr. Gifford est. one of the first satellite clubs in the ZDK (Cobleskill under Craig Corato was est. in the same time period).  After Mr. Gifford left for warmer climes, Mr. Kirch took over and developed the N-NY ZDK group in Ogdensburg, NY.  Mr. Perry was kind enough to send me the two pictures below. 

PICTURES (L-R):  #1) They must not have had a table to use so they used Ron Brown to cut the water melon!!!  That's Vince Perry cutting and Lisa Caswell-Guccione just off his left shoulder.  #2) Vince Perry failed to get his pilot's license but he could fly - nice hair!!!  That is Joel Kirch in the black gi top and brown belt.  Sorry we do not have dates for either picture.