USA Karate

Usa Karate History

TEAM USA Coach/ Sensei Christina Muccini

Being a fan of American Karate history, I have followed Tokey Hill, and his team my whole career. Arguably one of the greatest coaches to work with from TEAM USA is Coach Christina Muccini. Over the past weekend I was able to train with a new generation of faces from TEAM USA and I also saw some old friends who are not only dojo owners but brought this event together. I spent some time with Billy Finnegan who also Christina husband, and a University games world games silver medalist as well as an amazing father.

USA Karate National Team History

There has been Sport Karate in the 1970s through recent years and its so great to see previous champions helping the next generation do well. Christina Muccini is no joke, she has many tittles.  Most of her decorated tittles have been.

• 8 Time National Champion
• PKK Champion
• 2x PKF Silver Medalist
• Oan AM Games Bronze
• PKF Bronze
• 2 Time P{KF Bronze
• 4th Dan Black Belt Under Tokey Hill
• Team USA Coach
• Has Produced Several USA TEAM Karate Almost every year

It is without a doubt the reason why she has time and time again produced so many great champions. Even her husband Billy Finnegan who is also no push over when it comes to American WKF Karate. Billy, in his prime was one of the greatest champions of all time for the United States. Fghting some of the best in his days. Billy who now is a family man and is also a Police Office for Long Island. Billy and Christina definitely a greet couple always helping athletes becoming great. Billy always living a private life in Port Washington.

USA Karate Olympic Team

One of the coolest things about being a photographer, is documenting unique things in Karate history. As a Karate historian for the United States, when I am not teaching my classes, I am out shooting people lives and everyday things out in the world. There have been so may great champions all around the country with the Tokey Hill being one of them.

Christina Muccini Team USA Karate Coach

” Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity”

-TEAM USA Coach Christina Muccini

Its always a huge honor to work with Christina and her team. It was nice to be around amazing talented athletes who are the next generation of kids who are moving the organization. We need that. Coming from a strict Japanese Karate background myself its always good to see people train with TEAM USA.

 

Region 5 USA Karate Team Training

Christina really knows her stuff, from drilling to concepts to understanding the Karate game. I mean its not surprise she knows all this, considering she has developed and made so many champions over the years. When she is not doing realstate she back at it training the next best prospect for TEAM USA. Region 5 is a section of the United States assigned to her from the federation to host team training events as well as potential talent that can help karate athletes.

Cheryl Murphy Karate

Team USA Karate and a Decorated Champion of the United States

Shihan (Master )  Cheryl Murphy is one of United States Karate best in US History. She is a multiple time National Champion as well as USA Open Champion and multiple world medals.  She is arguably one of the best women’s fighters karate has ever produced. She is no average competitor, as she is one of the first African American women in the USA to be this successful and she is not a stranger to the Karate ring.

I guess set I am just a fan of Sport Karate history and everything that happens, I really do know most of the champions from the 1980w-Early 2000s. So to me, watching them teach and just acting like it was just a normal day made me kind of jealous that these kids got to train with some of the best trainers in the United States. I wish I had this growing up but I goes, time changes the new generation and I hope someday these kids appreciate these athletes they  are training with. I felt like I was in Disneyland if I was training with Cheryl and Christina.

Sensei Murphy was definably serious watching every movements, explain strategy, drills and how fakes work. Telling them how to commit during sparring and to lead the fight not follow it. The way she explained fighting was calm and confident as she expressed how to dominate the ring. Her connection to the mindset of athlete of an athlete in real time was evident.

” Train with with Intention. Everything you do you have to do with Intent” 

-Sensei Cheryl Murphy 

This is hands down on the best training camps I have seen in awhile with some great coaches who are always pushing and preparing the the next best match. Another one being Ashley Davis a former team USA Karate athlete.

Ashley Davis Team USA Karate

Ashely Davis is the newest edition to the TEAM USA Karate coaching staff.  She is a multiple time national champion and a team bronze bronze medalist and a PKF champion. She came from Corona Spain at the youth League Championships recently sharing many of the new rules and regulations. She went over rules interpretations and strategy.

She went over some great information and some concepts that athletes can face in the ring.

Christina Muccini Karate Methodologies and Mindset Training : The 4th Dimension Fighter

Muccini focuses on efficient body training and strength and conditioning and tactics that help the fighter improve for the long term. This is no surprise as being part of Team Tokey Hill, Hill being a advocate in  sport training and conditioning throughout his career to better the athletes over the years. Coach Muccini trained in classis American Karate always putting her sport at the top of its peak and relying on her strategies to constantly produce the best fighters for the USA.

Sensei Lorenzo Sandoval Photographer and School owners final thoughts. 

As a Fine Art photographer in Las Vegas and also teaching martial arts near Las Vegas, sometimes its nice to see my past life and watch as athletes from around the east coast make some good events and good practices. I am glad I got this photograph this amazing event and I hope TEAM USA has a great line up for the next group of athletes coming up.

-Lorenzo Sandoval

Ageless Martial Arts