Sparta pair passionate about karate
SPARTA — Ryan Beebe and Frank Cutrone have shared some similar paths in life. Both young men are graduates of Pope John XXIII high school, Beebe in 2013 and Cutrone in 2014. Beebe just completed his sophomore year at Lafayette College in Easton, PA and Cutrone finished his freshman at Fordham University in New York. Both young men are studying international politics and economics. They both are passionate about the importance that traditional Isshin-ryu karate has played in their lives.
Training since they were three-years old under Sensei Scott Klinger at East West Karate Academy in Sparta, these young men have made huge accomplishments in their short careers.
They are second degree black belts and are AAU karate champions both in New Jersey and at several National AAU championships over the last seven years. They both traveled with Sensei Klinger to Okinawa, Japan in 2008 to participate in an international training event where they met legendary karate Master Angi Uezu.
In 2013, Beebe was selected as a member of the U.S. National AAU team that competed at the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, and Cutrone was selected to the same national team in 2014 and traveled to the World Championships in Munich, Germany.
But despite all the awards and success, both men will tell you that karate requires hard work and continuous learning. So recently, they were honored when Sensei Klinger asked them to lead a training seminar on kumite, also known as sparring.
At this program, over 20 children, teens, and adults spent several hours with Beebe and Cutrone going over the core fundamental techniques that are required to compete at the state, national and international level.
“Ryan and Frank have consistently practiced the fundamental techniques of Isshin-ryu karate and have always set high expectations for themselves. They created a syllabus for this seminar based on their experience at the World Championships which was extremely well received by our students,” Klinger said.
For more information on East West Karate Academy contact Sensei Klinger at 973-940-8915 or visit www.eastwestkaratenj.com.