President of the N.A.M.K.A. Don Caponigro, 7th Dan Kyoshi

Don Caponigro is the president and founder of the North American Matsubayashi Ryu Karate-Do Association. Kyoshi Caponigro began his martial arts training in 1965 in the Japanese style of Koeikan Karate-Do in New Jersey under Ed Kaloudis and Ezo Onishi. He started his path in Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do in 1970 when he left New Jersey and moved to South Florida. Kyoshi Caponigro recieved his shodan (1st degree black belt) in Matsubayashi Ryu in 1977 and opened his first dojo in 1980. As a direct student of Master Takayoshi Nagamine and Hanshi Frank Grant, Kyoshi recieved all his dan ranks from either Grand Master Nagamine or Master Takayoshi Nagamine. When Kyoshi received 6th dan at the age of 39, it made him the youngest non-Okinawan to ever be promoted to that rank according to Master Nagamine. Kyoshi Caponigro has trained under many other notable Okinawan instructors from the ranks of Matsubayashi Ryu as well as instructors outside of Matsubayashi such as Shogo Kuniba, Teruo Hayashi and Fumio Demura. Kyoshi has also recieved extensive training in Judo and Kendo.

For the last 15 years Kyoshi has conducted clinics and seminars around the country for Matsubayashi Ryu dojos and associations as well as for schools of other styles and various police departments. As a result of these clinics, Kyoshi observed the lack of quality instruction and training that students and instructors were recieving. He decided to establish a place where quality instruction, philosophy, and traditional Matsubayashi Ryu Karate-Do could be taught without negative political agendas and where good hard training and study is the backbone. After 42 years of training and 29 years of teaching, Kyoshi has now established that place, the North American Matsubayashi Ryu Karate-Do Association.