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Born:
1933
Teacher:
Peter Urban
Style:
USA Goju
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Sensei Liquori started working as a police officer for the Orlando Police Department in November of 1958. Volunteers were asked to be physical training instructors for the Orlando police officers at the J.C. Stone Police Academy. Sensei Liquori volunteered for this opportunity. Thereafter, he started training in Judo. After receiving his brown belt in Judo he decided to switch to Karate thinking that it might be better suited for police training. Sensei Liquori chose to train with Master Peter Urban in New York City. Master Urban had instructed police officers in New York, and Sensei Liquori, being from New York, had relatives he could stay with while training. The Orlando Police Department sent Sensei Liquori to New York annually for several years, and he also used his personal vacation time to go train with Master Urban at the Chinatown Dojo.
Sensei Liquori trained with some of Master Urban's top students, such as Thomas Boddie, Al Gotay, Edward Doyle, and Ron Van Clief. He also trained with other black belts in Florida like Mike Foster of Yoshukai. Through the years Master Urban also came to Florida and held seminars at Sensei Liquori's dojo on Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando.
Master Urban encouraged Sensei Liquori (as he did all his high ranking black belts) to start his own organization; therefore Liquori started the USA Goju Organization. Sensei Liquori received rank promotions from Master Urban up to the rank of Judan (10th degree), but never acknowledged it, citing there could only be one Judan in the system (Master Urban). Sensei Liquori told his students of this matter one night at the end of class in 1982, and ended by saying that when Master Urban passes away he just might acknowledge the rank, but not until then. Since the passing of Master Peter Urban in April of 2004, Sensei Liquori finally decided to acknowledge his rank of Judan in December of 2005 at the annual USA Goju Organization Christmas party.
Over the years, Sensei Liquori has trained countless students, among them many highly qualified and well respected black belts, such as Kyle Sonnabend, Gene Frye, Oren Smith, Renee Smith, Larry Mabson, Ken Batts, Emory Cross, David Swinson, Bill Bush, Mike Bell, and Linda Liquori. Sensei Liquori also had black belts from other styles train with him like Herbie Thompson and Alan Watson of Nisei Goju. Although Sensei Liquori no longer teaches regularly he continues to be the head of the organization along with holding seminars and attending U.S.A. Goju Organizational functions.
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