Master Caputo first began teaching and working with children and adults
as a swim and water safety instructor at the age of sixteen. Through high
school and into college he expanded his teaching to include work with
adults, handicapped individuals and the Special Olympics. In 1989 he was
introduced to the martial arts, and soon chose to leave the University to
pursue a career as a professional martial arts instructor. He has helped
over two hundred students ranging in age from 9 to 62 receive their black
belts. He has worked extensively in the local schools, teaching character
development and confidence building through the martial arts. He has
spent over twenty years “in the field” helping children deal with the
difficulties of bullying, peer pressure, low self esteem, physical and metal
disabilities, as well as the day to day stresses faced by today’s children
and adults.
Master Caputo has studied extensively in areas such as communication,
personal achievement and motivation. His goal is to use the martial arts as
a catalyst to effect positive growth in students of all ages. To this end, he
created the “Off the Mat” program, contributed a chapter on bullying to the
book “Helping Boys Succeed in School” and is currently authoring a
second book dealing more fully with the topic of bullying.
Master Caputo and his wife Lisa live less than a mile from their school, and
consider their students part of an extended family, using the Dojo as a hub
of positive growth and development within the community.