New European Apprentice Instructors in Italy New European Apprentice Instructors in Italy After a lot of corresponding and networking, along with the recent seminar held in Milan this year I have decided to unify with a like minded group in Italy, known as M.E.T.A as a means to both introduce the concept of Modern Combatives training into Italy and to open the door to Europe for my own Association here. Our intention is to hold several instructional seminars a year in Milan, Venice and Rome. Such events will be advertised in the European magazine BUDO International and are open to all who wish to attend and our next seminar is scheduled for early February in Venice. In addition to these regular seminars there will be additional instructor classes for Fernando and Massimiliano from Milan, these two guys are the founder members of the Italian Self-Protection group M.E.T.A. Fernando and Massimiliano are experienced guys whose backgrounds include training and study, in Western boxing, Jujitsu, Wing Chun, JKD (under Paul Vunak), Kravmaga, Kapap, and Italian Nova Scrima among others. M.E.T.A is made up of a group of guys who have been researching and studying a variety of Combatives material the likes of; Kelly McCann, Cestari Senshido, Bill Kipp, Sammy Franco, Geoff Thompson, myself and many more RBSD instructors with the intention of forming a Combatives movement in Italy. At present M.E.T.A has a group of guys in Venice, Milan and Rome who group together to practice and study the results of their research. The idea is to create regular instruction within the M.E.T.A group, via the arrangement of seminars in Italy with some of the respected instructors within the field of Modern Combatives. As I said before, the goal of the M.E.T.A group is to introduce the Italian public to Combatives as there are a huge number of people in Italy at present who practice both traditional martial arts and MMA, but it is felt that RBSD and Combatives training is little known; apart from a few respected instructors dotted about here and there. Together we are aiming to change that and therefore open up the floodgate to Europe for this kind of training. The aim is to give Italy exposure to some of the best instructors within our field. I am more than happy to be a part of that. Fernando and Massimiliano have the intention of becoming instructors under me and will eventually go on to represent Urban Combatives in Italy. The plan is for me to come and teach 3 times a year rotating at all 3 locations as these two very experienced individuals are pending instructorship. Make no mistake making these two very worthy guys instructors, will not be taken lightly by them or me. They both have extreme potential that I aim to cultivate and the result will provide two instructors that most instructors in my position, would be truly proud of. Under no circumstances do I expect Fernando and Massimiliano to simply regurgitate what I teach them, yes they will learn the Urban Combatives curriculum in its entirety but I will encourage them to integrate it with their own vast experience and to look in other places for similar functionality. Apprentice Urban Combatives instructors & Italian Representatives Fernando Frattesi and Massimiliano Passalacqua Quote from M.E.T.A ‘’This is the Law; The purpose of fighting is to Win; There is no possible victory in defence; The sword is more important than the shield; And skill is more important than either; The final weapon is the Brain; All else is supplemental.’’