Hilton J. Siegfried
4th Degree Black Belt

Sensei Hilton Siegfried began training in January of 1977 at the Red Dragon Karate School in Easton, PA, under Alick Smith III, 8th Dan, who was under his father, Grand Master Al Smith, 10th Dan (retired). He teaches in the style of Shorin-Ryu .

Grand Master Al Smith (Shihan) had trained under many instructors that helped him to develop his own unique application of karate. His first instructor was Grand Master Louis Casamassas where he studied Chinese Kenpo. Grand Master Casamassas is the owner and head instructor of the Red Dragon Schools in and around Los Angeles, California. Shihan also studied with Sifu Guy Sivelli where he learned Kung-fu and Aikido. Sensei Robert Peters instructed Shihan in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu. His unique combination of study had helped him create the Red Dragon School in Easton, PA.

Sensei began working out with Sensei Alick Smith III on Wednesday nights in 1977. After 2 years, he began training with Grand Master Smith four nights per week. At Green Belt, he began assisting Sensei Alick Smith with the newly formed Kids Class. The Kids’ Classes ran on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:45. It was here that Sensei learned to become a teacher and his love of working with the kids began. In November of 1982, Sensei received his 1st Degree Black Belt from Grand Master Al Smith directly from the hands of Grand Master Louis Casamassas when he was visiting Shihan Al Smith.

Sensei began his own school in Riegelsville in 1988 in his home with 3 students then known as Upper Bucks Martial Arts Center. Sho-ho Glenn Stanley was one of the original three students and is still with Sensei and is a New Jersey State Trooper. The main idea of the school was to teach on Saturdays to give students an alternative to watching cartoons on Saturday mornings. To this day, during the school year, classes are still held only on Saturdays. According to Sensei, it is important that kids have time to do their school work, attend other activities and still have some time for their families.

When Sensei moved to Coopersburg, within a year, he opened the Coopersburg Karate Academy in 1993. Since then, the school has continued to grow and now has over 85 active students attending classes. Sensei is currently holding a 4th Degree Black Belt (Yo Dan). Sensei’s closest friends in the martial arts are Master David Sames of Bethlehem Karate Academy, Master Frank Shepherd of the Red Dragon School in Easton and Master Alick Smith III of the Nazareth Karate Academy. Master Jim Lapchack was Shihan Smith’s first Black Belt and we consider him a friend to Coopersburg Karate Academy as well. There are many other fellow Black Belts in the area that we also acknowledge as friends to CKA.