Aikido of Red Bank

Joe Vella, Shodan (1st degree black belt)

Joe Vella
Joe started training in Aikido June of 1996 in Tinton Falls with Rick Stickles and Skip Chapman. He served as an assistant wrestling coach at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft before retiring upon the team's winning a state championship. While on hiatus from Aikido training, Joe trained in JuJitsu where he attained the rank of Nidan in 2012 from Frank D'Angelo. He returned to Aikido and went on to receive his Shodan in 2019 at the NY Aikikai under Yamada Shihan. Joe has a Masters Degree in education, retired from teaching the blind on October 1, 2021, has an FCC radio license, KA2MAT, has certification since 2002 in the "Handle With Care" Behavior Management System, and enjoys telling corny jokes (sometimes on the mat).