User:Hockeygal4ever/Tom Callos

Tom Callos - Professional MMA Trainer
Tom Callos may be best known as the instructor who gave BJ Penn his first lessons in jiu jitsu at age 17. He also introduced Reagan Penn, BJ Penn's brother, to BJJ.

Coach Tom took his first martial arts lesson in 1969, at age 6, and earned his 6th degree black belt in taekwondo under Ernie Reyes, Sr. in 1999. Callos began studying Brazilian jiu-jitsu back in 1995 and started teaching/training UFC Champion BJ Penn in 1996.

Tom Callos is from Placerville, California but spends much time living with his family & working with the Penn Training Camp in Hilo, HI.

In 1971 Tom began the formal study of Taekwondo, earning his black belt under Master Teacher Lou Grasso in 1979. In 1980 he became a student of Master Ernie Reyes, Sr. and became a part of the West Coast Demo Team (a martial arts performance troupe). As a member of the team Tom worked in a number of the Reyes family’s TV and film projects, including the ABC TV Series “SideKicks,” the Disney program “Secret Bodygaurd,” and the films “Surf Ninja’s” and “Waterworld.”

In the 1980’s and early 90’s he owned and operated two martial arts school in Reno, Nevada. At the schools' peak, he maintained an enrollment of more than 800 students. His teaching methods gained him an international audience and the opportunity to champion programs involving peace education, environmental self-defense, anger management, non-violent conflict resolution, health education, and community activism.

In 2004, Callos began leading black belts through a one-year black belt testing program called The Ultimate Black Belt Test (UBBT).

In 2007 he co-founded a martial arts educational association called The New Way Network. In 2008 he collaborated with Dr. Tony Fiore to develop the first martial arts teacher Anger Management training program. In 2009 he co-founded a service for up-and-coming martial arts teachers called School Owner 101 and is currently working on  The Live Like a Champion Project with student and training partner, UFC Lightweight World Champion BJ Penn.

Tom currently lives with his wife, Kathleen Harris-Callos in Hilo, Hawaii. They have 4 children. They also, occasionally, run a martial arts training “bed and sometimes-breakfast” in their Hilo home (built in 1896) for students and friends in the martial arts community. , Tomcallos.com Website (reference, information used with approval of website owner)

Hockeygal4ever (talk) 17:14, 29 October 2009 (UTC) --Hockeygal4ever (talk) 08:29, 8 October 2009 (UTC)