Val holds the rank of Godan (五段) Renshi (錬士) in Ryushin Shouchi Ryu. He began learning Muso Shinden Ryu at New York Budo Association in 2001 due to his interest in Japanese culture and military history. In 2005, Val had the privilege of meeting Yahagi sensei at a New York seminar where he witnessed the Sword techniques of Ryushin. He was so impressed with the undeniable speed and power with which they were performed that he was inspired to dedicate the rest of his life to this sword system. After many years of training and visits to Japan for personal instruction with Sensei, he was appointed Shido-in (指導員)- official instructor of the system; a tittle recognized by Japan honbu (home) dojo in 2018. Yahagi Sensei gave him the dojo name Ryu Yuu (柳勇) and after almost two decades of Training and teaching, he became the head instructor of Ryushin Shouchi Ryu at New York Budo Association. Because of Ryushin, he was able to travel all over the world, participating and performing at seminars where he met high level practitioners of Japanese martial arts. He regards this time as a great learning experience and cherishes the time and people he met along the way. In 2021, with the help of four of his closest dojo friends, he had the opportunity to start a new Japanese sword school in Queens. Val Sensei’s goal is to impart his knowledge and skill acquired over 17 years of training to his students as deeply and sincerely as possible. During his free time he enjoys architectural studies, world history, and discovering new Japanese sake to add to his collection.

Matthew Dolan currently holds the rank of Nidan (二段) in Ryushin Shouchi Ryu. He spent part of his childhood living in Tokyo Japan, which had a large impact on his life and led to his interest in Japanese sword. He began his training in Ryushin in late 2017 at New York Budo Association and became fascinated with this style of swordsmanship. As a lifelong musician, he came to appreciate the subtle details and exacting precision involved in the art with its subtle similarities. He believes the beauty and lethality that intertwine are unique to the iaijutsu that he studies. Apart from the demanding physical aspects of Ryushin, Matthew strives to better understand the mental focus required, which helps him in and outside of the dojo. In his free time, Matthew enjoys spending time with his lovely fiancé, playing his guitar and reading good books.

William Richardson was born in Manhattan New York, and soon after relocated to Alabama due to his parent's service in the United States Coastguard. At the age of six, he returned to New York where he has remained to this day. William's interest in Japanese Sword came from a chance viewing of a PBS documentary at the age of ten. Ever since, he has been fascinated with every aspect of the subject. He began his training in Ryushin Shouchi Ryu in 2018 at New York Budo Association, and currently holds the rank of Shodan (初段). William remains dedicated to solely practicing and perfecting his techniques in Ryushin on a daily basis. Outside of the dojo he enjoys reading Manga and has a vast and ever-growing collection of samurai movies.