AJJF Board of Professors

Senior Professor Tom Ball, Judan, began jujitsu in 1957 with Bud Odom and received his shodan in 1958 from Prof Bud Estes. In 1964 as a yodan, he taught at U.C. Davis where He and his wife, Jan, founded the Davis Ju-Do Kai, the first martial art dojo at the university since WWII. Hundreds of students from around the world studied with them during the years 1964 to 1973. 

Prof Ball is currently sensei of the Shingi Kan and has retired from teaching high school. He and his wife, Jan, have operated Camp Kodenkan North at their Sis-Q Ranch Camp in Northern California since 1974. Prof Ball helped establish the AJJF’s Restorative Massage Program, now known as the Danzan Ryu Seifukujitsu Institute (DZRSI).  He recently retired from the DZRSI Standards Committee after serving for 26 years.  

He is a past  president and CEO of the AJJF, and on September 17, 2009, Professor Tom Ball was named Senior Professor by the AJJF Board of Professors. As the Sr. Professor, he was responsible for the concept of, and guiding the progress of the Okuden Project.  He also suggested the institution of the Senior Instructor program which gives opportunities for advanced ranks to train and teach.

Professor John Congistre, began his martial arts training in 1952 with Professor Ray Law in Oakland, California and practiced there until the dojo closed in 1969. Professor Congistre has studied and competed in sport judo, earning a sandan rank. His martial arts training includes: sport judo, karate, kendo, and massage. His education includes a BS from the University of California Berkeley, and an MS from the University of Santa Clara. Professor Congistre is employed as a Senior Design Engineer and is a retired Lt. Col. in the Air Force Reserves. John is married, is the father of two, and a grandfather of three wonderful girls. Professor Congistre spends his spare time teaching martial arts, traveling, judging kata tournaments, skiing, hiking, biking and enjoying his family. He is currently the Treasurer of the AJJF. The Shoshin Ryu Yudanshakai recognized Professor Congistre’s kudan degree and have made him a life member.

Professor Robert C. Hudson is currently a Judan (10th degree black belt) in Danzan Ryu JuJitsu with the American Judo and JuJitsu Federation (AJJF). He also holds the distinct title of Shihan from Professor Sig Kufferath’s Okugi class – a seminar taught by Professor Henry Okazaki to Professor Kufferath and others in the Islands. In 2003 Professor Tony Janovich, in keeping with the tradition of the Okugi class, ran the next Okugi class and asked Professor Hudson to co-teach certain aspects of the seminar with him. In March of 2002, Prof Hudson was given an Award of Excellence and the rank of Shichidan (7th degree black belt) by Professor Ramon Lono Ancho, headmaster of Kodenkan Hombu, Costa Rica. Prof Ancho was a direct student of Professor Okazaki. Prof Hudson is a sifu, or instructor, of Wing Chun Kung Fu and has done extensive study in the Chinese internal Martial Arts such as Chi Gong and I Chuan. Prof Hudson is a founding member of the AJJF Restorative Massage Program (now known as the Danzan Ryu Seifukujitsu Institute) and is the Director of Technical Standards.

Professor Geoff Lane started his athletic career at the age of 10, swimming AAU, which he continued through High School.  Swimming led to water polo, which he played in high school and college, and learned some of his first combat techniques, though they were all underwater… Between swimming and water polo season Geoff wrestled for 5 years.  After moving to Chico, Geoff discovered the art of Dan Zan Ryu Jujitsu in 1975 and never looked back. Geoff was lucky enough to train with Senior Professor Lamar Fisher as well as Prof Fisher’s Sensei, Professor Merlin “Bud” Estes. Geoff has also trained in Wu style Tai Chi, off and on, since 1977 with Linyi Maslin, daughter of Grand Master Young Wabu.  Geoff is currently the President of the AJJF.

Professor Don Cross, began his Jujitsu career in 1957 when he became a student with Professor Ray L. Law in Oakland, California. Prof. Law was a direct disciple of Prof. Henry S. Okazaki, the Founder of Danzan Ryu, and one of the four founders of The American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. Over the next few years he raised through the ranks to become an assistant instructor in Prof. Law’s unique children’s classes, and adult classes. At least once a month throughout his training he entered both judo randori and jujitsu kata tournaments throughout California and Nevada. He frequently competed against students of Prof. John Cahill, another disciple of Prof. Okazaki. At Law’s dojo he also studied Kenpo with Jim Shear, Shotokan with David Love, and T’ai Chi Chuan with Albert Soo. An important aspect of Don’s training with Prof. Law was in Seifukujitsu and the healing arts of DZR. In 1964, at the age of 16, Prof. Law promoted him to Black Belt, and later to Nidan, the Instructor’s Degree Black Belt. He continued his training with Prof. Law until his teacher died in 1969.

Professor Tom Ryan,  began his martial arts career in the early 1970s while in the U.S. Army. He has studied Tae Kwon Do, boxing, wrestling, Kodokan Judo, Wing-Chun, Kyusho Jitsu, Improvised Combat Systems, Kuntao, Shitoyoshin Ryu Jujitsu and Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. He has been training with Professor Robert Hudson since 1985. He received the title of Renshi from Professor Kufferath in 1993. He is a godan with Kodenkan Hombu and received his Certified Menkyo Senior Master Instructor Diploma from Professor Ramon Lono Ancho, Jr. One of his many awards was the 1999 JiuJitsu Instructor of the Year by the American Budokai Society. Prof Ryan is the chief instructor at Palmetto Jujitsu Academy & Healing Arts Center, Inc., in Lexington, SC. He is Division 3 Manager for the AJJF, a full instructor of Danzan Ryu Theraputic Massage, and teaches in two area massage schools. Prof Ryan is the state representative for the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia and is actively involved with the South Carolina State Massage Board.

Professor Dennis Estes, holds a black belt in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu that is recognized by both the American Judo and Jujitsu Federation and the Kodenkan Yudanshakai, as well as a black belt in Daito Ryu AikiJutsu. Prof. Estes began training in 1959, at the age of six years old. He and his father Art Estes began training with Jay Monahan in Pullman, Washington. Monahan Sensei trained in both Kodokan Judo and Shudokan Karate while in Japan and later in the San Francisco Bay area in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu under Prof. Ray Law. While a teenager, Dennis assisted his father (who was his sensei) in teaching classes at Southwestern Oregon Community College as well as in the dojo. When Art Estes, his father, was injured in an industrial accident Dennis covered both the PE and Law Enforcement Classes at SWOCC as well as classes at the Dojo. After graduating from High School, he went into the United States Air Force. While in the states, he trained in Judo and he trained in Thai boxing while in Thailand.  Dennis is certified in both Utah and Idaho as a Police Instructor, and while in Idaho he taught at the Police Academy. Dennis has taught both basic recruit and in service classes.

Professor Larry Nolte, began training in 1958 with Prof Tom Ball. In Sept. of 1960, he was awarded his shodan by Prof Bud Estes and Prof Tom Ball during the opening of the Medford Judo Academy. He became sensei of the Medford Judo Academy in 1962. Prof Nolte coached wrestling at the high school and junior high levels for more than 30 years. His martial arts training includes sport judo, jujitsu, karate and Okazaki massage. Prof Nolte continues to substitute in the public schools having retired with 35 years of service. The Medford Judo Academy is the oldest AJJF club in continuous operation, and has been in the same location since its inception. More than 40 of his students have been promoted to shodan or higher degrees. Professor Nolte graduated from the 2003 Okugi course taught by Professor Janovich, where he received a Kaidensho and teaching title of Shihan.

Professor Sheryl Hager, has been a student of Danzan Ryu for over 30 years, beginning her training with her mother and father, Jim and Jane Dean, in May 1966 at the Redding Jujitsu Academy. Prof Hager has studied a wide range of other martial arts including: Parker’s Kenpo, Tai Chi, and Shotokan Karate. She formed the Hale O Lima Kokua Martial Arts Center in Sacramento in 1980 and continues to instruct special classes there. Prof Hager is a Certified Massage Technician in the art of Seifukujitsu, has served as an assistant instructor for the AJJF Massage Program and maintains her own massage clinic at the RJA.

Professor Tom Hill, has studied Danzan Ryu Jujitsu since 1971. In 1982 he opened his dojo, Shumpukan, in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania and continues to practice martial arts four days a week. He also holds the rank of sandan in kendo with the All American Kendo Association and the rank of sandan in Iaido in the Meshin Muso Ryu style. He was Region IV Treasurer for several years and Public Relations Manager with the Board of Managers.

Professor Robert Hodgkin, began studying Jujitsu in 1982 under the instruction of Professor Gene Edwards at his dojo in Calistoga, California. Robert then moved to Provo, Utah, in 1984 and joined the Lehi Dojo under the instruction of then Sensei Dennis Estes. Robert today runs Bushido Jutsu Kan in American Fork, Utah.

Professor Kevin Colton has been studying Danzan Ryu Jujitsu for over 50 years. He began his training, at the age of ten, with the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation, under Sensei Joe Burlin at the Pacific Palisades YMCA in l966. He has also studied with Professor Bill Randle at the Westside YMCA, received his AJJF shodan from Professor James Marcinkus in l976, trained under Sensei John Quijano with the Southern California Jujitsu Association and Professor Mike Chubb with Shoshin Ryu Yudanshakai. Kevin started teaching for the Santa Monica Parks and Recreation Center at the age of 15. He assisted in instruction at Penmar Judokai and the Westside YMCA until taking over Granada Hills Jujitsu Kai 1983. Kevin opened his current dojo, Santa Clarita Valley School of Jujitsu, in l993 where he has promoted 47 students to the rank of shodan. Coming full circle in 1993, Kevin returned to the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation with Professor Tom Ball as his sensei. Kevin currently holds the rank of Rokudan.

Professor Troy Shehorn, has been studying Jujitsu for more than 35 years, beginning in about 1976 with Professor Nolte at the Medford Judo Academy. He is also a licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Oregon and a graduate of the AJJF Massage Course.

Professor Martin Brzykcy, has been involved with martial arts for the past 27 years. He currently holds the rank of rokudan in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu. Additionally, Marty holds Dan ranks in Aikido and Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu. He has operated Mushinkan Jujutsu in South Buffalo for the past 10 years.

Professor Hillary Kaplowitz is Sensei of Pacific JuJitsu Kai and has been teaching in the Los Angeles area since 2000. Prof Kaplowitz began their training in 1977 in the youth program at the Santa Monica YMCA under Sensei Jim Nieto, where they also competed on the Judo team. After a hiatus, they went on to train under a number of Sensei including Mike Lynch and Ed Cook, receiving the rank of black belt in 1998 from Professors William Randle and Leif Bennett. Prof Kaplowitz then began studying under Professor Robert Hudson in 2000. They received the title of Kyoshi from their Sensei in 2008 and attended the 2013 Okugi with him, receiving a Shihan Kaidensho from Professor Tony Janovich. In 2017, they received their Professorship from the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation (AJJF). Prof Kaplowitz is an instructor in the Danzan Ryu Seifukujitsu Institute and has served various volunteer leadership positions in the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation – currently a member of the Board of Professors and Executive Committee. One of Prof Kaplowitz’s interests is in the iron fan techniques of Danzan Ryu and has published a book on the subject, Tessenjutsu. In addition, Prof Kaplowitz is a professional educator and has a PhD in instructional design and technology.

Professor Nerissa Freeman began studying Danzan Ryu Jujutsu in 1990 with Cynthia Frueh Sensei.  She earned the rank of shodan in 1995 and went on to study other martial arts, including judo, western boxing, pentjak silat ratu adil, and muay thai. Currently, she studies Toyama Ryu Battodo under Mike Esmailzadeh Sensei. In 2012, she founded and is the current school head of Wasenshi Kan Martial & Healing Arts in Roseville, California. Her training has also included the healing arts. She has been a licensed physical therapist since 1997 and is also a Certified Massage Therapist. She has completed Advanced Training in Danzan Ryu Restorative Therapy and is also a graduate of the Basic Level of the Original Okazaki Restoration Massage under Keith Okazaki Sensei. She has hosted or co-hosted many AJJF events and has volunteered in various administrative roles within the AJJF continuously since 1998. She is currently serving on the Danzan Ryu Seifukujitsu Standards Committee. The emphasis on personal growth, service to others and the community, as well as the many lifelong friendships she has made are have what kept her in the martial and healing arts. She is guided in her Danzan Ryu Jujutsu studies by her current sensei, Professor Sheryl Hager, school head of the Redding Jujitsu Academy.

Professor Delina Fuchs has trained consistently in Danzan Ryu Jujitsu (DZR) since 1978; Aikido, Iaido, and Jojitsu each since the 80’s; and holds a Rokudan in DZR and a Shodan in Nishio Ryu Toho Iaido. She is Dojo Cho of one of the oldest dojo in DZR, Chico Kodenkan (formerly the Chico Judo & Jujitsu Acadamy), and received her black belt from Prof. “Bud” Estes’ student and inheritor of Chico Kodenkan, Richard Radcliffe. She has also had the privilege of training under instructors who have reached pinnacles of their art: Prof’s Bud Estes and Jane Carr, both Judan, DZR; Iaido and Hojojutsu: Dara Masi, Menkyo Kaiden Shihan San Dai Kichu; Prof. Mike Esmailzadeh, Aikido; Prof. (Sifu) Robert Hudson, Qigong and Seifukujutsu; and master acupuncturist and author, Michael Turk L.Ac. 

An educator by profession, Prof. Fuchs has been a college English professor since 2000, earning her Bachelors’degree in Physical Education and Masters in English from CSU, Chico. A lifetime student of the martial and healing arts and a successful massage therapist since 1987, Prof. Fuchs has completed Mod’s 1-3 of the AJJF’s Danzan Ryu Seifukujutsu Institute’s healing arts program as well as serving as an instructor of DZRRT at the Makoto Kai Healing Arts for seven years. 

Prof. Fuchs has also served the AJJF as National Manager of Events from 2013-2022 and the Counsel of Senior Instructors (CSI) from 2003-4.  She has hosted (or co-hosted) three National Conventions: 2010, 2014, and 2022; co-hosted Brown Belt Weekend in Chico since 1996 and Camp Kodenkan North for four years. 

Prof’s life goals include the perpetuation of our complete DZR system of both martial and healing arts techniques and principles through her students; her dojo, Chico Kodenkan; the AJJF and DZR Ohana; and the many organizations and clinics in which she is invited to teach every year. 

“The dojo is a microcosm of martial and healing practice wherein we train to master the macrocosm of life outside the dojo.”

Professor Ward Melenich began studying fighting arts in 7th grade when he began wrestling. He wrestled through high school and college. In 1986, he began DZR with Sensei Gene Esala in Duluth, MN. He started the Kuroinukan in 1987 and was later joined by now Professor Sohn Wehseler (Rokudan). Ward is a student of Professor Patrick Browne. Ward started judo classes with Sensei Roger Jensen in 1990, received his Shodan in 1999. He took over the Duluth Judo Club that year to continue its 50 year tradition. Ward and his wonderful wife, Kathryn, will continue to host Camp Kodenkan Midwest in August.

Professor Tim Merrill began studying DanZan Ryu in 1976 with Senseis Jim Tobias and Jo Ann Watson at the Lab in Livermore.  Their dojo, Yoshin Jitsu Kai, soon moved to downtown Livermore where it remains today.  Sensei David Gordon presented Tim with his Shodan in 1984.  Tim took over from Dave and ran the dojo from 1986 to 1995.  In 1995 Tim started a new dojo, Chiku Shin Dojo, in Concord.  Tim was certified in the first AJJF Okazaki Restorative Massage Class and completed Module 2 in 2007.  Professor Robert Hudson presented Tim with his AJJF Yodan in 2003, his AJJF Godan in 2009, and his AJJF Rokudan in 2014.  He has been a member of the CSI since 2005.  He worked as an engineer for a couple of decades, spent a bit over a decade as a high school science and math teacher, and retired in 2005.  Chiku Shin Dojo is now at Tim and Joanie’s home in Pleasant Hill, CA.

Professor Scott Redden began his martial arts career at the age of seven at the (then) Redding Judo Academy under the late Professor Jane Carr (then Sensei Jane Smith). Seven years later, family issues led to a ten year break in the arts, and when he returned to his training at the age of twenty-four, the RJA had been renamed the Redding Jujitsu Academy. 

During this period, there were many parallels between his jujitsu and family life. Prof. Redden earned his Shodan in March of 1995 followed by his first child five months later. Then in 1998, his second child was born, followed by his Nidan four months later in September. Twenty years after his Shodan, Scott Redden would be promoted to Rokudan on March 14, 2015. And, he received the title of Professor on his twenty-eighth wedding anniversary, April 9, 2022. 

Professor Redden also completed Module 1 of the Danzan Ryu Restorative Therapy (DZRRT) through the AJJF’s Seifukujutsu, Healing Arts program in 1995. In the years to follow, he has served the AJJF Operations Committee as Chair of Clinics and Contests as well as a fourteen-year term on the AJJF Council of Senior Instructors (CSI). During his years of service, he helped to create the Demonstration Competition Rules, the Grant Application Form, and was also instrumental in updated and re-distributing the Sensei Manual originally written by Professor Jane Carr. In the years following his Yodan and title of Senior Instructor, Prof. Redden has been consistently teaching at clinics and National Conventions as well as the Redding Jujitsu Academy. 

Professor Redden also trains in other arts; he is a student of Judo, holding the rank of Ikkyu in the United States Judo Federation, and can be found at the RJA regularly training and teaching American Practical Arnis, in which he holds a Seventh Degree Black Belt.

Professor Sohn Wehseler began training in Dan Zan Ryu in 1985 under Sensei Gene Esala, at the Hayashi No Dojo in Duluth, MN.  With Gene’s introduction to Professor Pat Brown, he began attending Camp Kodenkan Midwest in 1987.  Supplementing jujitsu, fellow student Ward Melenich introduced Sohn to Kodenkan Judo under the instruction of Roger Jensen.  During the 90s he also trained in Tai Chi for several years with instruction from Richard Tosseland.  Sohn is a graduate of the Mod 1 Seifukujitsu Massage Program.

As a co-sensei with Professor Ward Melenich at the Kuroinukan, Sohn continues to teach adults and run a junior judo program as part of the Duluth Judo Club.

Sohn worked as a licensed electrician in the State of Minnesota for over 30 years before taking a job with the City of Duluth as a Housing Inspector.  He is now a City of Duluth Property and Solid Waste Compliance Officer.

Sohn is happily married with two wonderful daughters.  He enjoys teaching, his family, and helping others.

Judan – 10th degree blackbelt

Judan – 10th degree blackbelt

Shichidan – 7th degree blackbelt