THE SHO-REI-SHOBU-KAN BUDO ORGANIZATION

The Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Budo Organization was founded on 1 October 1972 by John Roseberry Shihan for the purpose of maintaining and teaching the art of Karate-do. The Organization was expanded on 1 January 1994 to include all martial arts approved by the Organization. The name was changed from the Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Okinawan Goju-Ryu Organization to the Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Budo Organization. By drawing from the principles of his teachers Seikichi Toguchi, Robert Tann, Matsumoto–Sensei and others, Roseberry-Shihan organized and developed a system of teaching martial arts (budo) which has become the basis of SHO-REI-SHOBU-KAN.

JOHN ROSEBERRY, SHIHAN

John Roseberry began his training in Judo and Karate in 1955. He studied Judo under Takaski Matsumoto-Sensei and Shorei Kan Karate under Seikichi Toguchi-Sensei in Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate. He trained at the Kodokan in Japan, as well as in China and Korea. Roseberry-Shihan taught Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate, Kodokan Judo and Aikido. He held a 10th degree black belt in Karate, 7th degree black belt in Judo and 3rd degree black belt in Aikido. Roseberry-Shihan served as an alternate to the 1964 U.S. Olympic Judo Team, was All-Marine Corps Champion seven times, All-Service Champion three times and was the only American to capture the All-Okinawan Judo Championship. He taught martial arts in Lincoln Nebraska from 1969 through 2013, at which point he moved to Virginia to be closer to his family.

Roseberry Shihan passed away on September 22, 2018, surrounded by family. He is remembered by his family and students around the world and has left a legacy that lives to this day through his many students in the Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Budo Organization.

JOHN PITTS SENSEI

John Pitts Sensei was born in Pinebluff, Arkansas and grew up in Flint, Michigan in the 1960s.
From a young age his father taught him how to play baseball which was his favorite sport. He became addicted to sports, playing baseball, basketball and football whenever and wherever he could. Playing all these sports from elementary school through high school, he became proficient in all three sports which led to his recruitment by major colleges. His best offer was a full ride scholarship to play football at the University of Nebraska in 1968. He lettered three years in football at Nebraska playing on the 1970 & 1971 National Championship Teams. The 1972 team had ten wins and two losses.

Pitts Sensei graduated from the University Of Nebraska teachers college in 1973 and started working for the Lincoln Police Department in September 1973, retiring in September 2012. He was a street patrolman for 13 years and in 1986 was assigned to the personnel and training unit as the first defensive tactics instructor for the Lincoln Police Department and assistant firearms instructor.

In 1973 Pitts Sensei married his college sweetheart Katy. They have four beautiful children Christie, Jay, Tanya and Taylor.

Pitts Sensei started training in the martial arts of Karate and Judo in 1975 when he realized that the four hours of defensive tactics instruction in the police academy wasn’t sufficient in dealing efficiently with combative subjects on the streets. His martial arts instructor was John Roseberry of Shorei Kan, now Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan. He trained, competed and taught both Karate and Judo, eventually becoming Dai-Sempai at the Hombu dojo in Lincoln and the SRSBK Organization.

Pitts Sensei moved to Buckeye, Arizona in 2012, where he teaches Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Okinawan Goju Ryu karate at Dr. Saide Recreation Center. Pitts Sensei became the Chief Instructor of the Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Budo Organization upon the passing of Roseberry Shihan on September 22, 2018. In this role, Pitts Sensei brings not only his many years of experience in training and teaching martial arts, but also his real world experience as a police officer and a defensive tactics instructor for the Lincoln Police Department.