Criteria for the Shihan title within the USCKF include at least 40 years of age, rank of Yon Dan or higher, and 25 years of training and service to the organization. In addition, the title may be awarded to individuals below the rank of Yon Dan if the the other two requirements are met and the individual has exhibited extraordinary dedication and service to the organization. There is no fee or test involved, the title of Shihan is an honor to the organization as much as it is to the individual. An individual may not apply for the title.


William J. Dometrich, Hanshi
Co-Founder USCKF
Chairman and Chief Instructor Emeritus USCKF
March 15, 1935 - March 22, 2012
Ku Dan (Ninth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Ku Dan, Hanshi
Promoted to Ku Dan by the Dai Nippon Butokukai (DNBK) in Kyoto, Japan 2008
Promoted to Hachi Dan and title "Hanshi" by Hanshi Tesshin Hamada of the Dai Nippon Butokukai (DNBK) 1999
Promoted to Shichi Dan and title "Kyoshi" by O-Sensei 1971
Promoted to Sho Dan 1954
Began study of Chito-ryu 1952
Barbara E. Dometrich (Okusan), Meiyo Hanshi
Co-Founder USCKF
Chairman USCKF
Hachi Dan (Eighth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Roku Dan, Meiyo Hanshi
Awarded title "Meiyo Hanshi" by Hanshi Tesshin Hamada of the Dai Nippon Butokukai (DNBK) 2015
Began study of Chito-ryu 1962
Also holds rank in Kendo and Iaido
Lawrence C. Hawkins Jr., Esq., Kyoshi
Chief Advisor/Chairman Emeritus USCKF
Technical Team Coordinator Emeritus
December 17, 1944 - May 27, 2020
Hachi Dan (Eighth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Hachi Dan, Kyoshi
Chief Instructor Emeritus Yoseikan II Dojo, Cincinnati, OH
Awarded title "Hanshi" posthumously by Hanshi Tesshin Hamada of the Dai Nippon Butokukai (DNBK) 2020
Began study of Chito-ryu 1962
Sherry (Dometrich) Kembre, Kyoshi
Vice Chair and Assistant Administrator USCKF
Hachi Dan (Eighth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Shichi Dan, Kyoshi, Shihan
Awarded title "Shihan" by Hanshi Tesshin Hamada of the Dai Nippon Butokukai (DNBK) 2015
Chief Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1971
Arthur Rott, Shihan
1918-November 10, 2001
Shichi Dan (Seventh Degree Black Belt) awarded posthumously
Founder Yoseikan Apopka Dojo, Apopka, FL
Began study of Chito-ryu 1966
Jerry Beshears, Kyoshi
Shichi Dan (Seventh Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Roku Dan, Renshi
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1966
Don Schmidt, Renshi
Judicial Committee USCKF
Shichi Dan (Seventh Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Roku Dan, Renshi, Shihan Dai
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Instructor Northern Kentucky University Karate Club
Began Study of Chito-ryu 1972
John Wellbrock, Renshi
Shichi Dan (Seventh Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Roku Dan, Renshi, Shihan Dai
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1973
Eric Ford, Renshi
Shichi Dan (Seventh Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Go Dan
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1981
Stephen Wilhelm, Renshi
Roku Dan (Sixth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): Roku Dan, Renshi
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1967
Also holds rank in Aikido
Manuel Byers, Renshi
Roku Dan (Sixth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): Roku Dan, Renshi
Began study of Chito-ryu 1972
Instructor Yoseikan II Dojo, Cincinnati, OH
Terry Collis, Shihan
Roku Dan (Sixth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Member
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Instructor Northern Kentucky University Karate Club
Began study of Chito-ryu 1962
Gerald Meade, Renshi
Roku Dan (Sixth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Go Dan
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1972
Brown Jesse Brown Jr., Min.D, Shihan
Roku Dan (Sixth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Yon Dan
Chief Instructor Rochester Chito-ryu Dojo, Rochester, NY
Began study of Chito-ryu 1971
Lawrence Hawkins III, Esq., Renshi
Judicial Committee USCKF
Roku Dan (Sixth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: San Dan
Chief Instructor Yoseikan II Dojo, Cincinnati, OH
Began study of Chito-ryu 1980
J. Wesley Ernest, Renshi
Roku Dan (Sixth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: San Dan
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1975 NKU
Barbara Tarczynski, Shihan
Judicial Committee USCKF
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Yon Dan
Chief Instructor Maryland Yoseikan Dojo
Began study of Chito-ryu 1971
Michael Colling, Renshi
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): Go Dan
Chief Instructor Marion Bridge Yoseikan Dojo, Nova Scotia, Canada
Began study of Chito-ryu 1971, Joined USCKF 1996
Warren Pochinski, Shihan
September 14, 1935 - January 4, 2022
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Yon Dan
Chief Instructor Emeritus Fort Bragg Yoseikan Dojo, Fort Bragg, NC
Began study of Chito-ryu 1954
William Jansak, RN, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Go Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 1982
Also holds rank in Ryukyu Hozon Shinkokai Kobudo
Kevin Drummond, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): San Dan
Chief Instructor Bridgeport Yoseikan Dojo, Bridgeport, WV
Began study of Chito-ryu 1977
Matthew Scott, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): Yon Dan
Instructor Yoseikan II Dojo, Cincinnati, OH
Began study of Chito-ryu 1982

James Acampora, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): San Dan
Chief Instructor Yoseikan of Orlando II Dojo, Orlando, FL
Began study of Chito-ryu 1981 (Art Rott, Shihan)

Tony DiTerlizzi, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Go Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 1985
Laura Stith Deck, Ph.D, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: San Dan
Instructor Yoseikan II Dojo, Cincinnati, OH
Began study of Chito-ryu 1983
Joseph Petty, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Yon Dan
Instructor Yoseikan Hombu Dojo
Began Study of Chito-ryu 1984
Willie Elliott, Ed.D, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): San Dan
Began study of Martial Arts 1966 Kentucky State College, Frankfort, KY
Paul Knecht, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
Began study of Chito-ryu 1996
Shawna Lingo, Shihan
Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Yon Dan, Renshi
Chief Instructor Yoseikan Anderson Dojo, Cincinnati, OH
Assistant Instructor Northern Kentucky University Karate Club
Began study of Chito-ryu 1994
Joseph J. Schertler, Shihan
December 2, 1917 - November 1987
Yon Dan (Forth Degree Black Belt)
Received Shihan title posthumously 10/18/98
Michael Messinger, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): San Dan
Instructor Bridgeport Yoseikan Dojo, Bridgeport, WV
Began study of Chito-ryu 1975
Jamie Binkley, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Yon Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 1980 (Art Rott, Shihan)
Greg Morris, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): San Dan
Instructor Yoseikan II Dojo, Cincinnati, OH
Began study of Chito-ryu 1979
Gordon Levin, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: San Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 1993
Ronald Emery, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): Ni Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 2000
Carol Hays, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: San Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 1997
Kathleen Emery, MD, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified (Inactive): Ni Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 2000
Bill DiGrezio, Shihan
Yon Dan (Fourth Degree Black Belt)
DNBK Certified: Sho Dan
Began study of Chito-ryu 2006