TEACHER SPOTLIGHT 

PROFESSOR JODY PERRY

NOVEMBER 2002

Congratulations goes out to Professor Jody Perry for being the teacher spotlighted for October 2002. A wrestler turned martial artist, Professor Jody Perry knows the value of cross training. In search of a winning edge to secure an Olympic berth on the 1980, ’84, and ’88 Olympic Greco-Roman team, Professor Perry competed in the nationals in Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, Judo and Sambo. In Sambo, he is a former world champion, eight-time gold-medal holder, and was the Sambo World Team coach in 1998. He also holds a national title in Judo. He has studied multiple martial arts including Gracie Jiu Jitsu from Relson Gracie, Aikido, and Wing Chun, and is active in promoting Sport Jujutsu. He holds black belts in Sambo, Judo, and Panjitsu.

Professor Perry is the founder of the officially recognized style Perry’s Full Circle, and has also spent many years teaching self-defense through Model Mugging and working with the Sonoma County (California) Shelter for Battered Women. He is currently the Western United States Regional Representative for the sport of Pankration, Chairman of the Pankration National Coaching Committee, and a certified Pankration referee for the 2004 Olympic Games, where Pankration is expected to be an exhibition sport.  His accomplishments include Sambo World Champion (Masters), 1996, Sambo World Champion Silver Medalist (Seniors) 1996, Sambo World Team Head Coach, 1998, Eight-time National Sambo Champion, Four-time Pan American Sambo Champion, National Silver Medalist, Greco-Roman Wrestling, National Bronze Medalist, Freestyle Wrestling, National Bronze Medalist, Judo, Sandan in Judo (3rd degree black)
3rd Dan in Sport JuJutsu, 7th Dan in Panjitsu, 1st-level student in Wing Chun, U.S. Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy, Blue belt in Gracie Jiujitsu (4 years trained under Relson Gracie)
Black belt in Karate, Sport Jiu-Jitsu World Team Member and Assistant Coach, 1996,
20 years’ experience in a broad range of martial arts, 33 years of competition, Three-time Olympic contender, Greco-Roman Wrestling, Two-time California State Powerlifting Champion. He is our choice for October 2002.