A FIRST GENERATION STUDENT SPEAKS OUT

This was publised in 2001

A FIRST GENERATION STUDENT SPEAKS OUT

by Sherman Harrill

On Rank: Sensei Shimabuku Promoted me to green belt after about 6 months with no testing, he just came up to me and said ," Harryu you catchy green belt."No big deal, I then went out and and bought one. After another 6 months the same thing was done when he told me to catchy Black Belt. Upon leaving Okinawa Sensei sat John De Santis and I down and asked us if we were going to teach Isshin ryu when we went back to the states. At that time I had great hopes of doing just that. Sensei at that time did not promote me to the rank (there is a big difference between promoting and entrusting) of Roku-Dan, he entrusted it to me. He said after 15 years plus training then it could be used. There was no contract, just a hand shake and my word, which was good enough at that time. Things do not always turn out the way we plan, for I didn't open a Dojo for a long time. After I did and 22 years later I assumed the rank as I felt I had done what Sensei had asked of me.

Now for the question most people want to know, what was my rank when I left Okinawa? I hope that I might have been a half way decent Shodan, but that would depend on what standards were used. One thing you will find out is that I will be able to hit someone just as hard with a white Obi on as with a black one.

Tatsuo Shimabuku trained and proud of it