Staff

Jeremy Hrbek , Head Judo Coach
Jeremy's extensive background as a competitor and coach in Judo as well as folkstyle and freestyle wrestling makes every Judo class both fun and challenging. He is a certified Black Belt and Coach by both USJA and USJI. His various personal Judo accomplishments include championships and placings in the American Canadian Judo Championships (AmCans). He has coached numerous national and international champions and place winners as well as local, regional and state champions. After decades as a personal trainer and Judo and wrestling competitor and coach, Jeremy can shape athletes for the highest level of Judo competition, while keeping the same enthusiasm for beginners and kids of all ages.

Barry Burrows, Assistant Judo Coach
Barry is a 28-year resident of Grass Valley with over 50 years of Judo experience.
He is originally from the UK and is a member of BJA, AJA (UK) Kodokan Japan and Singapore.
He holds the Judo rank of Sandan (3rd degree black belt).

Master Lu Shirfu , Gung Fu, Kun Tao and Yange style Tai Chi Instructor
Master Lu has studied the martial arts for forty years. He holds balck belt rankings in WuShu/Kung Fu (4th degree), Chinese Gung Fu (4th degree), Shotokan Darate (2nd degree) and Kendo (1st degree). He is most pleased to hold the distinguished title of Master, granted by Grand Master Aurthur Sikes (trained by Great Grand Master Willem Reeders, known as Liu Seong by the World Kung Fu Federation). He used all this extensive expertise on the television series, "Nowhere Man" where Lu Shirfu also performed on camera. Profiled in "Self Defense Magazine", Master Lu reveals his greatest wish; to share all styles of the arts & sciences with others.

Frederick Harriman , Assistant Judo Coach

Fred began Judo in 1975 at the Manson Judo Club in Buffalo NY under the teaching of Seisuke Kawakubo. He taught Judo to the students of the Calasanctius School in Buffalo where he was also teaching Spanish and History. In 1977, Fred went to Hamamatsu (Shizuoka, Japan) and practiced at the Yoshinkan Judo Club and later on at Koto High School. He passed his shodan exam in 1979 in Hamamatsu, and having passed by an authorized body in Japan, the certificate is from The Kodokan.

Abigail Beck , Assistant Judo Coach
Abigail has a background in various martial arts but found her calling in Judo under Jeremy Hrbek's coaching. Currently a Sankyu, she is on the National Roster and won the 2009 National Brown Belt Championships. She is a certified Assistant Coach through USJA, a certified massage therapist, Reiki practitioner and PSYCH-K® Facilitator.

Eric Kenyon , RKC, Personal Trainer
Eric has been training dancers, martial artists, soccer players, powerlifters, personal trainers, and regular folks in the Bay Area since 1999. He draws on a lifetime of competing in a variety of sports, an uncommonly active stretch in the US Army, and nearly a decade of study focused on Soviet sports science. The past four years have been dedicated to kettlebells and the comprehensive continuum of full body attention that goes along with RKC kettlebell instruction: pneumo-muscular stretching, joint mobility, power breathing, and correct body alignment.

Rebecca Ferry , Yoga Instructor
Sharing Joy through yoga practice has been Becky's intention for many years. Yoga has always been part of her life beginning in Moline, IL. An early competitive nature shined and yoga became the perfect balance for finding peace along side of such activities as softball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, golf and swimming. Her competitive nature is still strong today however focused internally towards the well being of mind and body.
In 2008, she earned a teacher certification (RYS 200hr) at The Expanding Light, Ananda Yoga and Meditation Retreat in Nevada City, Ca. Learning to teach has brought her personal practice to a new level which is shared for the first time at Grass Valley Judo & Fitness.