USAMAF Biography Information

Shihan Johnny Linebarger (04/07/54 - )

Director of KoSho Karate - Centers for the Martial Arts

2005 Promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt in Kobudo

2003 Promoted to 9th Degree Black Belt in Tai-ho Jitsu

2000 Received Robert A. Trias Lifetime Competition Award from the USA Karate & US Jujitsu Federations’ Hall of Fame

Promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt in Karate

1998 Promoted to 3rd Degree Black Belt in Judo

1997 Inducted into the USAKF Hall of Fame

1996 Promoted to 6th Degree Black Belt in Kobudo

1995 Promoted to 7th Degree Black Belt in Karate

1993 Received Master Instructor - Teaching Certification in Tae Kwon Do

Promoted to 7th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do

Received All-American Award from USAKF for Karate (3rd consecutive year)

Promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt in Chinese Martial Arts

Appointed as Head Coach for the USA Karate Team (USAKF)

Received All-American Award from USAKF for Karate (2nd consecutive year)

Won 80+ kilo division at USA Karate Team Trials and represented the US at the World Championships in Grenada, Spain

1991 Received the title of Shihan (Professor or Teacher of Teachers)

Promoted to 6th Degree Black Belt in Karate (from WUKO)

Promoted to 7th Degree Black Belt in Jujitsu (from International Jujitsu Federation)

Became member of the USOC Coaching Development Committee for Karate

Appointed as Assistant Coach for the USA Karate Team (USAKF)

Received All-American Award from USAKF for Karate

National Champion (80+ kilo) for the USAKF

1990 Began training with Hanshi George Anderson in Akron, Ohio

Became member of the USA Karate Team

Represented the U.S. in the Ippon Shobu division at the WUKO World Championships in Mexico City, Mexico

National Champion (80+ kilo) for the USAKF

Appointed as Chairman of the USA Karate Federation of Arizona

Became the first Martial Artist ever to receive an Outstanding Athletic Achievement Award from the Tucson Conquistadors

Promoted to 5th Degree Black Belt in Okinawan Shuri-Ryu Karate

1989 World Champion of All Black Belts - USKA

1988 World Champion of All Black Belts - USKA

1987 World Champion of All Black Belts - USKA

1986 Won the Triple Crown (1st places in Fighting, Forms and Weapons) at the USKA World Championships in Chicago, Illinois

Selected as a member of the Elite Trias International Society (the only person to ever be inducted by unanimous decision)

Promoted to 4th Degree Black Belt in Karate

1985 Won the Weapons title at the Panama Kempo Internationals in Panama City, Panama

World Champion (Light Heavyweight) for USKA

Promoted to Assistant Chief Instructor for all Shuri Karate by Grandmaster Trias

1983 Promoted to Tachi in Okinawan Kobudo (the first martial artist in the US to earn this title)

Promoted to 3rd Degree Black Belt in Karate

Opened KoSho Self-Defense Studio in Tucson, Arizona

1981 Formed Davis-Monthan Self-Defense Club

Promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt in Karate

1980 Assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and began training with Grandmaster Trias

1976 Joined the US Air Force and spent 3 years in Tokyo, Japan

1975 Promoted to 1st Degree Black Belt in Karate

1974 Opened the first KoSho Self-Defense Studio in Conover, North Carolina

1972 Began karate training with Master Kale Makaio in Hickory, North Carolina

 

 

 

 

 

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