History of Grand Master Jerry Otto
Grand Master Jerry Otto began studying martial arts as a teenager in 1965-66 while living in Taiwan and practiced a local Chinese Kung Fu style in a small village on Yamingshan Mountain. After returning to the U.S. in 1973, he began formal training in Korean Tai-Kwon-Do, then undertook studies in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu and Chinese Kempo at the Red Dragon Karate Dojo, Easton, Pennsylvania.
In his early years of training, Grand Master Otto was influenced mainly by action movie stars like Bruce Lee and Ron Van Clief. Grand Master Paul Ortino and Grand Master Ed Hartzell influenced his formal training years in the ’70s & ’80s, who shaped his old-school physical training regiments. Other influential instructors were S.L. Martin, Denis Decker, Eberhard Welch, and he became a personal student of Grand Master Tadashi Yamashita.
His tournament competition skills were developed in the early ’70s & 80s’ on the east coast Region Ten Tournament Circuit, where he became known for his fighting, kata, and weapons kata skills. His most influential years in the history of sport karate competition debut was in the U.S. National Karate Circuit in the Senior Divisions. By the end of the 87-competition year, he ranked 3rd Place in the Senior Forms Division.
In 1988, he competed in eleven combined national tournaments in the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA) and Professional Karate League (P.K.L.). He won 18 first places to earn the top ranking in the U.S. and Canada in the Senior Forms and Weapons Divisions, in both Karate Leagues.
He repeated that success with the P.K.L. in 1989, finishing the season as the “Undefeated Champion” in two divisions, in Forms and Weapons. To this day, not one senior competitor has equaled dual undefeated places in one season in the history of the P.K.L. or NASKA National Karate Circuits.
His accomplishments earned a unique distinction in the 1988 P.K.L. Blackbelt, “HALL OF FAME” as the “Senior Competitor of the Year.” Which prompt league president Glen Hart (R.I.P.) to describe, “Jerry Otto is the greatest senior competitor in weapons and forms in the history of the national pro/am circuit” (1989.)
In 1989, Jerry became a personal student of Hanshi Tadashi Yamashita, formalizing my knowledge in the Kobayashi Shorinryu Karate System. In 1991, he moved to St.Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, and opened his second Martial Arts Dojo. In 1995, during one of Master Yamashita’s visits to Jerry’s Dojo, Master Yamashita promoted me to Renshi 6th degree Blackbelt Rank.
Grand Master Jerry Otto founded the Shen Dragon Karate Dojo in 1981, in Phillipsburg New Jersey and the legacy continues today in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. His influence in the Virgin Islands has attracted many local martial artists to his dojo, where they have access to his world-class training curriculum.
He and his students recently created the short-action film Black Feather, winning eight special awards at the Action On Film Megafest Film Festival In Las Vegas, NV., 2021. The film stars his junior Black-Belt Rashell Machuca and several other students, including the movie’s filming, editing, and direction. At the age of 71 years (2021), Grand Master Otto continues to teach his daily martial arts classes with the radiance of a man half his age. His students attest to the hard workouts and comprehensive martial arts training regimen.
Achievements and Awards
• Professional Karate League – HALL OF FAME – 1988
• PKL & NASKA Undefeated US National Karate Kata Champion – 1989
• PKL & NASKA Undefeated US National Weapons Kata Champion – 1989
• AMAA Who’s Who “Hall of Fame” Legends in the Martial Arts 2017
• Nominated to the World Head of Family Sokeship Council 2017
• Action Karate Magazine “Hall of Honors” Golden Lifetime Achievement Award – 2018
• Joe Lewis “Eternal Warrior Award” “Battle of Atlanta 50th Anniversary” 2018
• Featured on the front page of the AMAA Martial Arts Masters & Pioneers Book – 2018
• Featured in “The World’s Greatest Martial Artists, Volume 9, by Ted Gambardella.
• AMAA “Eagle Alumni Award” Who’s Who in the Martial Arts – 2018
• AMAA Charter Member – Shen Dragon Karate Dojo – 2018 – 2019 – 2020
• AMAA Advisory Board Member – 2018 – 2019
• Action Karate Magazine “Hall of Honors” Esteem Martial Artist Award – 2019
• Featured on the front cover of Action Martial Arts Magazine “Hall of Honors” Who’s Who Directory 2019
• Awarded AMAA “Martial Arts School of the Year” Shen Dragon Karate Dojo, Who’s Who – 2019
• Featured on the front cover & in the 2020 Action Martial Arts Magazine: “Hall of Honors” World History Book and inducted into the Martial Arts “Hall of Honors.”
• Featured in the 2020 American Martial Arts Alliance Foundation, Chuck Norris, Martial Arts Masters & Pioneers Biography Book.
• AMAAF Ambassador for the Caribbean Island Region – 2020
• He is featured on the front cover and inclusive biography in The Martial Arts 50 Years Extraordinaire Biography – 2021.
• Featured on the Front Cover of The Martial Arts Extraordinaire Magazine – 2021
• The Martial Arts Extraordinaire Magazine featured the article: The Art of Survival – How the Shen Dragon survived two cat-5 hurricanes and one year of pandemic conditions.
• AMMAF Board of Advisors – 2021
• AMMAF Ambassador for the Caribbean Region – 2021
• Chosen by the World Kobudo Federation – World Martial Arts Live Event – as an Instructor for their Global Teaching Seminar, – 2021
• He is featured on the front cover and inclusive biography of the 2021 AMMAF “Changing Lives Series” Tribute Book with Ernie Reyes.
• ACTION ON FILM FESTIVAL, Las Vegas, NV: A Shen Dragon Film, “BLACK FEATHER” short action film: Won seven distinguished film awards, including Miracle Makers International Film Festival for “Best Male Action Star” and The Most Important Film Impact Award. 2021
• Take Center Stage: “Media Award” for the Black Feather Short-action-film, Las Vegas, NV 2021
• His Legendary Sport Karate Biography is featured in 2021, Sport Karate Museum History Book.
• He is the recipient of the Ron Van Clief “HALL OF FAME” – Ultimate Warriors Award, presented by GM Van Clief in person at the Shen Dragon Karate Dojo, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
• Featured Biography of the Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Honors, World History Book, 2022.
• Featured on the front cover of the new Martial Arts Extraordinaire Magazine and his featured interview in the magazine.