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Kyoshi Simon Sherbourne (8th Dan in Karate and Kobudo, 2nd Dan in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) started teaching Karate, Kobudo, and Jiujitsu in London, Ontario in 1992. He was a school teacher with the Thames Valley District School Board from 1997 to 2025 and has a Master of Education. He obtained a Karate and Kobudo 7th Dan in 2005 from the Odo Family of Okinawa, Japan. He is one of the last direct students of Master Seikichi Odo (1926 - 2002) and he continues to teach and pass on the Kata as taught by Master Odo.
Furthermore, he has competed in Brazilian Jiujitsu, Wrestling, Karate, and Pankration with high degrees of success. He has won numerous titles and championships throughout North America, and Europe (including multiple Canadian, U.S.A., European Championships, and 3 World Championships).
"One of the most important aspects of martial arts training is the concept of continuous self-improvement. I truly enjoy participating in the personal growth of the students who train at the academy" (S. Sherbourne 2014).
Sherbourne Martial Arts Academy is the Honbu Dojo for the WKKJO (2012) which oversees the operations of the Ryukyu Hon Kenpo Kobujutsu - Odo (RHKK-O) and the International Jiu Jitsu Network (IJJN).
Sherbourne (1967-) began training in Jiujitsu with his Grandfather in Scotland at the age of 8 and continued with this sporadically until his grandfather's passing in the late 1980's. He wrestled in high school for three years and then moved on to kickboxing and boxing. He practiced TKD and sharpened his kicking skills from the age of 17 - 19. He had a tendency to use his hands too often during sparring sessions in TKD and was accused several times of using Karate which he had never practiced. At the age of 19 he decided to investigate Karate, and after some training, again he was accused of using wrestling and Jiu Jitsu during sparring sessions. In 1992 when he moved to London, Ontario from North Carolina, he started teaching MMA, inviting people from all different types of martial arts to convene every Sunday in a school gym to have MMA matches with some basic rules to prevent injury. Sherbourne also practiced Aikido from 1992 - 1994 under Chuck Bates in London, Ontario.
Sherbourne understood that wrestling and Jiu Jitsu were clearly imperative to surviving a physical confrontation. He trained under Royce Gracie from 2004 to 2018. Then trained under legendary BJJ instructor Roy Harris in October 2018. Sherbourne received his BJJ Black Belt from Marco Costa in 2021. He has spent most of his life analyzing and applying the principles and techniques of Jiu Jitsu and other combatives for the purposes of real-world self-defense and competition.
Sherbourne trains all of the practitioners at SMAA to become well versed in striking, grappling and groundwork, so that students are able to defend themselves when addressing any type of unarmed attack. Many students have successfully competed in MMA matches through Pankration and Cage Fighting.
Sensei Mike Pol - is a 6th Dan in Karate and Kobudo and a dedicated brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jtisu. Renshi Mike Pol has been practicing Karate, Kobudo, and Jiu jitsu with Kyoshi Simon Sherbourne since 1998. He is a Siemens Executive and the proud father of three children. He has competed with high degrees of success at many tournaments (Karate, Jiujitsu) in the region. He is always eager to clarify a technique and help students along. Mike teaches classes at the club and attentively encourages all different learning styles.
Sensei Roy is a thoughtful and dedicated Budo-ka (training at SMAA since 2013). He is a 4th Dan in Karate and Kobudo and a dedicated Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He has competed in Karate and Jiu Jitsu tournaments with great success and often takes time to help students learn fundamentals and techniques in Karate, Kobudo and BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) classes.
Master Jamie Seabrook has trained in Kenpo Karate since 1985 and holds a 9th-degree black belt, as well as black belts in Modern Arnis and Black Dragon Kung Fu. Since 2012, he has also studied Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and in 2024 began training at Sherbourne Martial Arts Academy under Kyoshi Simon Sherbourne, earning his Purple Belt in BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) in 2025.