Draft:Jay Trombley

Shodai Jay Trombley (November 2, 1938 - November 23, 2022) was an American martial artist who founded the Ketsugo Goju-Ryu school of karate by blending Shoreikan Goju-Ryu from the 1950s, Kobudo (traditional Okinawan weapons), Western Boxing, and Jiu Jitsu self-defense.

Early life and training
Jay Trombley was born in Bellows Falls Vermont on November 2, 1938. He joined the US Marine Corp in 1955 and was assigned to Camp Hauge in Okinawa. On October 19, 1955, he joined Seikichi Toguchi's Shoreikan Goju-Ryu dojo in Koza City. After a few years of training at Toguchi's dojo, he was sent to train in traditional weapons (kobudo) from Hohan Soken while continuing with Toguchi. In 1960, Trombley received a black belt and teaching certificate from Toguchi and was soon discharged from the Marines.

In 1961, Trombley moved to Jacksonville Beach Florida and taught karate out of Johnny Joca's Boxing Gym. Over the next five years, in addition to teaching karate, he was learning boxing techniques from Jackie Simpson, former Golden Gloves champion and employee at the gym. It was around this time that Trombley met Bill Beach, who taught him Jiu Jitsu moves that he could incorporate into his karate training.

United/Ketsugo Goju-Ryu
In 1970, Trombley moved to Springtown Texas and started teaching karate again. A few years later he moved to Fort Worth, married Karen Kitto, and opened a dojo on McCart and Seminary Drive in Fort Worth. By this time his new system, United Goju-Ryu was formed, which included much of his own material added to the karate he learned in Okinawa. In 1978 he promoted his first black belt, Alyce Strickland. He was good friends with Roy Kurban and Jim Choate during this time and promoted and trained full contact fighters in addition to running his karate school. He helped form the TKL (Traditional Karate League) with Kurban and others but left the organization after several years.

Leaving the tournament circuit in the 1990's, Trombley focused all his attention on his karate school. In 2003 he re-named his system, Ketsugo Goju-Ryu and retired in 2016, naming Robert Oliver his successor.

Death
Shodai Jay Trombley died on November 23, 2022, of complications from kidney failure.

Legacy
Shodai trained thousands of people from 1960-2016 and promoted 29 black belts in Ketsugo Goju-Ryu Karate-Do. He created the following katas that he added to his system: Kihon Ichi, Gekisai San (different version from Seikichi Toguchi's), Genshin, Isshoni San, Juhito, Hente Do, Dobutsu San, Bushido Rei, and Kyouryoku Do. He also created multiple weapons katas, and two-man drills (kiso and bunkai kumite). His karate system is still around today, the honbu (head) school in Colorado Springs and a branch school in North Richland Hills Texas.