Jason Russell began judo in Fulton, Missouri at the age of five years under the tutelage of his father Randy Russell. Randy Russell is the head instructor of the Mid Missouri Judo Club, currently located in Columbia, Missouri. Randy was an accomplished coach and competitor and represented the United States against teams from Korea, Japan, Great Britain and Germany. Jason became an accomplished competitor himself during his youth and competed throughout the Midwest. The Mid-Missouri Judo Club relocated to Columbia, Missouri in the mid 90’s and Jason continued to compete and assist his father with judo instruction. In 1997 Jason began teaching judo classes at the University of Missouri. The University of Missouri judo team was highly successful and competed throughout the Midwest. A couple of years after establishing the University of Missouri Judo Club, Jason spent several months in Norman, Oklahoma, training under former Olympian and National Judo Champion, Pat Burris. After his training in Oklahoma, Jason continued to coach at the Mid Missouri Judo Club and at the University of Missouri Judo Club. He also continued to travel throughout the state promoting judo and conducting seminars with his father. Jason relocated to Greenville, North Carolina in 2003 and started the East Carolina Judo Club. Soon after his arrival in North Carolina, Jason was asked to serve on the North Carolina Judo Inc. board as the club registrar. After several years in Greenville, Jason moved to Durham where he still resides. Jason had established a strong relationship with the University of North Carolina Judo Club and instructor Bill Cabrera while living in Greenville, NC, and wanted to help provide instruction to the club. In 2009, Jason became an instructor at the UNC Judo Club in Chapel Hill, where Bill Cabrera has been the head instructor for over fifteen years.
