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AJJF 50 Year Award:       1973 – Vern Brekke

Sensei Brekke is known as a talented and superb martial artist.  His style is soft, but powerful; slow, smooth, and controlled. But is especially known for his creativity. For example, just for fun, he learned to execute the Yawara list… with his feet. Imagine that! Someone grabs your ankle and you escape with a Katate Hazushi— or should I say Ashi Hazushi— and he did this for the entire list! 

Vern started jujitsu at the Nibukikan in Chico, California in 1973.   He was promoted to Shodan in 1976.  In 1978, as a new Nidan, he moved to Salinas, California to take over the Tanima Arashi Dojo when Sensei Dave Martin wanted to relocate to Sacramento.  During his time in Salinas he studied TaeKwonDo and Wing Chun under Sensei John Marshal.  This training was a turning point in his understanding of martial arts. 

After several years in Salinas, he returned to Chico and was an assistant instructor at the Nibukikan. To prepare for his AJJF Yodan exam, he attended and completed a P.O.S.T certified Police Academy.  He was also certified as an FBI Firearms Rangemaster.  The Police Academy was on a college campus and he continued at the college to graduate with a degree in Applied Technology and then transferred to California State University, Chico where he graduated with a Masters Degree in PHED with an emphasis in Biomechanics. 

During his time at Chico State,  he was an instructor in the PHED Department and became the sensei of the university jujitsu club when the former sensei Tom Lang left to do a Masters Program.  He also met and married Tanja, one of Tom’s students.  Tanja passed her AJJF Shodan exam soon after they were married. They renamed the club Ternion Academy and incorporated it as a non-profit.  Ternion is an English word for a set of threes.  At Ternion, it meant using balance, leverage, & inertia, integration of body, mind, & spirit, and beer, pizza and partying, etc…   

They transferred Ternion Academy to Santa Clara and began teaching classes when Tanja started acupuncture school in Santa Cruz.  Vern was also invited to teach at The Dojo, in Berkley, along with Matt and Nancy Bingham and Jaya Carl when the dojo needed instructors.  

Sensei Brekke was very active in the AJJF as Director of Development and as Chairman of the first Executive Board.  As Director of Development, he initiated and facilitated the transfer of the AJJF from a fraternal organization to a 501(c)(3) non-profit, wrote/compiled the first AJJF School Handbook, initiated and developed the modern Black Belt exam format, wrote an AJJF Taping Manual, used for Black Belt exams, and taught clinics to prepare students for the BB taping exam. Received the Bert Aspinall Award in 1990. 

In 1995, they moved to Bozeman, Montana.  They soon started a new Ternion dojo.  Vern is currently teaching at Bozeman JuJitsu, a continuation of Ternion Academy. 

Sensei Brekke’s influence on the AJJF has been felt through his students and friends.  Over the years, he and Tanja have promoted many AJJF black belts. There are also students who began with them that transferred to other schools and have become senior instructors and professors. 

Congratulations Sensei Vern Brekke, for fifty continuous years of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu with the AJJF, and induction into the 50-Year Club. This is quite an achievement!