Richie Ruberto on Sherman Harrill

 

Richard Ruberto

 

I was directly responsible with reuniting these two sensei. I had a conversation with Harrill sensei at his dojo. Advincula sensei came up and Harrill sensei told me he hadn't seen or spoken to Advincula since 1959 on Okinawa.

 

I asked Harrill if he wanted to speak to Advincula and went about making that a reality.

 

After taking instruction with Harrill sensei for 12 years I asked him to be my sensei. He laughed and said, hell Rich haven't I been teaching you all along? Yes sensei but I never asked you formally. He told me I can't rank you. I said, I don't want rank I want what you have. Besides that Advincula sensei had ranked me to Rokudan and was my primary sensei in Isshin ryu. I would not accept rank from anyone but Advincula out of respect. I felt I had the best of both worlds being trained by these two men.