Patrick Mitsugi BURRIS

Pat Burris attended the University of Northern Colorado on a wrestling scholarship. In judo Burris won national titles in 1971-73 and 1975. He also won a bronze medal in judo at the 1975 Pan American Games. He later became a coach for both wrestling and judo, also teaching some students in sambo, a Russian style combining elements of judo and wrestling, and he also taught high school in Denver. Burris was coach of the US Olympic judo team in 1996. He became Director of Coach Certification and Education for USA Judo. In 1992 Burris also founded the USA Stars Foundation to assist aspiring Olympic hopefuls. In 2006 Burris was given the Jim Thorpe Man of the Year Award for Martial Arts. He is a member of the US Judo Hall of Fame as both an athlete and a coach.