• 5th Degree Black Belt – Combat Jujitsu
• 1st Degree Black Belt Instructor – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
• 1st Degree Black Belt – Karate
• 1st Degree Black Belt – Tae Kwon Do
• Brown Belt – Judo
• Brown Belt – Aikido

Shawn Chitwood opened his first school in 1992 as a a student at Ohio Northern University. After college, Shawn opened Team Chitwood in March of 1994. Prior to that, his martial arts learning began in 1980 in Judo/Jujitsu. Since then, Shawn has trained in 8 different martial arts, achieving 5 different Black Belt rankings of varying degree.

As a competitor, Shawn Chitwood was a state and two time National Tae Kwon Do Champion, a state, regional, and national Sport Jujitsu Champion. He was also a member of the 1997-1998 United States Team competing in Sport Jujitsu. In 1998, in international competition, Shawn won a World Championship title with Team USA. Shawn competed nationally and internationally in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu including frequenting Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Shawn is one of the original American students of the Gracie family and represents them as one of their first American Black Belts. Today, Shawn speaks Portuguese fluently.

Law enforcement officers and agencies across the state of Ohio sought out Shawn to develop their ground fighting defensive tactics standards. In 2001, Shawn was instrumental in aiding the Ohio Attorney General's Office in building the new curriculum for all the state's police officers. He is a master law enforcement instructor at the world-renowned Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy in London, Ohio and the Director of Training for www.responsetoresistance.com

Shawn's current mission is to bring his wealth of experience to the classroom when he teaches. He takes personal pride in the individual learning model he builds with each of his many private lesson clients.

Contact Shawn at shawn@teamchitwood.com 

• 3rd Degree Black Belt – Jujitsu
• 1st Degree Black Belt – Judo
• 1st Degree Brown Belt - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• 1996 & 1998 Sport Jujitsu World Champion
• 2004 SRJJA Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Champion
• 2005 Army Europe Combatives Grappling Champion 
  (209pound class at 155 pounds!)
• 2008, 2009, 2010 Army Combatives Tournament - Silver Medalist

Neil Chitwood's martial arts training began in 1992, under his older brother Shawn in Jujitsu. Competition and academic excellence have always been the driving forces behind Neil's personality. As a competitor, Neil was the 1996 and 1998 ISJA World Sport Jujitsu Champion and a member of the 1997-1998 United States Team competing in Sport Jujitsu. He has won numerous Brazilian Jiu-jitsu tournaments and currently competes in grappling tournaments nationally and internationally. He is known as the Gator for his uncanny ability to take opponents down and finish them on the mat.

Neil brings a unique style of leadership to the mat as a 2003 United States Military Academy at West Point graduate. He credits his leadership training and Black Belt from Team Chitwood as the primary factor he received a nomination to West Point. As an instructor he encourages attention to detail, discipline, and respect for others from his students. Goal oriented and mentally tough, Neil is a great instructor and mentor.

While at West Point, Neil was a dynamic presence on the football field playing Strong Safety and Outside Linebacker for Army Sprint Football. He was also an active member of West Point Judo Club. The mental toughness he developed through our training helped him persevere as a cadet and athlete.

Neil is an Iraq War Veteran and former platoon leader for Ghost Recon. Ranger and Airborne qualified, Neil has been through some of the most challenging military leadership schools. Neil was awarded the Bronze Star for leadership under fire during combat action. Major Chitwood is now an ROTC Instructor for Capital Univerity and full time instructor at Team Chitwood.

Contact Neil at neil@teamchitwood.com 

• 3nd Degree Black Belt – Jujitsu
• Black Belt – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• 2002 & 2003 Gracie World Submission Wrestling Champion
• Master Instructor - Defensive Tactics - State of Ohio

Craig Chitwood, youngest of the Chitwood brothers, started his training with his brother Shawn in 1991, three years before the first Team Chitwood academy opened. Earning his Junior Black Belt at age 13, Craig began instructing the Kid-Jitsu beginner's class and assisting in the adult Jiujitsu classes. In 2001, Shawn award Craig his Black Belt in Combat Jujitsu for his understanding and mastery of the Combat Jujitsu curriculum. In that same year Craig entered his first Brazilian Jiujitsu tournament, the Gracie Jiujitsu World Championships held at the Arnold Classic, and won his weight class. Since then he has won the 2002, 2003 and 2007 Arnold classic and a gold medal in Toronta, Canda in 2008. In 2007, Craig graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice, minoring in Psychology. Loving to teach and knowing the potential of Jiujitsu to change and influence people in a positive way, Craig took over as the Director of Training at Team Chitwood martial arts. Today, Craig continues to be a student of the art and perfecting the Chitwood brothers' teaching methodologies that have helped thousands of students since 1994.

Contact Craig at craig@teamchitwood.com 

• 1st Degree Black Belt – Jujitsu
• 1st Degree Blue Belt – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• IKFF Certified Kettlebell Trainer - Level 1 & Level 2
• RKC (Russian Kettlebell Challenge) Certified
• National & State Certified Physical Fitness Specialist
• Personal Safety and Empowerment Expert for Women
• 1998 Sport Jujitsu World Championships - Silver Medalist
• 2008 OGC Women's Advanced Grappling Champion
• Team Chitwood Program Manager

Rae Chitwood, the wife of Shawn Chitwood, began her martial arts career in 1997. She has taught many Women’s Self Defense and Empowerment programs as well Safety and Awareness programs for children. Rae was the innovator and founding instructor of Team Chitwood’s Little Dragons program, which caters to future black belts ages 3-5 years old.

As a competitor, Rae has won various Sport Jujitsu tournaments, most notably placing 2nd in international competition at the 1998 World Sport Jujitsu Tournament. She also competes in grappling tournaments and loves kick boxing workouts. She received her nickname “Sugar Rae” for her ability to be heavy handed and fast with her strikes.

Rae underwent the training and certification necessary to earn her National FitForce and State OPOTA Physical Fitness Specialist certification and is currently involved in setting up fitness programs for students in our newly added $20,000 fitness room.

Contact Rae at rae@teamchitwood.com 

• IBF Boxing Champion
• ISKA Kickboxing World Champion
• ISJA Full Contact Jiu-jitsu World Champion
• World Combat League All-Star
• Pride Fighting Championships Veteran
• StrikeForce Veteran

Craig is a modern day combat sports warrior having fought and won in pro boxing, pro kick-boxing, full contact jiu-jitsu, and MMA. Nicknamed "the Hammer", Oxley is known for his devastating knockouts during his stellar career. As the team captain of the 1998 World Champion United States Sport Jujitsu team, he forged a strong friendship with teammate Shawn Chitwood. Since 1998, Craig has made an even bigger name for himself in the striking world including being a stand-out and knockout specialist on Chuck Norris's World Combat League. Having signed a new contract with Showtime's Srikeforce to fight mixed martial arts, Shawn serves as Craig's grappling coach and one of his cornermen.