IllinoisJudo

ILLINOIS JUDO NEWSLETTER – IPPON!!!

November 9, 2006

President:        Tim Schultheis
VP:                  Chuck Clark
Secretary:        Mary Gail Ford
Treasurer:       Frank Oliveri
Editor:             Kei Narimatsu

THIS NEWSLETTER MAY BE PASSED ON TO ANYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK WHO MIGHT NOT GET THIS DIRECTLY FROM THE EDITOR.  I DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE CURRENT EMAIL ADDRESSES BUT CLUB INSTRUCTORS, STATE PRESIDENTS AND OTHERS MAY WANT TO LET THEIR MEMBERS HAVE THIS AS WELL.  PLEASE DISTRIBUTE AS YOU WISH.  IF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WISH TO GET THIS EMAIL  FIRST HAND, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT knarimatsu@microlamps.com  with subject:  Add to Illinois Judo Newsletter

Illinois Judo Newsletter – IPPON!! is the voice of Illinois Judo, sent whenever convenient to members of Illinois Judo and other interested parties. All articles and content are the opinion of the editor unless otherwise noted and do not reflect the opinion of Illinois Judo, its officers or members.  Information is gathered from various sources expressly sent for distribution.  Contents may contain inaccurate information.  If anyone can correct any inaccuracies, they will be published as soon as possible.  Information presented will be of a general nature only and will not promote any national organization except USJI/USA Judo or any of its state governing bodies.  Tournament and clinic notifications will be made for all organizations and will be guaranteed posted if sent to the editor in electronic format ONLY and in a timely manner.  Illinois Judo will make every effort to respect your privacy and never sell, trade, or otherwise abuse the privilege of serving you via this e-mail newsletter.

Cancellation: We're committed to Permission Distribution, so if you prefer not to receive the IPPON!!!, simply send a blank e-mail to knarimatsu@microlamps.com or hit reply with unsubscribe-IPPON in the subject line.  You will be omitted from my list FOREVER.  It is also appreciated if you would indicate your name in the tag line.  I do not use email addresses to segregate emails, only real names.  Thank you. 

Contents:
Editorial – A Pittance of Time
LOCAL NEWS
            NEW SITE FOR ILLINOIS JUDO
USA JUDO NEWS
            Gotay finishes Fifth at Swedish Open
            Ronda Rousey Wins Gold in Sweden

Serving Our Country
Something to Think About –
The Pledge of Allegiance
Upcoming Events
USA Judo Life Members

EDITORIAL –

Veteran’s Day is this weekend.  Please take two minutes to open and listen to this video by Terry Kelly.  Though set in Canada, this inspirational video truly brings home the significance of Veteran’s Day.  For further information about this, please go to

 

http://www.terry-kelly.com/pittance.htm


Corrections
:  Steve Bell is originally from Great Britain, not Canada as originally printed.  Also, the Video Link to the Yamashita video is from YouTube, not Utube

LOCAL NEWS

NEW SITE FOR ILLINOIS JUDO!

Illinois Judo is proud to present the new website for the organization…you can also check out our new logo!  The site is a work in progress, but plan on receiving lots of great updates through www.illinoisjudo.org.    Some of the items you can get today are Events Updates / Tournament Fliers, News (including board minutes, ippon and more), Forms for: Club Registration, Promotion, Event Sanctions, and USA Judo Membership and much more.  Feedback and suggestions are encouraged. 

There is one section that we need your help on…if you are an Illinois club and would like to have it featured on Illinoisjudo.org for a full month, send in your information!  We will provide a photo of your club on the home page and a full page dedicated to your club!  All we need is a photo of your club (inside, outside, of your athletes, you choose!) and some text you would like everyone to read about your dojo!  (We will need to receive these items with approval from the head instructor).  This is a great opportunity!  These will be posted in the order they are received.  Every club will get in the rotation.

 

USA Judo News
Complete coverage of these articles available at the USA Judo website.
  Click on the link http://www.usjudo.org/  and click on the What's New page to see all the recent news items.  The items listed below may or may not be linked already.  To get further information on any of these stories, it is better to go to the USA Judo website.


Gotay Finishes Fifth at Sweden Open

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / Harlingen USA Judo National Training Site / 57kg) finished fifth at the Sweden Open in Boras on Saturday.

 

Gotay, one of eight Americans to compete on Saturday, opened her day with a win over hometown favorite and two-time 2006 World Cup medalist Maria Lindberg (SWE)

 

After pinning Lindberg, Gotay won her next two matches over Marlen Hein (GER) and Ana Vicente (POR) to advance to the semifinal against two-time World Cup medalist Corina Caprioriu (ROM).

 

Gotay lost the match by ippon to Caprioriu, the eventual gold medalist, and dropped down to the bronze medal match where she was pinned by Georgina Singleton (GBR).

 

Carrie Chandler (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / Jason Morris Judo Center) finished seventh in her first international event at 52kg since the Pan American Championships in May. 

 

Chandler dominated her first match, throwing Stephannie Inglis (GBR) for a beautiful ippon.  The second match was a 10-minute Golden Score (overtime) marathon… more>  

 

Ronda Rousey Wins Gold in Sweden

 

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Nineteen-year-old Ronda Rousey (Santa Monica, Calif. / NYAC / 63kg) continued her unbeaten senior international competition streak with a win at the European B-Level Swedish Open on Sunday in Boras.

 

The win is Rousey’s third European title in 2006, following gold medals at the Belgium Ladies Open in February and the Birmingham (Great Britain) World Cup in April.

 

Rousey made quick work of her first opponent, throwing Marcon Bezzina (MLT), throwing her with a sumi gaeshi (sacrifice technique) and then armbarring her 18 seconds into the match.

 

In the second match, Rousey countered an attempt at a leg throw by Isabelle Pearson (CAN), launching Pearson onto her back for an ippon (instant win).

 

Rousey ended her next two matches against Johanna Ylinen (FIN) and Christina Marzok (GER) on the ground, pinning both… more>  

 

 

SERVING OUR COUNTRY                         
PVT Luke Jacobsen – Milwaukee, WI                                               
LTJG Donny Newsome, Gurnee, IL                                           
LT Nick Oldfield, Navy, Virginia – home base                            
Mike Preditus, IL                                                                            
SGT Dennis Pruitt, IRAQ                                                             
Dan Smith, Dickson, TN                                                             

Please let me know other Judo families who have loved ones serving in our military:  rank, branch of service and where they are serving.  Thanks.

Something to Think About – The Pledge of Allegiance

In light of the recent appeals court ruling in California, with respect to the Pledge of Allegiance, the following recollection from Senator John McCain is very appropriate:

"The Pledge of Allegiance" - by Senator John McCain

As you may know, I spent five and one half years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.  In the earl y years of our imprisonment, the NVA kept us in solitary confinement or two or three to a cell.  

In 1971 the NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large rooms with as many as 30 to 40 men to a room.  This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans on behalf of a few hundred POWs 10,000 miles from home.

One of the men who moved into my room was a young man named Mike.  Mike came from a small town near Selma , Alabama .  He didn't wear a pair of shoes until he was 13 years old.  At 17, he enlisted in the US Navy.  He later earned a commission by going to Officer Training School Then he became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and captured in 1967.  Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of the opportunities this country and our military provide for people who want to work and want to succeed.  

As part of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home.  In some of these packages were handkerchiefs, scarves and other items of clothing.  

Mike got himself a bamboo needle.  Over a period of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed on the inside of his shirt.  Every afternoon, before we had a bowl of soup, we would hang Mike's shirt on the wall of the cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance.  

I know the Pledge of Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed the most important and meaningful event.  

One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did periodically, and discovered Mike's shirt with the flag sewn inside, and removed it.  That evening they returned, opened the door of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike Christian severely for the next couple of hours.  Then, they opened the door of the cell and threw him in.  We cleaned him up as well as we could.  

The cell in which we lived had a concrete slab in the middle on which we slept.  Four naked light bulbs hung in each corner of the room.

As I said, we tried to clean up Mike as well as we could.  After the excitement died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting there beneath that dim light bulb with a piece of red cloth, another shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian.  He was sitting there with his eyes almost shut from the beating he had making another American flag.  

He was not making the flag because it made Mike Christian feel better.  He was making that flag because he knew how important it was to us to be able to Pledge our allegiance to our flag and country.

So the next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of Americans have made to build our nation and promote freedom around the world.  You must remember our duty, our honor, and our country

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

 

UPCOMING EVENTS - 2006
Please note the following events on the horizon for Illinois and the Midwest.  Communication and download information can be gotten directly through this email by attachments or by going to www.judofdl.com  (Brett Wood Taylor Welcome Mat Judo). OR www.judocalendar.com  (Jim Carmer).  Either site is a wealth of information on Judo events.  Both have more events listed than I have, so visit their sites often.  Thanks.

Nov 12          Gurnee Veteran's Day Judo Tournament            Grayslake, IL        
            Contact         Tim Schultheis  tschulth@warpnet.net   or flyer available www.gurneejudoclub.com

Nov 17         Jimmy Pedro – A Special Judo Seminar Midway Judo Club – West St Paul, MN
         Contact George Trembulak  651-778-3740 or Midway Judo Club at 651-453-0403

Nov 18                   Junior Development Clinic – Open Workout                Yorkville Judo Club             Yorkville, IL
Contact Brett Wolf              azumah4@yahoo.com  
SEE FLYER in attachment – NEW!!

Dec 2               Santa’s Shiai  Fond du Lac, WI
            Contact            Brett Wood-Taylor       welcomemat@charter.net

Dec 9     Illinois Judo Coach's Certification Clinic Tohkon Judo Academy, Chicago, IL  
Contact Tim Schultheis   tschulth@warpnet.net   or (847)244-7847 SEE FLYER in attachment – NEW!!

Dec 9    IJI Meeting Board of Directors Meeting Tohkon Judo AcademyChicago                          NEW!!
To be held 1 hour before the IJI Coaches Certification Clinic

Dec 26 – 30            Gurnee Judo Holiday Camp featuring Carrie Chandler             Gurnee, IL
Contact                  Tim Schultheis tschulth@warpnet.net  for more information www.gurneejudoclub.com

Dec 30                    Junior Development Clinic – Open Workout                Gurnee Judo Club                Gurnee, IL
Contact Brett Wolf              azumah4@yahoo.com

2007 dates

Jan TBD Junior Development Clinic – Open Workout                Tohkon Judo Academy      Chicago, IL
Contact Brett Wolf              azumah4@yahoo.com

Feb 18    Illinois State Open Judo Championships     Yorkville IL
            Contact   Chuck Clark:  (630)553-5741 clarkmail@sbcglobal.net  OR
                                 Tim Schultheis (847)244-7847

Feb         Sensei Memorial   San Jose, CA        -               Referee Examination Site

Mar 2-4  Midwestern Championships  Illinois                -               Referee Examination Site

Mar 10    New York Open, New York City

Mar 24-26  MS/HS/Collegiate National Championships – Miami, FL

Apr 1-2   Liberty BellPhiladelphia, PA          -               Referee Examination Site

Apr 7-8   NorthglennDenver, CO

Apr 20-21  Senior Nationals – Miami, FL

May 29-30  Am-Can Challenge – Buffalo, NY -               Referee Examination Site

Jul 7 – 8  Junior Olympics –

Jul 2007  USJA Junior Nationals – Indianapolis, IN

Jul 14-15 USJF Junior Nationals – Ypsilanti, MI

Aug 4-5  USA Judo Junior Open – Ft Lauderdale, FL?

Sep 2007  Ladder and Fall Classic

Sep/Oct 2007         USA Judo Senior Open

Nov 2007               Continental Crown – Seattle, WA     -               Referee Examination Site

Nov 2007               Dallas Invitational – Dallas, TX         -               Referee Examination Site

LIFE MEMBERSHIPS INFORMATION – USA JUDO
For more information on Life Membership in USA Judo, please contact USA Judo and click on “LIFE MEMBERSHIP”  
Nat’l       Order     Name
030          1             Henry Okamura(deceased)
041          2             Kei Narimatsu
065          3             James Colgan
122          4             Richard Fukuyama(deceased)
125          5             Joanne Barthold(deceased)
139          6             George Stanich
148          7             Mary Gail Ford
161          8             Kevin Narimatsu (CA)
162          9             Scott Narimatsu (CA)
164          10           Byung Chul Cho
167          11           Yung Kim
177          12           Kyu Yoon
181          13           John Bek
189          14           Quentin Thompson
201          15           Michiyuki Sasa
216          16           George Weers
271          17           Susan McConnell
289          18           William Jaconetti
291          19           Jean S Narimatsu
292          20           Susan Narimatsu
324          21           Timothy Tremaine
342          22           Stephen Bergren
349          23           Timothy Canty
355          24           Tim Schultheis
358          25           Bradford Lee (NV)
363          26           Frank Oliveri
364          27           Michael Ogata (FL)
370          28           Jeanette J Narimatsu
371          29           Julie K Narimatsu
374          30           Joe Kajita (CA)
378          31           Eiko Shepherd
381          32           Bill Dunning(deceased)
382          33           Yasko Odagiri
383          34           Wren Odagiri
385          35           Cary Yamanaka (MN)               
387          36           Don Bordeau

There are currently only 36 Life Members in Illinois.  You can start a membership for $75 minimum start payment and $25 per payment thereafter until completed.  You can pay by cash, check or credit card.  For more information, please contact www.usjudo.org  and select “LIFE MEMBERSHIP” Let’s do our share in Illinois.   Thanks.