ILLINOIS JUDO NEWSLETTER – IPPON!!!

ILLINOIS JUDO NEWSLETTER – IPPON!!!

July3, 2009

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 –

Referee Corner –

Local News

Something to Think About –

Upcoming Events

USA Judo Life Members

USA Judo News

EDITORIAL –

Happy 4th of July

This will be my last newsletter coming from this email address. I am switching to another email account exclusively for the newsletter. It may take some time converting everything so please bear with me. What I will be doing to update my data base is to ask each of you who wish to continue receiving these emails to reply back with following:

Full name and Email

Example: Kei Narimatsu illinoisjudoeditor@gmail.com

This accomplishes several things.

1. I will have an updated database and only those who wish to receive this newsletter will.

2. It also avoids the embarrassment of have to say NO, I do not want to receive the newsletter, I delete it immediately anyway, so don’t bother clogging the airwaves with dribble.

3. It avoids having to cut and paste all the emails I have for all of you to another computer.

The newsletter will continue to try to disseminate relevant information to the Midwestern community especially those bordering Illinois and or course, Minnesota. If news is old, content may or may not be in any particular edition.

There was time when these newsletters were going out weekly. That may be too much for one person to do. Therefore expect newsletters spaced out at longer intervals. If I get help with content, then the editions could be more frequent.

I will continue to blind copy everyone so your email will not be disseminated into the ether.

4. I will attempt to make the content relevant – when it is appropriate.

If you want to continue to receive the ILLINOIS JUDO NEWSLETTER – IPPON!!!, then reply back to the following email address: illinoisjudoeditor@gmail.com

So there you have it. Hope you all have a happy birthday for everyone who calls the USofA home, permanently or temporarily.

Referee Corner – You too can become a REFEREE

Refereeing is not easy in any sport and Judo is no exception. So why do we do it? Why do we subject ourselves to abuse and ridicule? Why bother to referee when you do not get paid, get fed, travel hundreds of miles a year to work a few matches, pay for this out of you own pocket AND then be criticized for your efforts. Why do we volunteer? Here are a few reasons why but by no means are they exhaustive. They are my reasons, but they can be anyone’s. There are a multitude of reasons but only one is really necessary.

Certainly we have to have a reasonable understanding of the sport. We have to study, listen and learn the nuances of the throws, pins, chokes and armbars. We have to know penalties. In today’s judo in particular, the techniques are so dynamic. Seldom do we see that one big throw where the opponent lands flat on his/her back for an Ippon (instant win). There are differences in Ippon, Waza-ari, Yuko and No Score and therein lies controversy. So, #1, you need to know Judo.

#2, we have to be unconditionally unbiased. Not everyone is cut out to be a referee. In the same way some are not cut out to be coaches, the same can be said of referees. Referees in particular need to be unbiased. They need to see blue and white, not ABC dojo. They can not be nationalistic or paternalistic. Regardless of who is competing, their judgment has to be above reproach. I have often said that I can be unbiased even with my own children. That being said, the bias comes in precisely because you know our own child better than anyone else and generally you expect more, therefore you judge more harshly than if you did not know the opponent. Coaches referee with their hearts, referees referee with their brain. This is the reality of refereeing.

#3, you have a thick skin. Acceptance of criticism comes with the territory. Criticism however, should come from all quarters. It can come from players, coaches and yes even parents. But in order to excel, one must be especially critical of oneself. Self-criticism is often the most difficult because it is hard to admit to one’s own mistakes. If you are honest with yourself and recognize and correct your own mistakes, you will get better. It might be pretty easy to admit to a mistake about a score, “OK, I called Ippon but you thought it was a waza-ari.” What is harder is to admit to yourself that you made a mental mistake by NOT knowing who was ahead with 30 seconds to go in a match. I used to say to myself that I want to have a perfect day in refereeing. What that meant to me was not making any mistakes for two days. I needed to know precisely who was ahead at all times, not getting overturned in my calls, and to not make any technical errors (giving the score to the wrong player).

#4, you have to have self-confidence. This comes with time on the mat, being comfortable with knowing what constitutes a score, knowing the procedures and arm signal and most importantly, to know and interpret the rules – WELL. Reading the rules before every event is a good idea. Practicing your calls at the dojo will help your confidence.

#5, we referee because we love JUDO. This could be the most important attribute about refereeing. There is just no other explanation for it. We are willing to endure all of this because we love to see the perfect throw, the excitement of a championship match, knowing that you are giving your best judgment. We want to referee because we have the best seat in the house and we do not even have to take a fall for it.

So, if you want to referee, first get comfortable at the club level. Start refereeing at randori practice between two players or have a mini-intra-club shiai or have an interclub Shiai with folks from another dojo. Get help from other referees, the higher the better. When you feel you are ready, go to a very local Shiai and referee. The Wolf Junior Tournament is a great example of how to cut your teeth in a very easy, low key way. Some downstate events are good for this as well: N-S Tournament. Next step is to become Regionalized. There may or may not be a written involved. This is considered a State qualification. After spending about a year at the Regional level, you might be eligible to take the National exam. These national exams have both a written and practical component. There are four grades within the National Ranking, then it is off to the International Regional level (North American Referee), International level (B-Continental) and finally Olympic and World Qualified (A-International). It is not an easy path to take but there is a great deal of pride and achievement knowing that you are one of the best referees in the world. The important thing to remember is that referees are not born, they are made. And because you are built up from the ground up, anyone can do it. It is wanting to help develop Judo that is the key to becoming a referee. It is ambition and desire that determines how high you want to go. I tell referees all the time that each time you referee, locally, nationally, or internationally, men or women, children or adults, novice or advanced, think of each match as if it were an Olympic gold medal match. You just never know when that one player you refereed as an 8 year old becomes an Olympian. So referee each match with passion and integrity and you will never go wrong. You can never be criticized for not caring. You can become a REFEREE – Just Do It.

OTHER LOCAL NEWS:

Celebration of Life for Dr Sachio Ashida, PhD: August 2, 2009 from 2pm – 5pm at the Student Union of SUNY Brockport. Those wishing to write a memory and/or bring a photo to include in a memory book may do so. Opportunities to speak will be available. Contributions may be sent to the scholarship fund in memory of his wife, Margaret E Ashida Undergraduate Scholarship. Contributions may be sent to University of Rochester, 590 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester NY 14620. Memories and photos may be sent to Ashida Celebration, 53 Sweden Hill Road, Brockport, NY 14420. For more information, you may email Janet at djgjohn@yahoo.com or Margaret at meashida@aol.com. Please RSVP to the celebration by July 27, 2009.

Something to Think About – Old Age is a Gift

Old Age, I decided, is a gift.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy or to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair (if I had any) turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER FADE. MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART !

UPCOMING EVENTS – 2009

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 (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.

2009 dates

Jul 11-12 USJF Junior National Championships San Francisco, Calif.

Jul 18-19 2009 International Blind Sports Association World Youth and Student Championships Colorado Springs, CO

Contact: Heidi Moore judoheidi@comcast.net

Jul 24-26 USA Judo National Junior Olympic Championships Orlando, Fla.

Contact: Alyssa Johnson johnsona@usajudo.us

Aug 1-2 Junior US Open Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Contact: Gerry Navarro GerryNavarro@aol.com http://www.judonationals.net/

Sept 12 Grand Slam Tournament – Grand Rapids MI
contact Jim Murray Ph: 616-293-1568 Fax: 616-433-8225 E-Mail: murrayjim@charter.net www.mixjudo.com

Sept 25-27 USA Judo Senior Open Championships San Jose CA

OCT 31 Badger Open Fond du Lac, WI

Contact Mark Frankel mfrankel@daytonfreight.com

Nov 7 Gurnee Veterans Day Tournament -- Gurnee, IL
Contact Tim Schultheis (847)244-7847 annetims@comcast.net http://judo.usoc.org/event/event/1157

DEC 5 2009 Brett Wood-Taylor's Santa Shiai – Fond du Lac, WI

Contact Mark Frankel mfrankel@daytonfreight.com

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 Weer

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.

USA JUDO NEWS: Complete coverage of articles are available at the USA Judo website at http://www.usjudo.org/ Click on the What’s New page to see all the recent news items.

2010 IBSA World Championships Selection Criteria
The 2010 International Blind Sports Association World Championships will be held in Antalya, Turkey, March 25-29. The IBSA World Championships are an A-Level Point Tournament on the USA Judo Visually Impaired National Roster.

The World Team Trials for the 2010 IBSA World Championships will be held in conjunction with the 2009 Visually Impaired U.S. Open Judo Championships to be held September 26, 2009 in San Jose, Calif. All athletes participating in the World Team Trials must be U.S. citizens and be eligible to represent the United States in Paralympic competition.

The Trials will be held in all IJF divisions (Male 60, 66, 73, 81, 90, 100, and +100; Female 48, 52, 57, 63, 70, 78, and +78kg)... more>

Junior U.S. Players to Compete at Jikji Cup in South Korea
(Colorado Springs, Colo.) - Six U.S. junior athletes arrived in Cheongju, Korea on Monday to compete on Thursday and Friday in the Jikji Cup, an elite junior international tournament.

Max Schneider (Chicago, Ill. / Tohkon) will be looking for his second international gold medal this season after winning the Pan American Juvenile Championships in El Salvador two weeks ago in the 66kg division. The event will be one of Schneider's final tune-up events before the 16-year-old competes at the Cadet World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 6-9.

Two of Schneider's teammates, Kyle Taketa (Torrance, Calif. / Gardena Judo) and Michael Harrison (Burke, Va. / Sport Judo), also competed in El Salvador where they won bronze medals in the junior 66kg and 90kg divisions, respectively... more>

MONDAY is the Mail-In Registration Deadline for the 2009 Junior Olympics at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort
The USA Judo National Junior Olympic Championships will be held July 24-26 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort.

Athletes and their families can stay at Coronado Springs for a discounted rate of $140 per night for up to four people per room.

Call 407.939.1020 and ask for the special JUDO rate to book your room.

Hotel rates have been extended and participants may receive the discounted rate from July 21-30.

Click here to download an entry packet and additional information on the tournament.

Portmark your application by MONDAY JULY 6 to receive the discounted entry rate!

2009 Junior World Trials to be Held at Junior Olympics

Athletes competing in the IJF-Junior (under-20) division at the USA Judo National Junior Olympic Championships will be eligible to represent Team USA at the Junior World Championships, Oct. 22-25 in Athens, Greece.

For more information on the Junior World Trials, click here.