Judo is coming to the Cloverleaf Recreation Center ? The Medina ...
By Eric Barnes
WESTFIELD TWP. ? Hundreds of martial artists will be in town this weekend for a pair of judo tournaments at the Cloverleaf Recreation Center.
Some of the top female judoka (students) and sensei (masters) will compete Saturday at the eighth All Women?s Championship.
?The all women?s event allows girls and women to get as many matches as they want,? tournament co-director Julee Cope said. ?When a female goes to a tournament, she often has only one or two other females to fight, if any.?
At last year?s AWC, two women competed in 11 matches each.
Cope said this event gives female competitors the chance to meet new and old friends for camaraderie and competition as well as opportunities to learn ? or teach ? new skills.
Cope said the three-day event, which begins with registration on Friday, typically has more than 200 martial artists, but precise numbers are hard to predict, as the tournament requires no pre-registration.
The 17th Rock and Roll Capitol of the World tournament, which is open to males and females, will be Sunday at the recreation center.
?Spectators will see the Olympic sport of judo being performed by men and women of all ages and skill levels,? Cope said. ?There are often young kids (5 and above), and many masters (some in their 50s and 60s) who still compete.?
Scheduling the women?s tournament at the same time as the Rock and Roll event allows for broader exposure for the sport, Cope said.
?We combined the events so that we could promote a weekend of judo for an entire family,? she said.
Judo sensei Frances Glaze will instruct a Kime no Kata Clinic after the competition Saturday.
Licensed male and female referees are invited to officiate Saturday and Sunday events and may participate in the clinics, Cope said.
Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday. The AWC matches will begin afterward. The Rock and Roll event begins at 9 a.m. Sunday.
Those who may be unfamiliar with judo are encouraged to attend to see what the sport has to offer.
?Since judo is a throwing sport you might see someone standing, then all of a sudden lying on their back,? Cope said.
For more information, visit ohiojudo.org or contact tournament co-director Deborah Fergus at (269) 208-1068.
Contact Eric Barnes at sports@medina-gazette.com.
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Source: http://medinagazette.northcoastnow.com/2012/09/20/judo-is-coming-to-cloverleaf-rec-center/
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