NORWALK JUDO ANNOUNCEMENTS April 30, 2017
SEJSCC Recognition Dinner
On April 8, the Center recognized Bill Matsubara for his many contributions to Norwalk Judo and the Community Center. Bill sends his best to everyone and thanks all of his friends who attended the event.
Trevor Sonoda was selected by the senseis to be the 2017 Norwalk Judo Scholarship recipient. He is scheduled to attend San Francisco State University in the fall. All of the senseis wish him the best!
Fukuma sensei, Alex Fukuma sensei, Momii sensei, Johnson sensei & wife Wendy, Morishima sensei & Kyle, Sugahara sensei & family, Wada sensei, Max Uyekawa sensei, the Kuratani family, Mike Sonoda, Larry Henderson & his grandson’s Hunter and Jacob attended the event.
I want to acknowledge Mr. & Mrs. Johnny Blas, Mr. & Mrs. Sergio Lemus, Mr. & Mrs. Mike Perrey and Mary Taketani for their Recognition Dinner food prep assistance on Friday evening.
TOURNAMENT RESULTS:
- April 2–Clovis Tournament, Fresno, CA.
Joshua Chen 3rd Place
Conor Uyekawa 1st Place-Competition, 2nd Place-Ukemi,
Conor Uyekawa & Bryan Davis (Taishi) 1st Place Kata-Nage-no-Kata, Katame-noKata.
Weston Uyekawa 1st Place-Competition, 2nd Place-Ukemi.
- April 9–Visalia Tournament, Visalia, CA.
Weston Uyekawa 2nd Place
Joey Salazar 1st Place
Conor Uyekawa 3rd Place
- Special thanks goes out to Don Tashima sensei and his wife Doria for supporting our members while we were visiting Central California. Breakfast, dinner, and accommodations were generously provided!
April 23 –Nanka Spring Novice, Jr. & Sr. Judo Tournament, Westminster, CA. Congratulations to the following Norwalk Judo competitors entering their first tournament: Sean Yi, Edan Yi-1st, Nathan Cho-2nd. Yonen results: Nadia Smith-2nd., Juliana Lemus-2nd., Weston Uyekawa-1st. and Ariana Lemus-2nd. Shonen results: Joey Salazar-1st. and Kay Sugahara-1st. Seinen results: Desmond Wong-3rd. Kata Competition: Conor Uyekawa & Bryan Davis: 1st-Nage-no-Kata and 2ndKatame-no-Kata.
April 23 –Nanka Spring Novice, Jr. & Sr. Judo Tournament (continued).
Norwalk Judo volunteers: Bob Varela (Announcer), Alex Fukuma (pooling), Aaron
Gulewich (pooling), Sergio Lemus Sr., Josh Nam, Desmond Wong (score table), June Uyekawa (food-hospitality), Momii sensei, Kay Sugahara, Conor Uyekawa (Referees) and coaches: Uyekawa, Chang, Fukuma, Sugahara sensei.
April 8–Nanka Shorai Practice, Gardena Valley Judo Club, Gardena, CA. Participants: Nadia Smith, Sergio Lemus Jr., Juliana Lemus, Ariana Lemus, Weston Uyekawa, Joey Salazar, Conor Uyekawa, Kay Sugahara. Thank You Seino sensei!
April 22 – Nanka Shorai Practice, Mojica Judo Club, Baldwin Park, CA.
Participants: Weston Uyekawa, Joey Salazar, Conor Uyekawa and Kay Sugahara. Thank you to Mojica sensei and his instructors.
UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS & EVENTS:
May 13 – Nanka Installation and Awards Banquet, 11:00am-4:00pm, Long Beach, CA. NOTE: (Norwalk Judo is the host club). Please contact Scott Momii sensei if you are interested in attending.
May 21 (SUN.) – West Coast Invitational Judo Championships, Westminster, CA. Postmarked before Saturday, May 13, 2017 for early registration fee price.
May 27, 28, 29 (Memorial Day Weekend) Nanka Spring Elite Judo Camp. (Norwalk Judo is the host club) This is a unique clinic, presenting three accomplished competitors/senseis, Nakano, Sasaki and Takahashi. PreRegistration is required.
* JULY 22 & 23 (Sat. & Sun.) SEJSCC SUMMER FESTIVAL, Norwalk, CA.
This is Norwalk Judo’s main fundraiser of the year. Please select either Saturday, Sunday or both days. Two-hour shifts will be scheduled. We will require everyone’s help! Please mark you calendar.
VISITORS WELCOMED
Hannah Tsutsui (Fresno), the Oishi Family (Taishi), Romeo (South Bay), Jean and Ron (Irvine Judo Club) joined our practices for the month of April.