Judo

When, Why, and Woohoo

I first started judo around my sophomore year of high school as just a team member and have fallen in love with the martial art. After my graduation, I became a coach for the team and whenever I have the time, I come by and help. I am still a blue-belt and I am striving for a higher belt. I constantly try to improve so when I am ready for a belt promotion, I can proudly say that I have fairly earned it. It honestly was the first real activity/experience that taught me true discpline and patience. It has also taught me that through hard-work and perseverance, you can reap what you’ve sowed. It really turned my life around for the better despite the injuries that came after.

Yikes

My sophomore year in high school was when COVID-19 just woke up and slapped all of us in the face. Judo was a spring sport for high school and as such, the time frame for our tournements lined right when COVID peaked and hit a crazy world collateral headshot. My first tournament were meant for novices and I was extremely excited to play. I was cutting my food intake to make weight prior to the morning weigh-ins, I was studying videos of judo matches, and I was asking my coaches for advice and tips. I was prepared, but also very scared. Scared to break something or scared to injure another or just scared to be scared. I think because of this fear, I like to think it may have been one of the reasons I broke my collarbone. My first match, under the 160 lb weight classes, I faced this tall guy who in terms of differing heights was favorable for me, thanks to the throw I chose and practiced, but the next thing I knew, my right collarbone was fractured and misaligned. It was something new to me. It was my first broken bone and of course, all the hardwork and training for my supposed future tournements for 2020 were shattered, literally and figuratively. I was shocked, sad, and in a lot of pain after the adrenaline wore off. I wasn’t sure what this could mean for me and my love for the marital art.

Ippon!

For the world, COVID was terrible, but for me it was a blessing in disguise. Due to my injury, I had to get surgery and all the important things to get me back to a somewhat healthy body which also meant missing out on school and tournaments, but in a turn of events, COVID hit Hawaii. Just like everywhere else, it hit us hard. The global lockdown happened and this, fortunately, this gave me all the time in the world to recuperate and recuperate I did. The entirety of lockdown allowed me to heal and pushed to become stronger and maybe smarter. I was preparing myself for my senior year where I knew that judo was gonna be able to hold tournaments again. My senior year went by so fast and it was great. I suffered a knee injury although it wasn’t permanent like my collarbone, but I managed to play for one of the team tounaments and for OIAs and Westerns. They were fun and I learned so much from it. It deepened my resolve and love for the martial art.

Growth

Me as a person also grew, both in terms of mindset and personality. Before judo, I was quite an introvert (I sort of still am), but now I became more open-minded, a bit more energetic, and just a percent more outgoing. I also developed the mindset of moving forward one step at a time and when things fall onto your path, then jump, punch, kick, or do whatever in your power to get it out of your way. Prior, I always thought that sometimes maybe it is what it is, but it’s different now. It’s better to be more positive rather than to be complacent.

2023 was definitely a rough year, but hopefully 2024 I can continue to pursue it more!

Not Awesome Pictures

This was in my senior year and I was allowed to play for my team after a knee injury:

practicing ippon seoi-nage (my favorite throw)