Over the weekend, I hosted a Judo clinic at North Jersey Judo. I taught a myriad of combinations off Sasae. Maybe I will share the video with you one day! But today, allow me to share with you, where it all began.
The sensei at North Jersey Judo is Ramon Hernandez. He was someone I looked up to in my early teenage years. You see, my father was very ambitious when it came to judo competition. He signed up in the local ADULT judo circuit as early as 12 years old. I remember when I was 12, i entered the Promotional judo tournament where I had to fight a 28 year old man. Boy did I fight for my life. Still to this day, it might have been one of my scariest moments. I was riddled with fear for the days before and after the tournament. Anyway, during that time in my life, Ramon was a stand out fighter. He was a charismatic young stud who launched his opposition, tournament after tournament. When I was 13 years old, I developed a natural respect and healthy fear of Ramon. One day, one of our many weekend competitions, our brackets crossed into each other. 2 lines converge into a slot designated for the Superior…
Left Uchimata. Boom. I should have left the gi at home and sported a parachute instead. That loss helped me propel my career forward. It was a humbling experience and it made me a better person. Thank you for that.
So here we are, a decade and a half later.
Judo clinic at North jersey judo
Thank you Ramon!
Kokushi Budo
Norther Jersey Judo