New England Judo Championships

The New England Judo Championships occurred on Saturday, October 26^th in Danvers, Massachusetts. The event had 120 competitors with ages ranging from 5 to 67 years old.

"Judo in New England was a powerhouse in the 60s & 70s. Since then, the sport has slowly declined over the years and the goal behind the New England Championships was to get judokas tournament exposure at the grassroots level, explained Pedro's Judo Center. "We wanted to give those who aren't on the national level an opportunity to step up and shine in their own spotlight. While we do have some National players compete, we separate the athletes by skill level for everyone to get as many matches as possible."

A NEW ENGLAND JUDO CHAMPION patch is also given out along with the gold medals for their dedication and hard work over the past year, similar to how it was in the 70s. This hopefully motivates the young athletes to continue to work hard and be the best person and athlete they can be through judo.

"We are so thankful for all the amazing dojos who come out and support this event as well as growing the sport of judo overall. Without these senseis, parents and students, the sport would be non-existent and it's important that all athletes have a place in the judo world."