SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM AnnMarie DeMars (1984 World Champion)

I will be at the All-Women's Tournament with team from the USJA/USJF Judo Training Center on the West Coast.

The All-Women's Tournament, if you have never been, is a unique event, a celebration of women's judo for all ages. There is a coaches clinic that begins Friday evening, November 2nd. (I am the clinician). You don't have to be a woman to attend the coaches clinic. We cover conditioning, matwork, transition from matwork to standing, gripping, coaching ethics, recruitment and retention of members for your judo club, with an especial emphasis on women.

The tournament is November 3rd. There are senior divisions, juniors, masters and team events. Not only are we bringing several players for the senior and youth divisions, but since three of them had little sisters, we decided what the heck, to bring the little sisters and enter them in a 9-10 year old team!

Are you concerned about having more women and girls in your judo club? Were you aware that the drop out rate for girls in judo through adolescence is FAR higher than it is for boys? Did you know that girls make up 30-40% of our junior players and less than 10% of our adult members?

The All-Women's Tournament is a weekend of showcasing the talents of our female judoka. For years, the New York Athletic Club has run an all-male New York Open.

For the past two years, Southside Dojo has sponsored the All-Women's Tournament.

If we can make it with a team of juniors and seniors from California, I think those of you who live in the central U.S. and Canada should be able to come out and support this great event. Last year, there were players from Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario (Canada), California, Phillipines, Japan and .... I lost track.

Hope to see you there! For more information, email Deb Fergus DeFrgs6@cs.com

All Women's Championship page