Judo experiencing a revival in Hawai'i

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Joel Akimoto throws teammate Andrew Hung during a practice at Pearl City High School. Both are juniors and hold a rank of sho dan black belt. The O'ahu Interscholastic Association, Interscholastic League of Honolulu and Big Island Interscholastic Federation have judo as an official sport. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

But in between, he takes off the polo shirt and glasses and slips into a gi. Then he practices throwing people around like rag dolls.

"It's the only sport I'm good at," said Takase, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Western Division heavyweight champion.

Like hundreds of other students around O'ahu and the Big Island, Takase is thankful he can represent his school and be recognized as a varsity athlete because judo is an official league sport. And if a proposal submitted by the Big Island Interscholastic Federation makes it through the proper channels this summer, Takase and others could be competing for an official state championship next year.

"(The proposal) has already been written up and submitted," said Waiakea High School athletic director Ken Yamase, the BIIF judo coordinator.

With judo's official revival in the BIIF and Interscholastic League of Honolulu this year, the sport now has the requisite three leagues participating to propose a Hawai'i High School Athletic Association tournament. The proposal must be approved by a Hawai'i Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association subcommittee and then win a majority vote by all the athletic directors at the HIADA conference in June.

If the proposal makes it past the HIADA conference, it then would be up for final approval before the HHSAA Board of Directors later in the month. If the directors approve it, judo could become the HHSAA's newest state tournament next year.

"We'd be more than happy to hold the inaugural state judo tournament," said Keith Amemiya, the HHSAA's executive director. "We'll look into adding any sport, as long as (after meeting requirements) there is enough interest and it's feasible."

One of a kind

Amemiya said he believes if it gets approved, a Hawai'i state high school judo tournament would be the first of its kind in the nation.

Judo has been an official sport in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association since 1977, with 17 of the 22 OIA schools now fielding teams. Some schools, like Leilehua, just joined judo competition within the past five years, and girls were awarded their own division in 1997.

The ILH has had an official judo league off and on for about 20 years, although judo just became an official sport again after club-level competition last year. And the BIIF revived judo this year after a three-year hiatus.

This is believed to be the first time that judo is an official sport in three leagues concurrently.

Participants say a state tournament would be appropriate because judo supposedly is the world's second-most popular sport, after soccer.

"We've been waiting to get it for years," said Aryn Tanaka, Mililani's head coach. "Hawai'i is the only state with judo as an official varsity sport, but we still feel a little bit limited. Having states would be great."

More opportunities

Takase, a Mililani co-captain, said he started judo in the first grade but found a new passion after joining his high school team.

"I never really felt the competition (before)," Takase said. "And we're a real tight-knit group. That's more important than being talented."

For kids who didn't grow up in judo, the sport means opportunity.

"A lot of our (team members) are all brand new," said Leilehua assistant coach Mary Ann Christian, who doubles as the school's head softball coach. "Out of 26 kids total, we have maybe three or four color belters. And a lot of the new ones don't play any other sports. It's fun watching kids come in not knowing anything about judo and ending up loving it and putting their heart into it."

Competitive judo can roughly resemble wrestling, although the scoring system is different and more of the action is stand-up rather than on the ground. Judo moves are divided into different areas of the body, and points are awarded for falls (koka, yuko) and moves exhibiting several components like speed, force and control (waza-ari, ippon).

A match can end on a single throw if a full point (ippon) is awarded.

And like Yamase said, tradition plays an important part.

The athletes bow before walking onto the mat, bow to officials and their opponent before and after the match, then again before walking off the mat. At the end of a meet, all of the officials and participants line up neatly on the mat and offer another ceremonial bow.

Pearl City coach Ivan Yoshimura, the Chargers' coach since 1983, has seen all kinds of kids go through his program.

"A lot of first-timers are small, scrawny types who never played any sport in their life," Yoshimura said. "If they can make it through one season, that's an accomplishment."

Pearl City sophomore Everett Pavo is neither small nor scrawny. He plays football and wrestles for the Chargers, but says judo can be similarly demanding.

"The training is really tough," Pavo said. "We do uchikomi' — practice throws — and you learn to defend yourself in a fight."

Pavo took second in the 145-pound weight class at the Collegiate and High School Nationals last month in San Jose, Calif. But he said the main reason he likes judo is, "It's fun."

Numbers on the rise

Whether novice or expert, almost all the participants are hoping for an official state tournament next year.

'Aiea High School will play host to a Goodwill Tournament on May 18, which will include athletes from the OIA and Big Island. (The tournament is still awaiting confirmation from ILH schools)

"We're trying to promote the sport and make it bigger," said Roy Miyoga, 'Aiea's athletic director and the OIA's judo coordinator.

Yamase said that's already happening on the Big Island.

"We had four schools in our league this year — Kealakehe, Konawaena, Hilo and Waiakea," he said. "We're having our individual championships this Saturday, and we have all 10 of the boys' (weight classes) filled and eight of the 10 for girls. I talked to the kids, and it's been an enjoyable year for them. I think the numbers will build."