By Nathan Kanter

Judo provincials coming to the Battlefords

Mar 15, 2017 | 2:30 PM

On almost every Tuesday and Thursday evening in the St. Vital Catholic School gymnasium from September until May, you may hear the sounds of grunting, mat pounding, and often, the repeated use of the word ‘hajime.’

‘Hajime’ is the Japanese word for ‘begin,’ a term that is used in the sport of judo, which is why you’ll hear it in the public school’s gym, as this is where the Battleford Judo Club gets down to business.

The club has been led by Mel Kozlowski, who grew up in North Battleford but now resides across the river in Battleford, for nearly four decades.

Kozlowski discovered judo after a friend in university wanted someone to go with. He obliged, and not long after, the friend quit. He didn’t.

But the retired school teacher admits he didn’t fall in love with the sport right when he joined the club in university.

Twist on a classic

Regina board game designer puts new spin on crokinole

14h ago

Spring in Saskatchewan

Calm, dry weather expected across much of Saskatchewan over Easter weekend

14h ago

Tribute projects

Progress on Humboldt Broncos memorial continues eight years after tragic crash

15h ago

“For that first little while, I don’t think I really understood what was going on – some of the finer techniques, some of the philosophy behind the judo,” he said. “[When] I joined the club [in Battleford], then I really started to enjoy it.

“I had a good circle of friends here so that always helped. The university club was pretty big and hard to know people.”

Kozlowski said many people unfamiliar with the sport think it is the same as karate or taekwondo, which involves kicking and striking your opponent. 

“In judo there is no hitting or kicking,” he said. “You try to throw your opponent on their back with some speed and force, and if you do that, then you can win the match with that single throw. We also fight on the ground, so if you can maintain control of the opponent for 20 seconds, you win the match. Or you can win by submission with a choke hold or an elbow lock, arm lock combination.”

Above all, judo is about respect, which is something that drew him to the sport.

“It’s just part of the culture of judo and even in competitions, you’re expected to bow before you fight, you’re expected to bow after you fight and the bowing is always a sign of respect to the other person,” he said. “When practicing, we always have to cooperate and help with each other. I think in a lot of other sports they tend to be competing all of the time. So I think somehow that spirit is a little bit different.”

Although Kozlowski has now been the ‘sensei’, or teacher, for quite some time, he knows it takes more than just one instructor to run a successful club. That is why he makes sure to credit those who help him, whether it’s his own members, or even other instructors not from the area.

“All of our senior members and even some of our more experienced junior members all take a role in helping instruct and run the club,” he said. “And competitions…are usually followed up by camps with instructors that have a lot more experience than I do. So they can bring back some valuable things that they’ve learned there and they can help our club learn those techniques.

“It helps our club grow a fair bit here because us guys here that are instructors, we’ve only got so much experience.”

The competitions that club members take part in are plentiful.

Just last weekend, many of the youth competed at the Edmonton International Judo Championships, which took place at the West Edmonton Mall. Roughly 900 total competitors took part.

Nate Burton is one of those Battleford club members that competed, and despite being just 12-years-old, he won gold in the 16U category.

Burton said last weekend’s competition in Edmonton was a good experience because there were lots of people to compete against, but also that he learned judo is about more than just where you finish.

“Whether you win or lose it doesn’t matter…because if you don’t walk away from a fight with a good spirit then you won’t be able to next time,” he said.

Burton and his sister Grace, who is 15, have both been members of the club for the past eight years. Grace even had the opportunity to go to the nationals in Calgary last year, and the hope is to go again this year.

And she isn’t the only club member that went to nationals.

Slavko Pristojko, who is 15, also competed in Calgary. He and his 12-year-old brother Vladimir have been club members for the past seven years.

Slavko competed in the 18U category in Edmonton last weekend but also in the senior category, which he actually said wasn’t too different because the weight category is the same.

“Some of them have had some amazing experiences,” Kozlowski said. “They were at the Sask Open down in Regina [as well]. I think that had like 400 competitors so they got some real experiences there, with competitors from all over Canada and the States. I think they’ve run into a couple from Japan. It’s all pretty cool.”

Perhaps the best news for the club is other members who haven’t been to large competitions may have a chance to get their feet wet at home, as the provincial judo championships are coming to the Battlefords on March 25.

They will take place at the NationsWEST Field House and Kozlowski said he expects eight to 10 of his members to compete, with an estimated 150 total competitors from around the province.

“Age categories [are from] under 10, up to and including senior,” Kozlowski said. “So we should have lots of matches happening on the mat. There should be a lot of experienced fighters coming so we should have some really good judo happening.”    

Nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

@NathanKanter11