The 2017 Sunshine State Games Judo Tournament will be on June 17th.   United Judo of Tampa students that are hoping to compete should start planning ahead now.   Your first step is to talk to a sensei and make sure you are prepared for competition.   Here is some information to get you started:

Judo Information:  http://www.flasports.com/state_game/judo

Schedule:
May 26th - Pre-registration must be received by mail.
May 28th - Pre-registration deadline for online entries.  ($40.00)
June 14th - Late online registration ($55.00)
June 16th - Onsite registration ($70.00)
Friday, June 16th - 5pm to 10pm - Weigh-ins for all competitors.  
Saturday, June 17th - 10am - Shiai Tournament begins.

What you need:
A valid USA Judo membership card.
Juniors must have a birth certificate as proof of age.
Your weight in kilograms (needed for registration).

Where to stay:
Hotel reservations are recommended for Friday night (West Palm Beach is about 3 hours from Tampa).  Several hotels are offering group rates for the SSG events but will fill up fast and most require booking by June 2.   Parents of students planning to compete can reach out to John Desmet or Andy Georgiou to coordinate our lodging for the event.

We had a great joint practice with the USF Judo Club on Thursday, March 2.   Twelve adults and teens attended the practice and we had an excellent workout led by Sensei Wayne Shultz and Sensei Russ Odegard. 

Our next joint practice is planned for Thursday, March 23, 2017 at the USF Recreation Center.  Please see Sensei John if you would like to attend.

Congratulations to our first promotions of 2017:

Sebastian Castaldi - Nikyu
Patrick Bunch - Nikyu
Immanuel (IJ) Jones - Yellow
Andrew Wolfe - Yellow
Sophia Ortiz - Yellow
Ellina Peretska - Yellow
Caleb Walter - Yellow
Reggie Ford - Yellow

Advanced judo players should be sure to attend our new Competition / Cardio Class for a great workout with a focus on competition techniques.   Classes are on Mondays at 8:00 PM and are led by Sensei John Desmet.   Also please talk to Sensei John if you are interested in joining our Competition Team.  We are hoping to send a group of competitors to the Sunshine State Games this June. 

Note:  Due to scheduling changes with the YMCA - Kata class is on hold but we hope to get a new slot if one comes available.

Congratulations to our winter rank promotions:
Johnny Desmet - Brown
Jacen Desmet - Purple
Joey Desmet - Purple
Andres Zatizabal - Blue
Alexa Castaldi - Blue
Zoey Heizer - Orange
Newton Heizer - Green
Samantha Hamilton - Yellow