The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

The Gentle Way

The two were locked in combat, their hands clenched firmly around each other's lapels. Joshua Shade grimaced and looked straight into his opponent's eyes.

Seconds later, his opponent's shoulders were pinned to the mat, and Shade emerged the winner.

Abiding by Judo rules, Shade and his opponent shook hands and bowed several times to each other while exiting the mat.

The Southern Illinois Judo Club, Hanjudo and the SIUC Judo Club held their first Judo tournament of the year Saturday at the Recreation Center. The tournament was double-elimination, which gave the contestants a chance to fight until they lost twice.

Teams from Southeast Missouri State, Belleville, Wood River and O'Fallon, Ill. also competed in the tournament.

The contestants were matched by weight class and age division and each had five minutes to try and take down their opponents.

Judo, which is translated to "gentle way," gives contestants three ways a to win a match. A contestant can throw his opponent, and if the opponent lands squarely on his back with good force, he receives an "Ippon," which ends the game. Another winning method is to apply a chokehold to one's opponent, and the last technique is to hold an opponent down with one's shoulders on the mat for at least 25 seconds.

Jerry Monteith, SIUC's Judo Club faculty advisor, said he was pleased with the way the tournament turned out.

"There's been a lot of clean, sharp techniques, and that is the aim of the matches," Monteith said.

Judo, derived from the martial arts practice of jujutsu, is a sport that uses balance, leverage and movement to win a match. An important lesson Monteith said Judo practitioners must learn is to "give way" rather than use force in overcoming a stronger opponent.

Cory Shulz, a Judo Club member from Southeast Missouri State, won the Novice 170-190 lb. weight class. Shulz had only practiced Judo for a month, and this marked the first tournament he had ever participated in.

"I liked the atmosphere. Its nice and open," Shulz said. "It was a real good time, and there will be more wins coming."

Monteith agreed with Schulz on the location the tournament was held.

"This is the first time we've had this at the Rec Center," Monteith said. "It's great to have this kind of professional environment."

Sangpill Han, the Southern Illinois Judo Club head instructor, said he was enthusiastic about a possible Judo physical education class, which would begin the spring semester.

Han said he enjoys teaching the techniques and would like the Judo Club to gain a bigger following in the Southern Illinois region.

Monteith encourages anyone who is interested in Judo to attend a practice, which occurs every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Ultimate Gymnastics on U.S. Route 51 behind Farm Fresh Dairies.

For more information on the Southern Illinois Judo Club contact their president Webb Smith at 457-6521.

 

 

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