Thank your Sensei!!!

Yesterday I stayed behind at the Sacramento Judo Club and had a conversation with Sensei Takeda. I had asked him about the whereabouts of a gentleman that had trained at the Club when I first started back in 2008. Sensei Takeda stated that the gentleman no longer wished to train with the Club and had gone some where else to train. Sensei Takeda seemed sadden when I asked. Sensei said that he has taught many students and had brought them up to the ranks of Black Belt but very few decide to give back and help to run the Club.

Sensei Takeda has given his whole life to Judo, often he said it has even caused many arguments between his wife and himself, he has run down vehicles traveling from one clinic or tournament to the other and has done all this with no pay. he said that the old way of the Japanese and Judo in California was always to be non-profit and to give back to the community or as Kano Sensei stated "For the mutual welfare and benefit" of all who partake in the wonderful sport and art of Judo.

We discussed the current state of Judo and that it most likely will become a "for profit" business, like what Jimmy Pedro and Rhadi Furgesson have created. Most of the schools on the East Coast are for profit and are very expensive to join in comparison to the clubs in California. Sensei believes that the old Japanese way is dying out and that as time goes many future instructors will want to be paid for their instruction and no longer give their knowledge for free.

I was sadden to hear this, as I looked at Sensei Takeda I could see his sadness in his eyes. I shook his hand and thank him for his sacrifice that he has done again and again for the past forty plus years.

I know have many friends in the Judo community in Sacramento, I know that Sensei Goodall and the rest of the Senseis at Team Sacramento volunteer their time to give back and so does Okubo Judo. If you practice Judo and you know that your Senseis freely volunteer time out of their life to  impart their knowledge on to you please, PLEASE, shake their hand and let them know that it does mean something to you.

To all the Senseis that volunteer to teach and expect  nothing in return I salute you!!!

Be Blessed!!!!