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Brief history of Judo



The early history of judo is inseparable from its founder and educator Kano Jigoro (1860–1938). Kano was born into a well-to-do Japanese family. His grandfather was a self-made man: a sake brewer from Shiga prefecture in central Japan. However, Kano's father was not the eldest son and therefore did not inherit the business. Instead, he became a Shinto priest and government official, with enough influence for his son to enter the second incoming class of Tokyo Imperial University.

Kano was a small, frail boy, who, even in his twenties, did not weigh more than a hundred pounds (45kg), and was often picked on by bullies. He first started pursuing jujutsu, at that time a dying art, at the age of 17, but met with little success. This was in part due to difficulties finding a teacher who would take him on as a student. When he went to university to study literature at the age of 18, he continued his martial arts studies, eventually gaining a referral to Fukuda Hachinosuke (c.1828–c.1880), a master of the Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū and grandfather of Keiko Fukuda (born 1913), who is Kano's only surviving student, and the highest-ranking female jūdōka in the world. Fukuda Hachinosuke is said to have emphasized technique over formal exercise, sowing the seeds of Kano's emphasis of free practice (randori) in judo.

A little more than a year after Kano joined Fukuda's school, Fukuda became ill and died. Kano then became a student in another Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū school, that of Iso Masatomo (c.1820–c.1881), who put more emphasis on the practice of pre-arranged forms (kata) than Fukuda had. Through dedication, Kano quickly earned the title of master instructor (shihan) and became assistant instructor to Iso at the age of 21. Unfortunately, Iso soon took ill, and Kano, feeling that he still had much to learn, took up another style, becoming a student of Iikubo Tsunetoshi (1835–1889) of Kitō-ryū. Like Fukuda, Iikubo placed much emphasis on free practice. On the other hand, Kitō-ryū emphasized throwing techniques to a much greater degree than Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū.

Founding
By this time, Kano was devising new techniques, such as the "shoulder wheel" (kata-guruma, known as a fireman's carry to Western wrestlers who use a slightly different form of this technique) and the "floating hip" (uki goshi) throw. However, he was already thinking about doing far more than just expanding the canons of Kitō-ryū and Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū. Full of new ideas, Kano had in mind a major reformation of jujutsu, with techniques based on sound scientific principles, and with focus on development of the body, mind and character of young men in addition to development of martial prowess.
At the age of 22, when he was just about to finish his degree at the University, Kano took nine students from Iikubo's school to study jujutsu under him at the Eisho-ji, a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, and Iikubo came to the temple three days a week to help teach. Although two years would pass before the temple would be called by the name "Kodokan", or "place for teaching the way", and Kano had not yet been accorded the title of "master" in the Kitō-ryū, this is now regarded as the Kodokan's founding.

Newspaper article on the judo club.

News Chief article 1996: "The Winter Haven Judo club held an instructional class at the Chain O Lakes complex on Monday. Above student Michelle Williams, 12, throws her instructor Terry Tucker.

Williams practices her holding techniques on asst. instructor Barron Shepherd.




Tucker shows Williams proper holds using Shepherd as the victim. Tucker takes to the air before bringing Shepherd to the mat."
Williams looks on as Tucker gets ready to throw Shepherd.

Brief history of Winter Haven judo



The Winter Haven Judo Club was founded in 1973 by Sensei H. "Jack" Ro. It was the first martial arts school to open in the city of Winter Haven and is still the only Judo program in the city to this day. The school has persavered over the years first under the guidance of Sensei Ro and then under the guidance of Sensei T. Tucker who presently carries on the tradition and example first set by Sensei Ro.

Head Instuctor: Sensei T. Tucker
Asst. Instructor: Sensei Ernie Camp
Asst Instructor: Sensei Barron Shepherd
Location: Chain O Lakes Recreational Complex

Days and Times: Monday, 6:00-7:15 p.m.
Age: all ages
Information: (863) 291-5656
Contact: Cynthia Marks
Recreation Supervisor I
Chain O' Lakes Complex
email: cmarks@mywinterhaven.com
Resident Fee: $35 per sessionNon-Resident Fee: $45 per session
Registration Info: 15 minutes prior to start of class. First class is free.
Classes will be held in the Mat Room.


Senior Instructor T. Tucker helping young student with Kesa Katame