Judo Blog: Judo vs. Bullies

Black Belt Magazine is highlighting anti-bullying and anti-depression for the month of October. Please find an article from my archives that involves my use of judo against bullies in 1968. I recall this incident vividly and it was indeed life changing for me. Several teachers at the high school I attended read it out loud to the class and over the next 4 years, I never got into a fight. Except of course ones on the mat!

The story was featured on the local TV news and later got circulated in other cities newspapers.

Subduing two hoodlums who attacked him while he was delivering papers was just in a “daze” work, according to Press newspaper boy Gary Goltz. Gary, 14 was in front of his home in Squirrel Hill, yesterday afternoon when he noticed a car stop at one end of the street.

A youth who seemed about “a foot taller than me” and with menacing looks got out of the car and began walking towards Gary. The car then continued down the street past Gary, stopped and another youth got out. “They were both walking up to me,” the newspaper boy said. “I was right in the middle.” One of the youths ordered Gary to “give me your money” and pushed him when he refused. Gary stated.

He is only 5’2″ tall and 112 pounds but he had an equalizer –three years of judo training and a purple belt. “A judo player isn’t a bully but when the guy facing me threw a punch, I went like into a daze,” Gary recalled. “That’s what happens when you know judo,” he said. “Everything is automatic.”

“I blocked his punch and kicked him in the groin,” Gary related. “I used a shoulder throw on the guy behind me.” A third youth who had remained at the wheel of the car, was “laughing his head off because I beat up his two friends,” according to Gary.

The newspaper boy said he had good reason for not wanting to part with the earnings from his paper route. After all they help pay for his judo training.

Joon Chi Candidate for USA Judo Board

of Directors, who I endorse!

IJF-A Olympic Referee, 8th Dan

“Treat Yourself Well and Cherish Others”

The main focus of the USA Judo Board of Directors is USA Judo business. The business and interests of athletes are being represented; and the business and interests of coaches are being represented. It is my hope to provide better representation for the interests of referees.

A few of the many items that I would like to address are:

1. Cost for referee training and development. Since this is an expense for every USA Judo Referee, it would be more cost effective to have several sessions in different regions in the country. Making training more accessible via car would greatly reduce travel costs for training, and it would likely increase overall participation.

2. USA Judo Referees at the World Championships and Olympic Games. To maximize the potential for our US Referees to have World Championship and Olympic opportunities, we need quality US referees, and we also need someone engaged at the IJF General Meeting and PJC meetings. This has to be an official representative of USA Judo. It is essential to keep USA Judo involved as part of the world stage if we are going to position ourselves for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028,

3. International invitations. IJF A International and B Continental Referees have worked hard, but most have limited experience outside of the US because IJF and PJC sanctioned tournaments require invitations to attend. Therefore, to get more international exposure for USA Judo referees, we must find non-sanctioned international tournaments. With more international experience, exposure, and networking, our referees may be considered for more invitations to sanctioned tournaments. If members are not out there meeting international members of IJF and PJC, how can we expect them to be invited to the tournaments?

4. North American Judo Confederation license. With the PJC license gone, those who are aged over 50 are limited from moving further up within Judo. If we want to keep the interest and experience of the those in USA Judo, we need a way to keep them engaged.

5. Support for younger referees and women. We need to work on earlier development and mentorship. Our ongoing growth depends on encouraging more participation, new referees, and new ideas.

6. Improving communication and teamwork between referees and coaches. Right now, we operate separately, but we should be working together toward the common goal of promoting and improving all those who are part of USA Judo. Without each other, we cannot succeed.

Thank you for your time in reading a few points on how I feel we can come together as a stronger and better USA Judo team. There are many things that need to be addressed, but I know that we can do it together with everyone’s support.

Joon Chi’s Referee Service Record:

Sydney Olympic Games (2000); Atlanta Paralympic Games (1996); 3 Senior World Championships; 2Junior World Championships; 2 World University Games; 2 World University Championships; The Good Will Games; 3 Pan American Games; 5 Pan American Championships; The Monaco Grand Prix; The Moscow Grand Prix; The French Open; 13German Opens; 7 Korea Opens; The Kano Cup; The Fukuoka Women’s Open; China Open; Cuba Open; 3 Benito Juarez; 5 Canada (Rendezvous) Opens; 2 Puerto Rico Opens; The Hungarian Open; The Italian Open; The Dutch Open; The Spanish Open; 3 Pacific Rim Championships; 3 Central American Games; The Austria (Leonding) Open; The Shoriki Cup Japan; The Swedish Open; 20+ US Opens; 20+ US Senior Nationals; 20+ US Junior Nationals; 8 New York Opens. Joon Chi Recognition & Achievements: IJF Referee Commission Member (1999 World Championships Birmingham, England); 2008 Pan American Judo Union Hall of Fame; USA Judo Referee Commission (until 2017); PJU / PJC Referee Commission (1998- 2016); USJF Referee Chairman (2003-2016); Sixth Ring Member, US Olympic Committee (2001-present); VIP Guest, 2008 Beijing Olympics; Olympic Referee Qualified (1987); 2 Olympic Game Appreciation Awards; 2 Pan American Olympic Appreciation Awards; 10 IJF Appreciation Awards; 10 Pan American Judo Appreciation Awards; 20 US Olympic Appreciation Awards; Korea High School Training Program (2007-Present)

Updates:

October – 2022

23rd Sunday – Fight for the Cure Women’s Tournament, Riverside, CA27th Thursday & 28th Friday – Nanka’s Hands-On Police Judo Workshop, Santa Clarita29th Saturday – Shoshinkan Tournament, Las Vegas

November – 2022

6th Sunday – Mojica’s Tournament, Baldwin Park, CA20th Saturday – National Presidents Cup Championships, Irving, TX

December – 2022

2nd Friday to 4th Sunday – Grassroots Judo Winter Nationals & Clinics, Azusa, CA

m always looking for new subjects to write about regarding judo as well as contributions from my readers. Please send them to gary@garygoltz.com.

Judoka, Judo blog, Bullying, Judo

Black Belt Magazine