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About Kirkwood Judo Club

Club History

The Kirkwood Judo Club's roots go back to the 1960s. The Club was started by John Marella at the Kirkwood YMCA. A fire at the YMCA took us temporarily to Meramec Community College and then to the 9th Street Gym. We moved from the 9th Street Gym to historic Webster Groves. The club lived in Webster Groves for most of the nineties then we moved to Maplewood. The club thrived in Maplewood for 6years. Our present location in Brentwood is close to both highway 40 and 44 making the club accessible from anyware. Click Here for directions. 


2003 Clinic with Guest Instructors Bruno and George

The Club has a strong competitive record. As recent as the last big regional tournament, all of our competitors won medals. We have also produced seven national place winners, and have had three representatives invited from our Club to participate in the U.S. Olympic Festivals.

The Club has given many demonstrations for Boy Scouts, at schools and at malls, and was chosen to give demonstrations for the Japanese American Society in front of the Japanese Ambassador, and at the Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Kirkwood Judo has been fortunate to have many players from all over the world train with us. From Japan to Poland to England and Korea, our Club is the place players train while in St. Louis.

Today Kirkwood Judo has some of the finest instruction in the area, with a combined total of over 200 years of Judo experience.
 

Sensei's Russ Little and Tom Kuhne both had an opportunity to speak and train with former World Champion and Japan Olympic Coach Sensei Yasuhiro Moriwaki during his August 2005 visit to the St. Louis area.

Club Goals

Our specific goals in founding the Kirkwood Judo Club: Teach our young members to have a sense of propriety, honor, self-discipline and self-determination. Bring a sense of individual responsibility, accomplishment, increased self-confidence and concentration levels to senior members. Foster national and international amateur Judo competition. Benefit to all members from increase coordination, stamina, flexibility, strength, and fighting spirit.

The Kirkwood Judo Club is dedicated to advancing the principle of Judo and instilling "fighting spirit." Not a belligerent or militaristic one, but rather a spirit that combats complacency and mediocrity and embraces honor, integrity, self-control, and determination.