The tournament was held at the appropriately titled Slam Academy

Referees included Joon Chi an IJF A with Glenn Koyama and Scott Galles IJF B Level

It drew nearly 200 competitors along with their coaches, parents, friends and other interested parties from dojos in NV, AZ, CA and more!

During the opening ceremony I was given the honor of presenting Judo Archivist Jerry Hays a Lifetime Achievement from the USJF.

Marcus Martin the Tournament Director presented Maureen Braziel, Sergio Sanchez, Barush Torres, and John Weiner all were inducted into the Nevada Judo Association's 2021 Hall of Fame. These individuals have made outstanding contributions to the growth of judo in Nevada.

The tournament had outstanding action as depicted in these photos mostly by Jerry Hays

Referee Paul Bova from Trafford Judo in Pittsburgh

Referee Chris Sakoda of Las Vegas

Me about to call an ippon!

The next day following the tournament was a series of clinic aimed at both Junior and Senior level judoka sponsored by Sergio Sanchez and his club Ryoku Judo. It featured Driulis Gonzalez and Amarilis Savon two of the leading Olympic and World Champions. The chart below depicts their records.

The weekend was a complete success and a great way for judoka to spend Halloween doing what they do best. Congratulations to the Nevada Judo Association!

I'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, thanks.