Staff
The Borderland Judo Club headed into its off-season with plenty of positives to build upon.
The 10-member contingent racked up nine medals, including three golds, at the Minnesota State Championships in Minneapolis back on May 14.
“We took a strong team from the Borderland Judo Club and we competed extremely well for such a young club,” noted Sensei Chuck MacDonald.
“After such a relatively short period of time in the martial arts world, I never thought we would be competing at a higher level tournament and do so well,” he added.
“It certainly gives credit to the calibre of students and their dedication to judo.”
Winning their respective divisions were Jaden Woolsey, Morgan Good-Thurber, and Bennet MacDonald, all who went undefeated for the day.
Good-Thurber also took silver in a separate division involving older and heavier opponents.
Grace Petsnick, meanwhile, earned a silver, with her lone loss coming against the defending U.S. national champ in her weight class.
Other runner-up performers from the local club included Joaquin Woolsey, Jared Galusha, Brayden Clink, and Mia Woolsey.
Alex Galusha, the lone yellow belt in the club to move up a belt colour this past year, finished just out of the medals.
Sensei MacDonald said the club has ambitions to take part in national-level competitions next season, including tentative plans to travel to Edmonton for a meet at the West Edmonton Mall.
“I’m excited and nervous at the same time,” he admitted.
“These are great kids doing great judo.”
The club will hold its annual wind-up later this month at the Emo Spray Park.
