Judo stresses discipline

When many people think of IU athletics, they think of basketball, football or soccer. But IU offers more than just these varsity sports. \nOne such sport is judo. \nAs a club sport, judo does not receive a great deal of financial assistance from the University. There are more than 60 team members with two instructors -- John Hampton (a fourth degree blackbelt) and Vernon Ellette (a second degree blackbelt). The members compete both nationally and internationally.\nSenior Ben Phillips and sophomore Priscilla Cherry serve as club presidents. \nPhillips said the team "welcomes men and women of all ages, nationalities, creeds, weights, races, etc." He said the sport preaches discipline, patience and skill, along with strength. \nOnly three schools in the country offer judo as a varsity sport -- San Jose State (Calif.), Cumberland College (Ky.) and Slippery Rock (Pa.). Most competitions on the national level are with other schools that have judo as a club sport. \nJudo is a martial art Olympic sport. It has Japanese origins, and is a modified form of Jujitsu. America's best showing in the Olympics was a bronze medal in 1954. \nJudo is based on a points system. One can win a point, or "ippon" in several ways, which include throwing your opponent, choking them, performing an armlock or a 25-second pin. \nJudo fighters are divided into weight class, similar to wrestling. \nHampton has been coaching at IU for eight years and has been participating in judo for 32. He said he loves coaching judo and currently teaches a one-credit judo class. Hampton also helps out at the Brown County Parks and Recreation Club. \nThere are all types of people in the club -- beginners, novices and champions -- with people participating for competition and recreation, he said. All students and individuals with a HPER pass are allowed in the club, if over 18 years of age. \nThe team held the Intramural Judo Tournament Dec. 3. The men's winners were freshman Tom Rampley, sophomore Ken Hawkins and senior Nate Long. The women's winners were senior Marie Sharp, music student Caroline Speer and freshman Jessica Ries. \nSeveral of the judo club members are taking their skills to international competition.\nSenior Gene Eydelman is going to Israel this summer to compete in the Macabi Games. Senior Aaron Bacevic DelMar, a member participating in judo for two years after quitting wrestling, is going to Spain for the International Collegiate Judo Championship in mid-December. \n DelMar is the first member in more than 30 years to be representing IU in this competition, and he is fighting in the 100 KG weight class against collegiate Olympians. He is representing the entire country in his weight class and had his trip completely financed by members and friends of the club.\nHe said he just got into judo because he was tired of cutting weight in wrestling.\n"There's no stopping me on the national or international level," DelMar said. "I can't be stopped, I'm going to be world champion."\nHampton stressed the high level of skill the team possesses.\n"This team is loaded with talent and has several players with both high national and international hopes," Hampton said. The coach also said eventually he would like to see the team become a varsity sport.