Hanabi will be attending the Jr. Olympics in Spokane next weekend but in 1953 my father, Mel Augustine, was already doing judo in Spokane. My dad, who had just turned 23, was already a champion judo player and was selected by the US Air Force to teach “Combatives” to the young men heading off to Korea. On January 17, 1953 he put on a judo demonstration before the Spokane Flyers hockey game and got his picture in the The Spokesman Review, the local newspaper. He must have been pretty good: how do you demonstrate judo throws on an ice rink?
On June 27 we will be hosting our monthly in-class judo tournament. Our little Chibi and Hajime students will be competing in Sumo at 9:55 while our bigger, Honto students, will be taking part in a real judo team tournament at 11:00. Last month’s shiai was a wonderful success with over 50 judoka in attendance. Please come and enjoy the competition and the energy!
The United States Judo Federation Summer Nationals will be in San Francisco on July 11 and 12 and all of our Honto students are encouraged to attend! For more information and to register go to: https://usjf.smoothcomp.com/en/event/31331
This week we are busy with PokeCamp in Albany, Alameda and Piedmont. We are not just learning to draw Pokemon this week but all participants actually receive Pokemon cards every day. And we do judo! For more information go to: Hanabi.com/summer-camp-2026. Scholarships available!
Feel free to contact us at: 510-604-6640 or info@hanabijudo.com.
Thanks for being part of our Big Hanabi Family!
Hanabi Judo, Head Sensei Dan Augustine
Questions about classes, camps or after-school care? Send a note and we’ll get back to you.
