The story of a day when a judo referee invited him to attend a judo competition became his story. He was a kid then, but he liked what he saw and chose. Now he has grown up, and he, in turn, reveals the secrets of this sport to interested people. Many children can find their motivation by watching it. They can learn that it takes hard work and dedication to excel in sports, a lesson they can learn from having a role model like him, sensei Romulus Scridon, Club Bush Shindo Targu Murès.
Sensei Romulus Scridon, how did you come to practice judo? How did the first training sessions go… do you remember?
I entered the Judo hall at the age of 5. I was a skinny child, shy but full of energy. A colleague of my father, a judo referee, invited me to attend a competition. I liked what I saw there and also signed up for the training. At first it wasn’t easy but after a few months of work and the first competition the fun started to come and then it became a way of life.
Conditions in the hallways weren’t the same as today, but I was among kids my own age, socializing, learning rules, it all became history when I walked on the tatami.
Who was your coach?
I started practicing with Sensei Csep Janos, then with his brother Sensei Csep Dezso.
What is your favorite method?
Ipon seoi nage.
What makes it different from other martial arts disciplines?
All sports derived from Martial Arts are beautiful, but each has its specificities. In addition to good physical and mental preparation, gaining confidence, those who practice Judo acquire principles such as: respect, loyalty, integrity.
How would you describe judo?
Judo is a sport in the category of martial arts originating in Japan, which is practiced by wearing a judogi, in other words a kimono. The sport consists of catching the opponent, the objective being to knock them backwards within a defined frame on the tatami. The sport must follow the rules of Judogi, commonly known as Kumi kata.
The child who practices judo will above all develop his motor skills and flexibility through the movements specific to the sport. Training is in the form of a game.
What rituals does this sport require?
During the first training, the child will also discover the rituals that the trainer will impose on the practitioners. The greeting at the entrance of the Dojo, entering a tatami, judo mat, is done barefoot only, greeting the teacher at the start of the lesson and greeting your training partner before and after each exercise in pairs. These greetings are symbols of respect for the place (Dojo and tatami), for the teacher and also of thanks to his training partner who will be his opponent.
When we talk about judo, we obviously think of Japan. To practice judo is to open up to the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. Indeed, all techniques are taught by their Japanese names.
What trophies do you have in your list??
I have practiced judo for many years, so there are many trophies, local, national, international. The most important to me, however, are those obtained by my students from the Bushi Shindo Club, Tărgu Mureș over the years. Whatever the competition, each medal is at this moment the most important for the one who wins it, because it means another step on the path of judo.
How much work hides behind a medal?
After several months of constant and relentless practice, the young judoka will be tested on the knowledge he has acquired and will be able to exchange his white belt for a yellow or white-yellow belt if he is still young. This important moment in the life of a judoka makes it possible to appreciate the work carried out and to understand that he can change his belt if he is persevering and takes an active part in the lessons.
There are many hours of training behind each medal, but it is work done with pleasure by enthusiasts. As in any sport, we give up the hours spent on the phone, on TV, with friends, we go back to the Dojo and we train.
From what age can a child come and practice this sport?
From 4 years old, the little ones can walk on the tatami. It is a sport for girls and boys.
In the first phase it is a game that makes sense, then the game becomes more and more serious for the older ones and as they acquire the basic technique and begin to accept and apply the rules and the etiquette imposed by Judo, we are slowly moving towards competition.
The sport is suitable for all body types, all ages and with affordable equipment. The training is generally done by age group and the exercises are adapted to the weight and size of each. Thus, everyone can participate, in addition, it is an opportunity to make new friends.
All young judokas, from an early age, experience this little feeling of stress when they step onto the mats in competition to fight a judoka they usually don’t know. The children have the chance to compete in the presence of an always benevolent referee in the club’s competitions and often come away with a medal, proud of their work.
What are your goals for the near future?
We would like to attract as many children as possible to our domain. We have a magnificent and very well equipped room, we are constantly trying to improve the activity of our club. From September, we plan to have several initiation groups, by age category, we also select the biggest for the performance groups and, why not, a maximum of medals for the deserving during future competitions.
We welcome anyone interested in judo to our practice room at the Weekend Recreation Complex to watch, try and practice if they feel the sport is right for them.
For the desired information, you can also contact us by telephone at no. 0749282570- Sensei Romulus Scridon.
