Friday evening at the (temporary) dojo of Cap du Crès, a special ceremony took place for SOM Judo, in the presence of a large audience. It was indeed the first black belt award at the club since Nicolas DaSilva arrived as a coach two and a half years ago.
Particular and moving, above all, because the one who joins the very restricted circle of black belts is Endy Lopes16 years old, a pure product of SOM Judo, who arrived at the club at the age of 4 and a half and who for twelve years has gone through the stages one by one, head down, ignoring the club’s internal problems, and which today becomes the finest and most promising illustration of its renewal.
« Endy, I still see your face with your little braids the first time you stepped on a carpet », smiles the president of SOM Judo, Cindy Lopes, who is none other than his mother. ” Remi (Calles, Editor’s note) taught you the basics and you did a few galas. Growing up came training with Patrick (Fezay, Editor’s note). He made you progress until your selection for the French championships which unfortunately you couldn’t do because of the Covid. He also made you pass your seatbelts up to the blue one. »
Then comes the period of doubt, around 14, the moment of adolescence… But Endy continues the following year, and it is at this time that Nicolas Da Silva becomes the main coach of the club.
“The importance I place on being on the mats is inexplicable”
« You weren’t very sure at first, you knew him as a judoka and you discovered him as a trainerremembers Cindy Lopes. You created with him a kind of sporting and friendly connection that gave you a new lease of life. He had a new way of training, coaching you, pushing you and building your confidence. You spend a lot of time training and coming to help for the youngest and the children of the IME. As you often say, it’s your second home. Since then, we don’t see you much in the first… »
Nicolas Da Silva gives him his brown belt and brings him to the French championship. Today, obtaining the black belt comes to crown the dazzling progress of this little piece of woman. ” Judo has a lot of values, whether moral or civic, and I’m not a coach, but I think you’ve acquired a lot.assures his mother, taking the handkerchief handed out by Nicolas Da Silva. Your black belt you deserved it, it will not make you another person or a different person, but it will remind you every day that you must not give up and that hard work pays off. »
Endy, the club’s new black belt, was also very moved when speaking. ” I am super proud to be able to share this moment with you, and I would like to thank my family and my friends who follow me and who support me all the time, who live to the rhythm of my training. I know it can be painful for you to see that I always set everything according to judo, that I’m always on the loose at parties… but the importance I place on being on the mats is inexplicable. »
“Hard training, easy warfare”
She did not forget to thank Tristan Even, his faithful buddy. ” It is partly thanks to you, and I am very proud of our work, I never thought I would succeed and you are the best partner I could have hoped for. “, assured Endy, before having a word for the officials of SOM Judo and the officers: “ You are truly exceptional people, you are my second family. »
The emotion was at its height when she turned to Nicolas Da Silva. ” Nico, I would like to thank you for everything you do for me, to achieve the goal I had given myself, and I still have many other goals to achieve and I would like you to be by my side. to achieve them. You always push me to do better, you made me understand that “difficult training, easy war”, that everything is in the head and that you must never give up. You are a role model for me and I can’t thank you enough, thank you for your involvement… and for letting me squat in your car! »
