By: Pamela Stern
Four members of the Starrett Judo Club participated on Sunday, April 30th in the Liberty Bell Classic that was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Liberty Bell Classic has been around for over 40 years. The Liberty Bell Classic is an international tournament that the Starrett Judo Club has been participating in for close to 30 years.
Here is how the Judokas placed:
Kelsey Billups 1st place
Jackson “JJ” Billups 1st place
Caiden Bernard 2nd place and 3rd place (he fought in two different divisions)
Cayen Altidor fought well, he won one fight but, unfortunately did not place in order to get a medal.
One of Coach Legros’ favorite quote’s is “Everyone you meet is a part of your journey, but not all of them are meant to stay in your life. Some people are just passing through to bring you gifts; either they are blessings or lessons, “Roy Bennett
“I knew that JJ and Kelsey would do well and I am very proud of Caiden. He did extremely well especially for starting Judo at age 12 compared to his foes who have seven years of experience. He is a force to be reckoned with. Cayen did extremely well he is very young and shows promise but, he lost in the medal round,” said Coach Legros.
The Starrett Judo Club members are working really hard and they have many tournaments coming up. Their tournament schedule is as follows:
May 7th: They will be at the IJC Invitational in Flushing, Queens.
May 21st:The Brooklyn Cup in Sheepshead Bay is only for beginners.
May 27th: Is the Battle of the Square at Salesian High School in New Rochelle
June 4th: Summer Slam Invitational Strong Tournament, in Patterson, NJ
July: 27-29th Is the US Open in Fort Lauderdale
August 13th: Is the Tyrick Smith-Carter memorial at theh Brooklyn Sports Club
Students in the Starrett Judo Club will be tested for their Belt Promotions. Belt Promotions are when the students are tested in the different techniques and terminology. They will demonstrate their level of proficiency of the techniques that they have learned which will advance them in their ranks. Belt Promotions are usually given in December, March and June.
Those who attend the summer session and are going to the US Open in Fort Lauderdale will have a specialized test in August.
Belt Promotions:
Dominick Bonserio Purple 2nd degree
Kelsey Billups Purple 2nd degree
Jackson Billups Purple 2nd degree
Raj Pope-Carter Blue belt
Congratulations to these students who passed their Belt Promotions!
Photos Courtesy of: Krystal Pena
