By: Pamela Stern
The Starrett Judo Club held a luncheon celebrating their 30 years on Sunday, June 25th at Bleu Island Bar and Equisite Cuisine in Freeport, Long Island. There were approximately 100 attendees including current judokas, and their families as well as former judokas. Coach Parnel Legros was instrumental in having this joyous celebration which was a great way for the current judokas to meet with and gain insight from former judokas. Legros said,” There were judo students from the beginning to my current judokas.”
Legros credits three of his former Judokas and his current Judo Parent Coordinator, Krystal Pena for organizing this wonderful event and the help of social media too!
Coach Legros welcomed everyone for coming together for this wonderful, joyous occasion. He mentioned some individuals who were instrumental in the start of the Starrett Judo Club, Devorah Fong, (the former Director of Community Relations/Public Affairs), Margaret Novack, Earl Williams, Karin Montagne, Eurydice Robinson (Director of Youth Development and Community Outreach), and Rebecca Caraballo (who was the first Parent Coordinator of Starrett Judo Club).
A couple of Coach Legros’ former students stood up and spoke and Starrett Judo Club’s current Parent Coordinator, Krystal Pena spoke to everyone.
Rebecca Caraballo, who is known in the Spring Creek Towers’ community as the SCTA President was also the first Parent Coordinator for the Starrett Judo Club. Caraballo happily attended the Starrett Judo Club’s 30th Year Reunion Luncheon.
Caraballo said, “I feel that every organization that has children in it should have a parent organization, so that they can know where their children are and what they are doing. Judo is wonderful and it enforces discipline. Discipline is a thing that the students can take with them throughout their lives. The parents enjoy it as well and they travel to tournaments with their children and they meet people from other states and that expands their horizons. We traveled to tournaments in many places but, I enjoyed Puerto Rico the best and had a great time there.”
Upon greeting each and every one of his former judokas Legros asked them, “How is your family and what are you doing?” This is very important to Legros. A majority of Legros’ former judo students are doing well and are in professional careers. Some of his former judo students are: doctors, nurses, physical therapists with a doctorate degree, and one is even a chef for an exquisite restaurant in New York City.
Current Starrett Judo Parent Coordinator, Krystal Pena said, “It was a Judo family first and it was special because it was very reminiscence of the bond that the Starrett City community has created with each other. It was great to see past students show up and see the impact that Legros and Judo had on their lives. Some of these former students are very successful and you can tell that it is impart from the values that Legros instilled in them.”
Legros was very happy to see judokas from every generation at this honorable occasion. “There were students representing each and every decade of the Starrett Judo Club in attendance,” Legros said.
Assistant Judo Coach, Jeremy Bonserio said, “It was nice to be around different generations of Legros’ students at one place sharing their experiences in Starrett Judo”
“ I was so happy and blessed to see over 30 years of my students attend this luncheon,” said Legros.
Photos courtesy of: Parnel Legros, Jeremy Bonserio.
