New to the forum

[Steve Scott]

Hello. My name is Steve Scott and I am the head coach of the Welcome Mat Judo and Jujitsu Club in Kansas City, MO. My background is in judo, Shingitai jujitsu and competitive sambo. I started judo in 1965 at the age of 12 and have been involved ever since.
My resume is a fairly lengthy one, having traveled to over a dozen countries, served as a national coach for USJI and was involved heavily in sambo from 1976 to about 1990 (I still teach sambo from time to time). I was the U.S. team coach for 2 world junior (under 21) judo championships, the coach for the U.S. sambo team at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela (the only time sambo was included in the Pan American Games...there is an annual Pan American tournament, but not the Games which is an IOC function) and very active in judo and sambo development for many years on the national level. In 1994, I helped re-start the judo program for the AAU and have been somewhat active in that through the years. In the mid-1990s, I turned my attention to teaching self-defense and jujitsu and I'm now "semi-retired" from competitive judo and sambo coaching, and am very active in John Saylor's Shingitai Jujitsu Association. Although I received my black belt in jujitsu (Kodenkan) in 1969, I didn't actively teach much self-defense and jujitsu until 1994. Now, the jujitsu program at my dojo is bigger than my judo program.
I check my computer about 2 or 3 times a week, so if you post a message or send me a message, I will answer, but it may take a few days. I'm not real computer savvy, having been dragged into the 21st Century and actually learning how to use this thing!
I do send out a free online newsletter about judo, jujitsu and sambo, and if you are interested in receiving it, let me know and I'll put you on the mailing list. It comes out once a month.
I hope to meet new people here and expand my own knowledge and horizens and look forward to discussing martial arts with you in this forum.
Cordially,
Steve Scott
Kodokan Judo-6th Dan
Shingitai Jujitsu-7th Dan

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Hi Steve,


Welcome to the judo forum. I am also fairly new to computers, the electronics revolution by-passed me. So its tough for me to make replys with this thing.

It'll be good to have someone with actually Judo experience and expertise on this forum.

I hope to converse with you via private e-mails.

To start off, what was your tokui waza?

Thank you!

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Steve,

Just another quick question, I knew that the AAU had dropped judo back in the late '70s. Are you saying that the AAU has picked up judo again? If so, where does that place the USJI?

Thanks!

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Steve,


Welcome aboard. Now there are two of us.


Regards,



Steve (Scott)

 

[Flatlander]

Two Steve Scotts? How peculiar. Welcome to Martial Talk, other Steve Scott!

 

[tshadowchaser]

Welcome,

Hope you can stimulate some interesting conversation in the Judo area.
We do not have as many Judoka as we would like but I'm sure you will find plenty of will people to disscuss topics with.

 

[Ceicei]

Hello. My name is Steve Scott and I am the head coach of the Welcome Mat Judo and Jujitsu Club in Kansas City, MO.
<snip>
Steve Scott
Kodokan Judo-6th Dan
Shingitai Jujitsu-7th Dan

Glad to have you among us!!! It's good to have more experienced judokas and I hope to be able to ask more ??'s. I am still fairly new to judo. Judo is my secondary art and I study American Kenpo as my primary art.

- Ceicei

 

[kelly keltner]

welcome

kelly

 

[bignick]

Hello steve...nice to have you here

 

[Steve Scott]

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome.
In answer to Patrick's questions...my favorite technique is juji gatame. My experience in sambo left me with a deep respect for this armlock and the many ways to get into it. I had the pleasure of working with Neil Adams at various training camps and at his dojo in Coventry, England some years ago and explored juji gatame at some length. I would say that, in standing situations, I prefer a knee-drop seoi nage and used to have a decent rolling style harai goshi that resembled a tsuri goshi quite a bit. I'm tall and made my judo work for me. My athletes through the years have used a variety of throws, depending on their body weight, strength level, height, arm and leg length and personality. However, anyone who has trained with me comes away with a good appreciation of juji gatame.
As for the AAU, we re-started judo in the AAU as a development program mainly. The USJI is still the governing body and the AAU simply is a good development program which offers national tournaments, great practice and coach insurance and other benefits. The AAU Judo Nationals are Oct. 10 in Indianapolis, Indiana this year. We held the AAU Nationals here in Kansas City, MO last year.
When people aske me why join the AAU, I answer that not everybody who plays football has to belong to the NFL. The AAU judo program is great for development and giving people another opportunity for competition. We don't issue belt ranks, which makes joining the AAU pretty non-threatening to the other judo organizations. Like I said, the purpose of the AAU judo program is to offer good benefits to members, coaches and member clubs and provide another outlet for judo devleopment.
Again, thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and I look forward to some interesting and informative discussions.
Steve Scott

 

[Feisty Mouse]

Hi there! and welcome.

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Dear Steve,

How large a showing have you had at the AAU Nationals? And what judo organizations were representative? I've already spoke to three judo clubs here in the general Boston area and they were all unaware of the reactivation of Judo within the AAU. What year did that happen?

Does the current AAU have any conflict with the Amateur Sports Act of 1978?

I'm now tempted to join the AAu myself.

Thank you very much.

 

[Steve Scott]

Hi Patrick,
The AAU completely re-organized after the early 1980s and the people now in charge of the organization are very professional. The Presidential Sports Act isn't a concern to the AAU anymore, as the AAU has taken pretty much a developmental role in amateur sports in the USA and the USOC has control over all Olympic sports. The AAU has about 35 sports now and each has its own unique, and professional, approach to development, competition and training opportunities. USJI is, as you know, the governing body of judo, and was basically formed from the old AAU judo committee in 1980. I was there at that meeting.
The AAU had a tough time getting the word out in the judo community as the people running the UJSI, USJF and USJA in the 1990s thought we were trying to form another organization similar to theirs. Basically, we just wanted inexpensive practice insurance and a non-political, enjoyable sport judo program. Really, the people who formed USJI in those early years were simply the head people of the old AAU judo committee before the Presidential Sports Act and they ran the USJI just like they did the old AAU judo committee.
Norm Miller, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the current AAU Judo Chairman.
The AAU judo program has stayed away from issuing belt ranks and emphasizes good member benefits and fun tournaments. I think the AAU's web site is www.aausports.org or something like that. You can look it up in google or Yahoo search if that address is wrong.
I used to be very active in USJI, but got turned off in the early to mid 1990s by all the political bickering. I just wanted a simpler approach to doing judo. Judo is a great sport and martial discipline and it should be enjoyable. My athletes still compete in the other organization's tournaments, but as a club, we belong to the AAU and compete in every AAU judo tournament we can find. The "J" organizations don't like the AAU because it has great insurance for a cheap price. However, recently, the people now running USJA have been more open to the AAU and evensome of their top people have joined the AAU and send athletes to our tournaments.
Last year, I had about 150 athletes compete in the AAU Nationals. I imagine there will be about 200 this year in Indianapolis as there is a larger judo population in that area.
Hope this helps and I would encourage you to join the AAU.
Steve

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Dear Steve,

Thank you for this information. Just to let you know, I have gone around to several judo clubs here in the Boston area and they were all unaware of AAU re-involvement in judo, just as I was. I consider this a pleasant surprise.

Some individuals were asking does the AAU sponsor judo camps, clinics, and how does the judo coaches insurance work? Does the AAU Judo have referee clinics? They were both curious and interested in AAU judo. Will the AAU website answer these questions or should I contact Mr. Norm Miller directly? Thanks again!

P.S. Sorry for gushing all these questions, but AAU judo is intriguing!

Hi Patrick,
The AAU completely re-organized after the early 1980s and the people now in charge of the organization are very professional. The Presidential Sports Act isn't a concern to the AAU anymore, as the AAU has taken pretty much a developmental role in amateur sports in the USA and the USOC has control over all Olympic sports. The AAU has about 35 sports now and each has its own unique, and professional, approach to development, competition and training opportunities. USJI is, as you know, the governing body of judo, and was basically formed from the old AAU judo committee in 1980. I was there at that meeting.
The AAU had a tough time getting the word out in the judo community as the people running the UJSI, USJF and USJA in the 1990s thought we were trying to form another organization similar to theirs. Basically, we just wanted inexpensive practice insurance and a non-political, enjoyable sport judo program. Really, the people who formed USJI in those early years were simply the head people of the old AAU judo committee before the Presidential Sports Act and they ran the USJI just like they did the old AAU judo committee.
Norm Miller, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the current AAU Judo Chairman.
The AAU judo program has stayed away from issuing belt ranks and emphasizes good member benefits and fun tournaments. I think the AAU's web site is www.aausports.org or something like that. You can look it up in google or Yahoo search if that address is wrong.
I used to be very active in USJI, but got turned off in the early to mid 1990s by all the political bickering. I just wanted a simpler approach to doing judo. Judo is a great sport and martial discipline and it should be enjoyable. My athletes still compete in the other organization's tournaments, but as a club, we belong to the AAU and compete in every AAU judo tournament we can find. The "J" organizations don't like the AAU because it has great insurance for a cheap price. However, recently, the people now running USJA have been more open to the AAU and evensome of their top people have joined the AAU and send athletes to our tournaments.
Last year, I had about 150 athletes compete in the AAU Nationals. I imagine there will be about 200 this year in Indianapolis as there is a larger judo population in that area.
Hope this helps and I would encourage you to join the AAU.
Steve

 

[Steve Scott]

Glad to answer the questions Patrick.
Norm Miller's telephone number is (414) 354-1898. He doesn't have e-mail. He's the current AAU judo chairman and can give you information on the AAU judo program.
I think the AAU coach's insurance coverage is something like $5 million liability. I might be off on the amount of coverage, but it's excellent. The cost for an AAU club membership is about $50.00 per year and the cost of a coach's personal AAU membership is $14.00 per year. All members 21-0ver pay $27.00 per year and all youth ages 20-under pay $12.00 per year for AAU membership. It's a $200.00 deductible practice insurance coverage. I think USJI has a $1,500.00 deductible, but I'm not sure, but the AAU's coverage is far better.
Even if you just get the AAU memberhip for practice insurance, it's the best deal in the martial arts.
Norm hasn't scheduled much in the way of training camps or clinics for AAU Judo. When I was the chairman from 1994-1998, we had several camps and clinics, but my main focus now is Shingitai Jujitsu and I hold an AAU coaching clinic once a year here in Kansas City for our local judo coaches. AAU judo is big here as I have pushed it in Missouri and Kansas for a number of years. Most judo tournaments in this area are AAU. There are probably about 800 or 900 members in the AAU judo program nationally I would guess.
The AAU does have a separate rule book using the rules from the 1980s pretty much. Basically, the AAU allows more newaza to take place and we were the first to use the "Sudden Victory" overtime rule in 1995 the IJF calls the "Golden Point" or something like that. If you call Norm, ask to purchase an AAU rule book. It costs $5.00.
You live in Massachusetts I see. Do you know Jim and Jimmy Pedro? If so, tell them hello for me. I haven't talked to Jim, Sr. in about 10 years, but we used to be good friends and worked together on many training camps and trips with teams. I saw Jimmy at the USJI Senior Nationals a couple of years ago and had a brief chat with him. He's been to Kansas City to my club and I've had the pleasure of traveling with him on several team trips and at many junior training camps when he was coming up. A nice young man and, in my opinion, the best judo player to ever come from the United States. I see he's running for president of USJI. He should make a positive difference on that organization.
Anyway, call Norm Miller for more information on AAU judo. He's a real character. I like him. Tell him you got his number from me. Watch out, he may keep you on the telephone for hours.
Steve

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Hello Steve,

Just one more question, which came up in conversation with some competitors: Are AAU judo tournaments point-rated? And are they recognized by the two major organizations for rank promotion points? (O.K. two more questions).

 

[Steve Scott]

Patrick,
AAU judo tournaments are not counted in the point ratings to make teams for USJI. By the way, the point system was developed by Bruce Toups in the early 1980s. He was the USJI Director of Development and a man who did much to help judo in the United States. When I was the Director of Junior Development for USJI (appointed by Bruce Toups) back in 1988-1992, I adapted a similar system for identifying elite junior athletes (for team selection to the junior worlds, Pan American junior championships and other international events). Just a bit of trivia from an old war horse.
I don't know if the AAU tournaments would count toward promotions points. I assume they would. I believe the USJA accepts them.
The AAU has no belt rank program so as not to compete in that are with the other judo organizations in the USA. Most AAU judo people also belong to one or more of the other judo organizations for their belt ranks.
Steve

 

[Patrick Skerry]

Patrick,
AAU judo tournaments are not counted in the point ratings to make teams for USJI. By the way, the point system was developed by Bruce Toups in the early 1980s. He was the USJI Director of Development and a man who did much to help judo in the United States. When I was the Director of Junior Development for USJI (appointed by Bruce Toups) back in 1988-1992, I adapted a similar system for identifying elite junior athletes (for team selection to the junior worlds, Pan American junior championships and other international events). Just a bit of trivia from an old war horse.
I don't know if the AAU tournaments would count toward promotions points. I assume they would. I believe the USJA accepts them.
The AAU has no belt rank program so as not to compete in that are with the other judo organizations in the USA. Most AAU judo people also belong to one or more of the other judo organizations for their belt ranks.
Steve

Dear Steve,

I appreciate all the time and effort you made in answering these questions. I am now going to spread the AAU word throughout the Boston area.

Also, I have never met Jimmy Pedro jr., but I have spoken with Jimmy Pedro SR. several times.

Thank you once more!