need help on judo competition circuit, **kahaokamoku

ok..
1. i know that other countries fund their olympians. why no us?
how much do us judokas have to raise for the olympics?

2. i think i read somewhere in order to qualify for the olympics, hilary wolf, had to win like 3rd at the pan am judo tournaments.
what competitions do these us players have to win to get to the olympics?

In Germany, sponsorship is not that great. Most of these guys have real jobs, unless they are with a major dojo. Some of these dojos have money, but that isn't completely from the german government. The german government, itself, does support the clubs. You have to realize germany doesn't really have sport level activities like america. Sports are done mostly in clubs.

As far as qualifying, I never really gave much thought to how one gets to the olympics. I concentrated mostly on my sons and some of the kids in the clubs progress. The highest most of the kids can get to . . . those who have promise in our club is South Germany championships. Then you are talking to much money that our club will not pay for. Then does it make sense.

I am going to judo this evening. I will ask around about qualifying. I believe in germany if you place in worlds or european championships you get a place (this isn't for sure). I will ask. The trainer who is training this evening as gone to the european championships. He is crazy about judo.

who wants to watch judo? that is about the big problem with usa. i know of some young guys from hawaii who are good in judo and wrestling. They are national champs in both. They have put aside judo and concentrate on wrestling as their vehicle to the olympics. it is smart. The chances are they will get sponsorship as wrestlers.

Not sure how much this might help, or just cause you more problems.

I'm also told the rules on this have changed.

The last person I know who wanted to qualify for the olympics was a wrestler. But as a little kid his parents could not afford to send him to some kind of a wrestler's summer camp. He was told if he got a couple of sponsors he could go.

What he was NOT told was that once he had had a sponsor -- at any age -- he was deemed to be a professional wrestler and could no longer qualify for amatuer standing under the U. S. system.

You might start by looking here

www.judocoach.com/

as far as germans . . . through one's competing at the german level they move up. From there, they are picked to train with those "possible" people that will be chosen by the trainer, etc, etc . . .

If one places at worlds, and european, etc etc . . . you chances of making the team is better. Now for each weight class, you will have the person who will compete and backup people.

As far as sponsors, if you make the team. You can survive on what they give you to train and for expenses. You are not rich.

As far as judo and wrestling, here is the best way that I can separate the two. If two americans won gold medals in the olympics, who do you think will be on the cereal box? just between these two. Now if you put on boxing gloves . . . you chances are even better and if you can spring across a mat doing funny gymnastic stuff. You will be on the cereal box.

Fifteen years of slaving, working every day to be the best. All those hopes and dreams, the fears and worries that tie your guts in knots.

But now at last you've made it, you are the best. You've reached success.

You are now the new cornflake face.