Nearly 20 athlete fellows supported since 2023
3 fellows named to US Junior World Teams
2 fellows named to US Cadet World Teams
Medalists at IJF World Tour events, Senior Nationals and the US Open
What We Do
Opening access to competition
Travel and entry fees keep many talented young athletes out of events. Our accessibility program pays entry fees and gives scholarships to athletes from lower-income families. Brooklyn Barnes received a competition grant through the program and took silver in Cadet Novice 81kg at the US Open.
Investing in the long term
Olympic athletes take years to develop, so we start early. At 14, Viktoria Evdokimov is one of our youngest fellows, and she trained in Japan with the MASTERs team in 2026. Backing athletes like Viktoria now is how we build the US Olympic contenders of 2032 and beyond.
Supporting senior athletes on the IJF World Tour
International competition is expensive, and US athletes often pay their own way. We help senior athletes on the IJF World Tour cover the costs of chasing Olympic qualification points. Distance fellow Leana Nelson won bronze at the IJF San Salvador Pan American Open.
Championing women in judo
Most of our fellows are women. In 2026, 11 of them spent two weeks training in Japan. Our female athletes have made US Cadet and Junior World Teams and won IJF World Tour medals.
Backing America's best, beyond our fellows
We also support proven US athletes outside the fellowship. We gave 2024 Olympian John Jayne a training grant for his preparation, and we hosted him for a clinic with our community.
Elevating women instructors
We feature women coaches in our instructional library and host them for seminars, so the next generation learns from a wider range of teachers. We produced an instructional with Maia Matallon, winner of the 2025 ADCC East Coast Trials, and we’re co-producing one with BJJ competitor Margot Cicarelli. We’ve also hosted seminars with Megumi Ishikawa of the Global Kids Judo Network and international medalist Hannah Martin.
Rethinking how judo is taught at High Noon Judo
MASTERs runs the High Noon Judo program, our lab for developing judo teaching methods. There we apply:
athletes learn in practice games that recreate real competition, not through rote drills.
match statistics and scouting guide training and competition plans.
The results so far: three straight Senior National team titles, #2 club in the US for 2025, and the first DC club to win a national championship.
Support the Athletes
What Your Donation Funds
Travel and lodging for competitions, including international events for top performers
Coaching and mentoring from MASTERs coaches, including a 2004 Olympian as high-performance advisor
Scouting and match statistics for every fellow
Training camps with subsidized travel
Entry fees and equipment
Mental-performance support
Off-the-mat advising, which has helped fellows win college scholarships, including wrestling scholarships
Training grants for proven US athletes, including 2024 Olympian John Jayne
Current priorities
Qualifying athletes for LA 2028, starting with November’s President’s Cup
Growing our fellow cohort
Building recurring donor support
Expanding our instructional library and the Skool Judo platform
Featured Story
Chloe Williams, On the Mat and Beyond
Chloe Williams, a MASTERs athlete fellow who competes at 70kg, has represented the United States on both the Cadet and Junior World Teams. In November 2025 in Montreal, at 17, she won a medal in all three divisions she entered at 70kg:
Gold at the Cadet Pan American Cup
Bronze at the Junior Pan American Cup
Bronze at the Senior Pan American Open, an IJF World Tour event, against adult competitors
MASTERs grants helped cover her training and competition costs along the way. In August 2026 she spent two weeks training in Japan with fellow MASTERs athletes. Her coaches also worked with her off the mat. Through MASTERs advising, Chloe earned a wrestling scholarship to Delaware State University, a Division I program, so she can build her future while she keeps chasing her Olympic goals.
Source for the results: USA Judo
Make an Impact
Support the Next Generation of Athletes
MASTERs (Martial Arts for Social Transformation, Equity and Rights) is a 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 93-2846996. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. No goods or services are provided in exchange for your gift unless noted on your receipt. A financial statement is available from the State Office of Consumer Affairs in the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218.