MASTERs Athletes Take Japan

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA —  To finish off a training-packed summer, the athlete fellows of Martial Arts for Social Transformation Equity and Rights (MASTERs) are off to Japan to practice Judo where it all began. The trip will be about two weeks and eleven fellows will travel to Japan, as well as some High Noon Judo teammates and coaches. 

The crew touched down and start their first day with some exploring, including picking up extra gis at the Mizuno store. During the trip, the athletes will also visit certain important Judo landmarks such as the Kodokan and its museum. They will also have a chance to visit Kusakura, a famous judo gi and belt maker that offers custom work.

The athlete fellows who are Olympic hopefuls have a challenging training schedule. They will train at Shukutoku University, with the JR Corporate Team, and at Shutoku High School, as well as Waseda University. 

The team has a videographer in tow creating a documentary of the trip, interviewing the athlete fellows about their experiences and impressions of training in Japan. 

The fellows joining the trip to Japan are Maddie Solis, Chloe Williams, Kaiya Johnston, Marley Garland, Paige Han, Ekaterina Petri, Emma Bragg, Rhadi Ferguson Jr, and Viktoria Evdokimov, as well as the newest MASTERs fellows – Leana Nelson, and Janelle Lynch.

This trip will be a great experience for all of the athletes as they prepare for qualifying events for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

For media inquiries regarding MASTERs or High Noon Judo, please contact:
Dr. Christopher Round
Executive Director, MASTERs
roundce@martialartsforsocialgood.org
martialartsforsocialgood.org