Ronda's Judo Dudes

SUPPORT RONDA'S TRAINING AND GET A Judo--Dude

Ronda Rousey, age 17, will be the youngest person on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Judo team. Ronda began judo at 11 years old at Mojica Judo Club in Baldwin Park, CA. She moved to Venice Dojo in Culver City when she was twelve and has competed for Venice ever since. She currently spends about half her time in southern California, where she is greatly supported by Nanka Yudanshakai and trains at several clubs (Venice, Hayastan, Tenri, Mojica's, Sawtelle, Goltz and Antelope Valley) to get in nine or ten judo workouts a week. The rest of the time she is in Massachusetts ("where it is colder than Mars") training with Pedro's Judo Club.

Best day in 2003: Winning the Rendezvous by all ippons.

Best day in 2004 (so far) winning the Senior Pamerican Championships and clinching an Olympic spot for the U.S. Her favorite technique is juji gatame and her favorite food is Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

JUDO-DUDES

We needed to do a fundraiser for Ronda's training expenses. We thought about t-shirts, posters and all of the usual stuff and Ronda had a reason against all of them. (Something along the lines of, "I will never be able to compete in the Olympics because I will die of embarrassment from you people first". She REALLY did not like the pumpkin t-shirt idea.) Well, finally, the nice folks at Judo Unlimited came up with the idea of mini judo gis, and Ronda's sisters and friend stuck dolls and critters inside of them and Ronda named them the Judo-Dudes. They are $10 each and you can get them at the clinic at any practice at Venice Dojo.

We also send one automatically to everyone who donates at least $100 to Ronda's Training Fund. Donations are tax-deductible and can be sent to:

PICTURES - People from newspapers and TV stations frequently ask for pictures of Ronda. While we try to be as helpful as possible, since everyone in the family is either working, training for the Olympics, in college or in first grade (we have a big family) it is difficult to always respond in a timely fashion

These two links are pictures that have been requested. Unless noted, all were taken by friends in southern California, primarily Nanka people. Feel free to use whatever you like.