The Moose Jaw Koseikan Judo Club honoured its members during their annual awards banquet Friday.The biggest judo club in the province enjoyed another successful year. They will be sending three competitors to nationals and their 73 judoka earned 122 medals this year.
Shaylea Locken had the highest winning percentage in the club and won the Most Outstanding Female Judoka award. Garth Rivers was the Most Outstanding Male. Amy Hughes was named the Most Improved Judoka.
There were three Most Promising Judoka winners. In Cadet John Morin was honoured, while Mac Senger won for Juvenile/Junior and Jerrod Nichols won for Senior.
Chad Griffin won the Outstanding Performance Youth Judoka and Josh Wiens won the Outstanding Performance Adult Judoka. The Competitive Spirit Award went to Samantha Trusty, while John Fellinger Sr. won the Volunteer of the Year.
Jim Wiens won the Purple Heart Award after returning to the sport after breaking his leg. There were five winners of the Spirit of Judo Award for best exemplifying the spirit of the game - Ryan Stich, Teagan Richardson, Haley Walz, Mike Harder and Tammy Trusty.
The belt promotions were:
Advancing from Rokkyu (white) to Gokyu (yellow) were John Fellinger, Jacob McDougall, Connor Boczulak, Brolyn Kemp, John Morin, Braydon Johnson, Kanon Marasse, Daniel Morin, Tallon Rustin, Madeline Stich, Teagan Richardson and Payton Denet.
Advancing from Gokyu (yellow) to Yonkyu (Orange) were Carlie Orr, Payton Hillsdon, Haley Walz, Taryn Montgomery, Samantha Trusty and Brianna Walz.
Advancing from Yonkyu (Orange) to Yonkyu/Sankyu (Green) stripe was Elisha Billay.
Advancing from Yonkyu (Orange) to Sankyu (Green) were Nick Hughes, Chad Griffin, Amy Hughes, Shaylea Locken, Steven Trudel, Geoffrey Dupuis and Matthew Hodgson.
Appeared in the Moose Jaw Times-Herald May 14, 2005