Oh Stephan, just for you.

Started Judo at age 8 in California. Moved back and forth from the US and Japan up until high school and typically did Judo 2 to 3 times a week at night duing school but trained every summer break in Japan at a police judo academy 5 days a week 4 to 5 hours a day from the ages 13 to 17. I received my shodan in the US and Japan at the age of 15.

I was on university team iin Japan and during that time in addition to training 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, I went to the Kodokan once a week, mainly to learn from Osawa sensei. Most of the major universities cross trained with others and that's where I got to randori with Yamashita several times and competed with him twice. I think I was his victories # 65 and 82 during his consecutive win streak. I tried to make the 1980 Olympic team for Japan but could never get past Kase and Nose who were the #1 and #2 86 kilo players at that time. Okano sensei is definitely the most influential in my competitive technique and philosphy.

Currently a rokudan. Kata is a passion of mine today although I am working with several elite US Judoka and running our own little local dojo.