Riverside Youth Judo Club

Did you know?. The Riverside Youth Judo Club, PAL has 121 USJA Registered Female judoka!!!! The RYJC Females - by themselves - would make up the 4th Largest Club in the USJA!!!!... #1 Riverside Youth Judo Club at 322 members #2 Shoshinkan Martial Arts at 149 members #3 Samurai Judo Association at 139 members #4 Riverside Youth Judo Club Female Judoka at 121 members Our numbers continue to grow with our Police Officer Judo class(es) and our special needs volunteers/therapists. #womeninjudo #paljudo

Fun Workout with the new Riverside Police Judo class!!! Picked up some Probation Officers as new students today!!! What makes this class so special to me is that I can talk about judo and cop work - two things I care about a great deal!!!! We are also fortunate to have two DT instructors in the class so we can talk about policy stuff too My daughter Danielle is (in her best model form) showing off the new Riverside Police Judo T-shirt!!! We are getting more made as we sp...eak. #copslovejudo #humilityandgrit

Riverside Judo Instructor Satoshi Nakama Sensei was promoted to Godan / 5th Degree Black Belt tonight!!!! A very well deserved promotion to an Amazing Judo Sensei!!! Here is a history of Nakama Sensei provided by his Family: Satoshi Ken Nakama was born in Koza, Okinawa in November 1953. His mother was Fusako Matsumoto, and his father was Ryokichi Nakama. He grew up on a farm and would help his mother in a small Okinawan restaurant the family had. His mother was an impressive...Continue reading

ALL RYJC Family and Freinds!!!! Riverside Sheriff’s Academy Class #212 has graciously volunteered to help get our Charity PAL judo club ready for our official Grand Reopening!!!!! All 33 recruits and staff will be at the club on Monday, July 12 from 0800 hrs to about 1300 hrs. We’re going to do a deep clean of the club, inside and out (including lifting the mats).... This is an outstanding class that had to bear with me as their Domestic Violence instructor. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate them selflessly giving their time and energy to help our judo club!!!! The recruits have also offered to cook hot dogs and hamburgers starting at about 1100 hrs until 1300 hrs. They’ve invited our students to stop by for some lunch and to say Hi!!!!! Please stop by and Thank Class #212 for their help and volunteerism!!!! Class #212 Motto: Forged by fire. Sharpened through Discipline #paljudo #Volunteerism #heroes

The club WILL be closed on Sunday 4th of July!!! Please enjoy the day and be careful if your out on the roads.

Little known fact - Santa actually studied judo with the Riverside Youth Judo Club years ago!!! True story!!! He was helping to raise funds for several of our at risk families (check out the box on the table). Watch the ABC 7 video....What technique did Santa deploy? Modified Tani Otoshi????? https://abc7.com/riverside-police-dressed-as-santa-claus//

Happy Birthday to Brad Karmann Sensei!!! Karmann Sensei is our Chief Instructor for the UCR Riverside Judo Dojo. His knowledge and experience are phenomenal. We are Very fortunate to have him with us!!!! Happy Birthday Karmann Sensei and we hope to be back on the mat very soon!!!

Happy 24th Birthday to our student Anthony Carrillo!!!! There are very few people I know that have overcome as many life challenges as this amazing young man!!! Anthony came to our judo club in about June 2012. He was one of our 1st Village students. He was quiet and shy and he had very little in life, but he had an outstanding attitude and excelled in everything he did. Anthony went on to promote to Yonkyu at our club and became one of Riverside’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens.... He was awarded Congressional appointments to, both, West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy. Anthony received one of our Riverside Youth Judo scholarships and chose to attend the Naval Academy. Anthony graduated the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 2019. His class was recognized as having the highest overall GPA in the academy’s 175 year history along with the lowest attrition rate!!! Ensign Anthony Carrillo went on to graduate the U.S. Navy’s mega-challenging Advanced Nuclear Power Training Course and has been assigned to a ship. I can’t say where, but I can tell you it’s Amazing!!!!! Happy Birthday Anthony!!! Stay safe and Thank You for your service to our Great Nation!!!

This is so absolutely heartbreaking. Mary was an amazing and beautiful soul and was a dear, dear friend to all of us at the judo club. I’m in shock and Mary will be missed by us all Our deepest condolences to Mary’s family.

Happy Birthday to our own Satoshi Nakama Sensei!!!! Nakama Sensei has been with us since the first day the Riverside Youth Judo Club started. He is absolutely loved by the students and respected by everyone who knows him. Please join me in wishing him a very Happy Birthday!!!!

Happy Birthday to RPD Officer Ryan Bonaminio. He would have been 38 years old today. Ryan is the son of Gerri and Joe Bonaminio and one of our Honored Fallen Officers. Ryan was a true servant to our Nation and his community as a combat veteran in the U.S. Army and then as a police officer for the City of Riverside. Each year, on Ryan’s birthday, we promote him a single rank in judo. This is our small way to remember and honor Ryan and his steadfast service to us all. Th...is year, Ryan has been promoted to Ikkyu (1st Degree Brown belt). His next rank is Shodan (1st Degree Black belt). Happy Birthday Ryan - we all miss you.

Congratulations to the RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT for taking home two first-place awards in the 2020 Pink on Parade. They took home victories in both Paint th...e Town Pink- Business Décor and the Committee’s Choice Award! Thank you RPD & RIVERSIDE YOUTH JUDO CLUB for your participation and continued support of Pink on Parade and The Pink Ribbon Place! See more

Happy Birthday to Loren Bartlett Sensei!!!! His commitment to the Riverside Youth Judo Club has been unwavering throughout the years. Sensei Loren continues to lead and manage the club’s Zoom judo sessions each week so our students can stay connected and active during the Covid crisis. His talents as a teacher, coach, and medic have been absolutely invaluable to our club!!! Thank you for all you do and we hope you have an Amazing day!!!!

A big Thank You to Nanka for their gracious donation to our Fight for the Cure Breast & Ovarian Cancer Fundraiser!!! We are very grateful and truly appreciate all your organization’s help over the years!!!! From all of us at Riverside Youth Judo and The Pink Ribbon Place

Thank You to ALL our gracious Donors and Supporters for helping to battle breast & ovarian cancer!!!!!

We weren’t able to have our Charity Breast & Ovarian Cancer All Woman’s Judo Tournament this year , but we still did what we could....Our Gracious Donors helped us raise $2,500 for the Pink Ribbon Place!!!! The Pink Ribbon Place is a program with the Riverside Community Health Foundation Charity. They help victims and families affected by breast and ovarian cancer. The tournament has become a fun, competitive event and helps us raise lots of Charity funds. The loss of thi...s year’s tournament challenged us along with having to cut ties with our previous food vendor that used to help with our fundraisers....We hope to find a new food vendor very soon that matches our club values. Despite all the challenges - we did what we could and moved forward. Thank you again to all our donors!!! We are very appreciative as are all the families who have been impacted by cancer #fightforthecure #womenofjudo #servicetoothers #riversidepolicefoundation

Today marks one year since the loss of Tadashi Hiraoka Sensei. We miss him every single day. It’s still very hard to believe he’s gone. Please take a moment today and remember our O Sensei.

A Huge Thank You to Dr. Tina Wang and Mr. Oscar Pinon with Tupelo Pointe Healing Arts for being a Silver Sponsor for our Fight for the Cure Breast & Ovarian Charity Fundraiser!!!! We are extremely grateful!!!!!

The Riverside Youth Judo Club, Police Activities League encourages all of our students to move forward into college or the military so that they may continue becoming good members of the community and help contribute to society. We’ve raised and awarded $54,470.00 since we opened our club seven years ago. The scholarships have gone to 37 graduating seniors and special needs students who have completed their educational programs. Our students have moved on to major universi...ties, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Marine Corps, as well as other educational training programs. No part of these scholarships come from public funds. Please take a look at our scholarship page highlighting our amazing students. https://www.riversideyouthjudoclub.com/scholarships/

Riverside remains in Purple Tier which means gyms absolutely cannot operate at this time. I know this Covid crisis has been horrible - it’s been 8 months since we’ve been on the mat. As you all know, the Riverside Youth Judo Club is sponsored by the Riverside Police Department and the City of Riverside. I am a currently working police detective so I am bound professionally and ethically to obey our City, County, and State laws. Recently, a local sports business was take...n to court because they continued to hold very large gatherings and events. They argued that the police judo club was still holding classes....We all know this is 1000% not true since we have not had a single class since March....but it goes to show that we are very visible and well known in the city... I know that there are many gyms and martial arts clubs that have remained opened during shutdowns...These are all privately owned commercial businesses that are not bound ethically to our local government’s legal standards.... I know it would be easy for us to sneak a class in here or there - but I am certain there would be many unfriendly eyes who would notice. The Riverside Youth Judo Club has a higher duty to obey the letter of the law..... We will begin small conditioning classes as soon as our County returns to Red Tier...I have been in steady contact with Riverside County Public Health to make certain all precautions are followed...

Happy Birthday to our club’s Chief BCBA, Pedro Villa Jr!!!! As most of us know, Pedro was absolutely essential in the creation of the Riverside Youth Judo Club’s Special Needs Program. I am certain the program would not have been so successful without him. Have a great day Pedro and Thank You for your knowledge and generosity over the years!!!

A shout out to our student, Michael Black, who’s been doing amazingly well in his school classes!!!!!! Keep up the good work young man!!!!!

Just got the word, Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser just ordered all of us back from Red Tier to the more restrictive Purple Tier. All Riverside County Gyms, Restaurants, and Movie theaters have to cease indoor operations for, at least, 3 weeks. https://www.pe.com//riverside-county-slides-back-into-mo/

Fight for the Cure Breast & Ovarian Cancer Fundraiser I wanted to get this out earlier - but we had some technical issues Each year, the Riverside Youth Judo Club hosts an All Women’s Charity Judo Tournament to raise money for those affected by breast and ovarian cancer. The event has been very positive and successful. Unfortunately, this year’s tournament was cancelled because of the pandemic.... In years past, we would ask people to dedicate our medals to someone who has survived or lost their battle with breast or ovarian cancer. 100% of the funds raised were donated to The Pink Ribbon Place. This year, we cannot dedicate medals. But we are offering these pink dedication certificates to anyone who would like to help. We’re asking for $10 for the dedication. We will mail a certificate to you that includes your loved one’s name. Please email me at [email protected] if you would like to help. Our donation site for the dedication is at: https://riverside-police-foundation.square.site//rivers/2

Club Update: Lady Luck hasn’t been helping much lately. The A/C went out again at the club and the temp outside has just been too hot to go without cooling. The compressor may be out On a good note, I think I have the state, county, and city Covid restrictions figured out for small, conditioning classes. I just need to get the A/C back in operation.... Sorry for the news - but I’m working on the problem so we can get going again.

Thank You Virginia Blumenthal for your Very Generous donation to the Riverside Youth Judo Club’s Virtual Fight for the Cure Fundraiser! We couldn’t have our All Women’s Charity Breast & Ovarian Tournament this year, but we are holding our Virtual Fundraiser to help The Pink Ribbon Place!!! Virginia is a friend, an Amazing Attorney, and a precious member of our Community. We are very, very Grateful . Thank you from All of us at the Riverside Youth Judo Club!!!!

We’re still navigating through all the Covid-19 regulations. Answers are coming in slower than I’d like... I think I have the County rules figured out - I’m a little worried about some rumors (only rumors) that the County May go back down to Purple tier next week...We will keep our eyes and ears open on that... Right now, I’m trying to see if our club has to follow City protocol that requires a city permit for our program - since we operate out of a police building...... Sorry everyone - but we have to get these answers before we can move forward. I will keep you all posted.

Thank you all for your patience as we continue the plan for our limited (slow and safe) reopening. I’ve been trying to study, learn, and reconcile the State’s Covid-19 rules along with the County and City Covid regulations. It’s kinda like putting together an IKEA entertainment center without the instructions What I do know is that we will likely start with very small classes, no parents or spectators in the room, conditioning only (no gripping or randori yet), temp checks..., 6ft distancing, masks, and lots of hand washing. I’m also working on getting more cleaning equipment and HEPA filters for the room. We will get there!!!

Thank You Elliots for Pets for your generous donation to our Virtual Fight for the Cure Breast & Ovarian Cancer Cure fundraiser!!!!! Elliots for Pets is located at 6744 Brockton Ave, Riverside CA 92506. It’s family owned and operated with a deep connection to the community. Even though we cannot have our All Women’s Charity Tournament this year - we want to push forward with the same spirit. Despite the challenges, we will continue our efforts to raise funds for Charity!!...! Thank you to Danielle Money for the Awesome artwork to help launch this year’s fundraiser!!!