SISTER SCHOOL PROMOTION: PURPLE BELT AND PRODIGEE OBTAIN ORANGE BELTS
We at the Des Moines Judo Academy have been blessed with amazing instructors since our founding by Bret Parkhill in the early 90s. Each instructor’s history and experience brings a unique perspective to our art, offering perspective and insight students might otherwise not benefit from. Sensei Leo Rodriguez, our Thursday evening instructor is not only a renown judoka, but is also a black belt in the art of Brazilian Jiujitsu (BJJ for short) under Gabriel Gonzaga, and heads Grinnell College’s chapter of the Squared BJJ Club. Both schools benefit from a sister school relationship, with members of one being permitted to attend events for the other at no costs, a benefit several members of our dojo have taken advantage of regularly for over a year. Sensei Leo encourages this cross training with a pragmatic “iron sharpens iron” rationale. The benefit of this cross training relationship is that some students from each school have begun to attain ranks in the other art, their interest piqued by their experiences against their opponents on the mat.
Most recently, on March 22nd, 2026, two students of Grinnell Squared BJJ have tested and advanced to the rank of gokyu in Judo; Will Schulte and Bolivar Aponte Rolon.
From Left to Right - WIll Schulte, Spiderman, Sensei Leo, Bolivar, Hot Blue
Note - No one took promotion pictures, so I made do. Lesson - Take promotion pictures.
Will Schulte is a former wrestler and long time student of Sensei Leo in the art of BJJ, as week as a decorated and seasoned competitor in that art, having previously relied primarily on his wrestling experience for takedowns, with some study of nage-waza (throwing techniques) to enhance his wrestling. However, soon after cross-training became a regular thing between the Des Moines Judo Academy and our sister school, Will began to see the benefits of developing his Judo. On March 9th, 2026, Will was awarded his purple belt in BJJ, marking his progress as being halfway to his black belt. In BJJ belts are awarded when an instructor believes you’re adequately accomplished, with no formal testing, and no language or history requirement. While Will finds the Japanese terminology and technique nomenclature challenging he is none the less a marvelous judoka, overcoming those portions of examination to make it to the technique demonstrations, where he shines. Will, like many former wrestlers, has an affinity for O-Goshi, and O-Soto-Gari. However, his recent experiences with those who primarily study judo, along with the influence of Sensei Leo, have seen him greatly improve his foot sweeps, namely Ko-Uchi-Gari and De-Ashi-Barai. Off the mat, Will applies his training in his work as a corrections officer, and spends time with his wife and daughters.
Bolivar Aponte Rolon (“Boli” for short) should be familiar to reader of this blog, having made his competitive debut at the 2025 Iowa State Championship, and sweeping each division with repeated used of his masterful Harai-Goshi, and remarkable athleticism. Boli also is a fan of Ippon Seoi-Nage, and lately has been broadening his mastery of koshi-waza (hip techniques) with Koshi-Guruma. While confident on the ground, Boli, unlike many BJJ practitioners, seems to almost prefer to begin engaging opponents standing. Off the mat, Boli spends most of his limited free time with this wife and daughter.
Congratulations to both of newly promoted members of our sister school, and may our continued association be fruitful.
Four New Yellow Belts Following First Fundamentals Class Promotion
From Left to Right - Rachel Salisbury, Kellen Zander, Joseph Lily, Joseph Swedenhjelm, Sensei Chaye Thompson
Judo is brutal to the ego particularly of those who begin as adults, for several reasons. Earlier this year the Des Moines Judo Academy added its fundamentals class in an effort to make taking up the study of judo easier for those who only began to study the art later in life. Focused primarily on the needs of newer judoka, while offering more advanced students an opportunity to refine their technique or learn moves to which they had not previously been exposed, this project, helmed by Sensei Chaye Thompson, has steadily grown from one or two students on a single evening to numerous students spread across two sessions per week. On November 5th, 2025, the programs experienced further success when its inaugural group of white belt attendees were promoted to rokkyu, receiving their yellow belts, just in time for the Iowa State Championship.
The group promoted consist of Joseph Swedenhjelm, Joseph Lily, Kellen Zanders, and Rachel Salisbury.
Joseph Swedenhjelm (“Joe Swede” or “Swede” for short) a married father and former wrestler, is rapidly adapting his wrestling training to the gentle way, often grasping variations on moves he’s familiar with from his prior training after only a short demonstration. While Swede excels at O-Goshi, he has cultivated an enviable Ko-Uchi-Gari to O-Soto-Gari renraku-waza or combination that has won him a lot of success in randori. Since his promotion, Swede has made his debut in competition at the Iowa State Championship, and has been, when time allows, working on a tournament legal version of Kata-Guruma or “Fireman’s Carry.” Swede is a quiet man with subtle expressions, more likely to make his feelings known through the flash of a smile or fleeting expression than via words. However, once you learn to read him, a deep and broad sense of humor is quickly revealed.
By contrast Joseph Lily (“Joe Lily” or just “Lily”) comes from no grappling background, with his first venture into martial arts appearing to be judo. Despite this, Lily is often paired with Swede for drills and training due to their similar size. Lily is the more vocal of the quiet duo, with a dry sense of humor. Lily, who has an interest in becoming a police officer like several member of the Des Moines Judo Academy, expresses little interest in competition, instead being focused on personal growth. Lily has a penchant for Seoi-Nage, commonly called a “shoulder throw.”
Kellen Zanders studies bjj and karate in addition to Judo, as well as dance. The active man typically attends only one class a week, and has made substantial strides in doing so. Judo training has improved Kellen’s performance in all his physical studies by giving him a better understanding of the interactions between his own body and that of his opponent. This has translated to better rolls while at bjj and more effective practice at karate. Typically seen smiling with short interruptions for burst of laughter, prior to promotion Kellen’s initial preferred technique was Seoi-Nage. Since his promotion, Kellen has recently discovered that has some natural talent at O-Goshi, which this writer feels may develop into a general preference for koshi-waza.
Rachel Salisbury rounds out the initial promotion group. This is Rachel’s second round on the mat, having initially engaged in training for approximately two months around a year ago. Rachel’s initial interest in Judo was piqued when she observed a tournament in December of 2023. Since returning to the mat earlier this year, Rachel finally participated in competition herself in Minnesota, taking bronze and igniting a passion for competition. In addition to fundamentals class, Rachel frequently attends 5:30 PM judo classes on Monday and Wednesday, Thursday class, Friday and Saturday open mats, and open mat at our sister-school Grinnell BJJ. As a result of this serious grind mentality, Rachel has developed a significant amount of skill in a limited time, but is also typically less than fully recovered at any point in time. Rachel is adept at drop Morote-Seoi-Nage, or drop “two handed shoulder throw”, Sasae-Tsurikomi-Ashi, and De-Ashi-Barai (Advanced foot sweep). She also demonstrates a skill at ude garami (kimura version to BJJ people) from guard when on the ground.
Congratulations to all the newly minted yellow belts, and may their futures have much success!
Leo Returns to teach Thursday Evenings
The living legend Leo Rodriguez has returned from his sabbatical and resumed training at our dojo, in addition to running the Grinnell location of Squared BJJ. Leo has stepped up to begin teaching on Thursday evenings in addition to assisting with the children’s classes on Tuesday and Thursday.