Dojo Puts Up Strong Performance at 2025 Iowa State Championship
Left to Right, Top Row - Jae, Swede, Liv, Jacob, Rachel, Logan, Ember, Boli. Bottom Row - Sensei Chaye Thompson, Sensei Leo Rodriguez
The 2025 Iowa State Championship was held on Sunday, November 9th, rather than on its usual Saturday, due to the seminar led by Megumi Sensei being held at the tournament venue on Saturday. Despite the unusual timing, the tournament had a strong turnout of 77 competitors, of which 8 were adults from the Des Moines Judo Academy. The day saw our dojo represented by veteran competitors like Jaehyeok Choi (yonkyu/green belt), Olivia McBee (sankyu/brown belt) and Jacob van Cleaf (yonkyu/green belt). It was also the first outing for the newly promoted Joseph Swedenhjelm (rokyu/yellow belt) and a mainstay of our sister school, Squared BJJ of Grinnell, whose been granted rank through the Des Moines Judo Academy under Sensei Leo Rodriguez, Bolívar Aponte Rolón (rokyu/yellow belt). Rachel Salisbury (rokyu/ yellow belt) also made it on the mat for her second shiai or “competition,” determined to put the lesson’s from her experience in Minnesota, as well as her recent training, to good use. The team was supported by several members of our dojo, and coached by Sensei’s Leo Rodriguez and Chaye Thompson.
Left to Right - Alayna Gushin, Liv, Rachel
Olivia (“Liv”), and Rachel faced off against each other and Alayna Gushin of Teikiatsu Judo in the Senior Women’s Medium Division. Rachel lost to Alayna, but won against Liv by scoring two waza-ari (a half-point score, awarded for pinning an opponent for at least 10, but fewer than 20, seconds, or a throw that fails to score an ippon) using sasae tsurikomi ashi to obtain waza-ari awasete ippon (lit. “two half-points make a full point”), securing a bronze medal and marking her first tournament win. The match between the two was exciting, taking multiple bouts with several falls failing to score points and prolonged periods of groundwork. Despite being defeated by Rachel, Liv rallied and went on to beat Alayna by scoring ippon (a full point score which instantly ends a match, awarded for pinning an opponent for 20 seconds, or throwing an opponent so they land on their back with force, speed, and control) with drop seoi-nage (shoulder throw), a move she’s been cultivating for at least the past two months. Although the throw initially appeared to not be working, Liv roused her inner bushi (warrior) and continued to drive forward until her opponent was first disbalanced, then fallen, securing her the gold and the fastest ippon in the women division, and second fastest ippon by a woman all day, at 15 seconds.
Left to Right - Garret Cox, Swede, Jacob
Joseph Swedenhjelm (“Swede”) fought in division two of the Senior Men’s Novice Heavy, which was split into two divisions due to an unprecedented 7 qualifying men showing for competition. Division two consisted of Swede, Jacob van Cleaf, and Garret Cox of Quad City Judo & Fitness. Swede took the gold, defeating both his rival competitors with a ko-uchi-gari to o-soto-gari combo he learned in Thursday evening classes from Sensei Leo, taking out Garret Cox in 15 seconds, and Jacob in 14 seconds. Jacob van Cleaf managed to hold out against Garret Cox for 1 minute and 8 seconds, before learning a valuable lesson about fighting until you hear sore-made or “finished” (the call the indicates the match is concluded and all fighting has ceased) and being pinned, gaining him the bronze medal.
Bolivar (“Boli”) had a gold banner day, sweeping both division one of the Senior Men’s Novice Heavy and the Men’s Masters 30-45 Heavy, each by ippon with a magnificent harai-goshi in approximately 16 to 40 seconds, with only two matches standing out. The Men’s Masters was best two out of three against Cory Cooper of Sempai Judo Academy, with the Boli’s second win being by walkover due to Cory being injured in an earlier match. The other standout was against our own Jaehyeok Choi (“Jae”), a long time successful competitor who also managed to dominate everyone else in his division. The match between the two took 2 minutes and 17 seconds, falling just 43 seconds short of going the full 3 minute period, but was ultimately Boli’s victory to claim, leaving Jae with an amazing story and a well earned silver medal.
A bracket redistribution saw Jacob van Cleaf moved to the Master’s Men Over 45 Heavy, to fight Michael Keller Jr. of Wahadachi Judo Club to attempt to retain the master’s champion title, which he had been training with an eye towards since last year’s championship. Jacob was able to win the first match by pin using mune-gatame in one minute and forty seconds, securing his first victory via osae-komi (hold down/pin). According to Sensei Leo Rodriguez, Jacob “fought great and showed lots of growth and resilience,” with the second and third matches being close and taking fifty-three seconds and one minute and forty-seven seconds respectively. Unfortunately Jacob was unable to secure a second victory and gave up the title. However, when asked by his son if it intended to focus with the same intensity to win it back next year, Jacob replied “can’t stop, won’t stop, don’t even know how to stop.”
Kids Kick Butt at 2025 Governor’s Cup
Des Moines Judo kids with Sensei Hanssen
On March 15th of 2025, nearly an hour before the adult competition, Sensei Ryan Hanssen led a squad of five (5) young Judoka from our children’s judo program as they took to the mat for the honor of our dojo and personal glory. Jayce and Brayden Hanssen, Cillian Nizzi, Brogan Lindsey, and Aurora Wright all took to the mat in their respective divisions to demonstrate the skill and athleticism developed through long hours of training, and test their mettle against the best competitors they could find.
While each competitor’s matches were action packed and worthy of review, this author would only expound upon each competitor’s best performance for his loyal audience.
Brayden and Cillian each rapidly defeated the third competitor in their bracket and met one another in a heated match to determine who would take gold or have to settle for silver. Brayden tried his best to bring his opponent down with Hanssen family’s signature Koshi-Guruma, but Cillian presented a competent defense each time, hipping in and posturing up. On offense Cillian demonstrated a far more mobile style of judo, using circular motion to disbalance his opponent to create openings for Uchi-Mata and O-Soto-Gari. Unfortunately for Cillian, Brayden, being a seasoned competitor was able to meet and overcome this tactic through strategic us of grips and defensive posturing. After a reset by the referee, both combatants switched tactics, opting for a brief exchange of foot sweeps, with Cillian bringing Brayden to the ground for a non-scoring Tai-Otoshi. The two continued in this fashion for a short while longer before Cillian was finally able to catch Brayden off-guard with a will timed Uchi-Mata for victory by Ippon. The two fought well.
Aurora’s determination and aggression allowed her to take a bronze medal in her division, with her most exciting match being against Isabella from Sempai Judo Academy. Both girls came out guns blazing, charging one another to immediately grip up and throw a flurry of O-Soto-Gari at one another. While Aurora was the first to fall in her match, immediately escaping her opponent’s attempt at Kesa-Gatame, she was quick to follow up with an O-Soto-Otoshi, scoring a yuko, and to capitalize on her success by using Kesa-Gatame herself. The next bout yielded a solid Waza-Ari for Aurora off O-Soto-Gari, prompting her opponent’s team of coachs to prompt Isabella to make a drastic change in tactics. After another hard fought bout with no score, Aurora and Isabella clashed again, with Isabella disbalancing Aurora mid-attack, knocking them both over. In the mad scramble for position, Isabella was able to out scurry Aurora and secure a firm pin via Kesa-Gatame, which she maintained long enough for Ippon. While Aurora might not have won this match, which lasted over three minutes, she was in the lead when the final bout began, had maintained a lead for most of the match, and fought hard to the bitter end. Aurora should take pride in her accomplishment and in that it took her competitor benefitting from the combined experience of Sempai’s extended coaching staff to overcome her.
On his path to silver medal, Brogan faced off against Luca from Teikiatsu Judo, in a match lasting only fifteen (15) seconds. Luca assumed an aggressive and forward stance from the onset of the match, immediately charging to grip up with Brogan. Rather than meeting Luca’s charge directly, as many of our other junior competitor’s would have, Brogan embraced the teaching of “Seiryoku Zenyo” or “maximum efficiency",” shifting to the side and out of Luca’s path as he attempted O-Goshi. Luca stopped his forward charge in time to spin Brogan in almost a complete circle, which Brogan responded to by shifting neatly into Harai-Goshi followed by Kesa-Gatame on the ground. The pin was unnecessary, as the throw’s satisfying “thawp” told both the referee and the crowd Brogan has scored an Ippon.
Lastly, Jayce got to meet his rival, Asher Bruner, in the most recent in a long line of contests between the two. The most recent match was a furious affair, both upright and on the ground, ranging across the entirety of the tatami. The first bought ended with Jayce up a Waza-Ari from De-Ashi-Barai, with the follow up on the ground resulting in no further score. The second bout, in which both competitors were making textbook demonstrations of the down then up method of kuzushi, saw Asher tie the score using Uchi-Mata, with neither judoka able to score on the ground as follow up. After two bouts with the young judoka’s duel ranging to the edges of the mat and yielding no score, the rivals clashed a final time. Jayce managed to get his lapel hand around Asher’s neck and began to drag him into the Hanssen’s signature Koshi-Guruma. As the two spun with Jayce creeping his hips into position to reap his final score, Asher, familiar with the familial technique from prior encounters, shouldered into Jayce and threw out a leg, brining Jayce to the ground with Tani-Otoshi for Ippon. Jayce took home a well earned silver medal, and this author looks forward to seeing what Jayce brings to overcome his rival when next they meet.
Honor and glory to our young competitors! We all look forward to great things from you in the future!