Long Training Pair Promoted Together
From Left to Right - Adisa, Jae, Sensei Formaro, Sensei Suhr, Olivia
Under the USJA ranking system, under which the Des Moines Judo Academy operates, attaining the brown belt is a momentous occasion for several reasons. Not only does it take years of study and dedication, it also serves as the delineating line between a novice and advanced student, with most tournaments only allowing those under brown belt to compete in novice divisions.
Monday June 9th, 2025, Adisa Ganic and Olivia McBee crossed this rubicon together when they were promoted to Sankyu. The actual testing took place over the week prior, with the ceremony being conducted on the Monday to allow for the reverence due such an occasion. The two young women began their journey into Judo together in approximately March of 2023, when they were the first two regular students in the Monday & Wednesday classes conducted by Sensei Suhr. For months they were the primary, if not only, students in the now popular class time. The two have supported each other through countless hours of training, promotions, injuries, and numerous tournaments, to arrive at this point.
Olivia, with Sensei Formaro and Sensei Suhr
Olivia, normally called “Liv” keeps a busy scheduled between work, frequent trips to visit her significant other, whom is finished technical school, crafting, training, and helping teach Des Moines Judo Academy’s children’s classes. Though its rare to see now, due to an earlier injury, Liv has cultivated a great drop tai-otoshi. Liv shines brightest in ground where, were weeks of drills following a leg injury have resulted in masterful skill at shime-waza or “choking techniques.” Her hadaka-jime, commonly known as the rear naked choke, is excellent. However, her ability to work her arms past nearly any defense for “nami-juji-jime” (normal cross collar choke) and gyaku-juji-jime (reverse cross collar choke), often before her opponent realizes they’re in danger, is a marvel of the elegant interaction of technique maximizing on a natural advantage, and desmonstration of Seiryoku Zenyo.
Adisa, with Sensei Formaro and Sensei Suhr
Adisa, keeps a similarly busy schedule, maintaining employment, continuing her education, spending time with her significant other at his school, and training. Adisa’s work learning Sensei Parkhill’s “sticky foot” method ko-soto-gari shows, with the attack often serving as her lead in, and consistently forcing a defensive response from her opponent. She often finishes matches with her swift tai-otoshi, launching near instantly at well chosen moments, which has brought her several wins at tournament, where she has consistently brought home medals. Lately she has been seen working on expanding her foot sweep arsenal.
An African proverb states “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Congratulations to both young women on coming this far, and we’re excited to see how far they go!
Brown Belt Sneaks in Surprise Promotion Mid-Celebration
On Monday, December 30th, 2024, amid the fanfare surrounding Ryan Hanssen’s promotion to “Shodan” or blackbelt a smaller, but no less significant, promotion was issued.
John Long, the man who served as “uke” (the person upon whom a technique is performed; the fancy way of saying living throwing dummy) for the Nage-no-Kata (the performance of a pre-arranged sequence of techniques to demonstrate technical proficiency), was promoted from “Sankyu,” the first rank of brown belt, to “Nikyu,” the second rank of brown belt. Serving as uke for kata is one method of earning a promotion, as doing so properly demonstrates competence, if not mastery of several fundamental skills for any “judoka” (judo practitioner), most particularly “ukemi” (the skill of falling without harm or injury). Serving as uke for any kata requires extensive training prior to even undertake the weeks of practice necessary. It is also a substantial time commitment, as most judo kata are interactive, meaning the “tori” (person performing the technique) cannot practice without the uke being present.
John is an active and competitive judoka, maintaining a an extremely fit physique, in contrast to his laid back and easy going attitude. Outside of judo, he enjoys travel, often spending weeks at a time in Asia, craft beer, comedy shows, and somehow finding time to fit in anime and videogames. On the mat, John is known at the Des Moines Judo & Sambo Academy for his powerful “uchi-mata” or “inner thigh throw,” which can be described as both elegant and text book. Of late, he has been diversifying his arsenal by working on his “seoi-nage” (shoulder throw), and has recently been noticed dropping white belts with foot sweeps.
Mr. Long’s well earned promotion leaves only “Ikkyu,” the final brown belt rank, between him and a blackbelt.
(John is show wearing his brown belt in the associated picture, which is from when he received his Sankyu in April. This is because it appears John snuck out on Monday without getting his picture take. Bad John, old picture for you!)
Brown Belt Promotion for Long-Standing Member
From Left to Right- Sensei Suhr, Romnick Pamatmat
On December 9, 2024, Romnick Pamatmat tested for and received his first brown belt rank of “sankyu.” Most judo organizations consider the brown belt to the tipping point where you are no longer considered a beginner, and no longer eligible able to participate in the novice division of competition. Attaining the rank is typically requires years of study and practice, as well as demonstrating mastery over several techniques, and competence with several more. The testing is also academic, requiring knowledge of the history of judo and Japanese terminology.
Romnick is a regularly attending member of the Academy and inspiration; not only finding time for health, training, and fitness, but also to raise his three children, all while keeping his wife (and the light of his life) smiling. On the mat, Romnick is a quick and dexterous opponent, frequently darting in and out of gripping range to make lightning fast attacks, most notable drop tai-otoshi, and seoi-nage.
His promotion is well deserved, and this author looks forward to seeing him develop through the ranks remaining between him and the first degree black belt or “sho-dan.”