the
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Historical
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DJC Officers
Detroit Contribution to U.S. Judo
by Thomas Sheehan
excerpts from "In Recognition of the Detroit Judo Club", Judo USA, July 1977
"What made the Detroit Judo Club really great, however, was not so much what it did for itself, but what it did for Judo. Instead of being satisfied with local affluence, the Detroit Judo Club donated and contributed to regional development on a scale far surpassing the combined total national effort at the time. In addition to writing the national constitution and bylaws, promotion procedures, referee certification guidelines, tournament procedures and contest rules, the Club was solely responsible for developing, financing, and administering the national rank registration procedures; a system which has generated more than a quarter million dollars, financing every international team throughout the '60s and early '70s.
"In addition to holding one-third of the positions on the national U.S. Judo Federation Executive Committee, Detroit Judo Club members held simultaneous national positions of President, Editor USJF Handbook, Editor Judo Illustrated, Chairman Rank Registration Committee, Legal Committee, Legislative Committee, Promotion Committee, Referee Certification Committee, and Executive Committee, Technical Director of the Pan American Judo Union, Advisor to the International Judo Federation, Coach and Manager of the Pan American and World Championship Teams, four positions on the U.S. Olympic Committee, and countless positions on national and regional AAU board and regional Yudanshakai."