Travis Stevens on How to Fix USA Judo

Travis Stevens on YouTube, https://youtu.be/xLNpi2HHPsU


Travis Stevens, American judo Olympian, spent over two hours on YouTube describing how to fix the American competitive judo system. He said he has spent several years advocating these changes and pitching it to multiple audiences.

This post is my attempt to summarize his main points. I thought his presentation was compelling, so I wanted to capture highlights. If you want it straight from him, please watch the video.

The First Step: Startup Revenue Through Seminars

The First Step

The first step is to hire a coach to perform two main functions. The first is to teach judo cadets, those under age 18 years of age.

The second is to have that coach teach 18 seminars per year, across the US. (That's 18 seminars, not just seminars for 18 year olds.)

Figure 1 below shows the revenue that a single seminar could generate, depending on the attendance and the cost per person.

Figure 2 shows shows the revenue that 18 seminars could generate. I do not recall which number Travis thought would be the best estimate. I chose the average and bolded it below. I also subtracted his estimated travel costs.
National Coach Seminar Revenue Estimates

The coach would be a salaried employee with a salary of $75,000 per year. USA Judo could contribute to the coach's salary to reduce the planned cost to about $60,000.

Three Types of Judo Practitioners

Three Types of Practitioners

Travis' plan embraces three types of judo styles.
Judo for competition.Judo for martial arts.Judo for self defense.

Self defense is the main reason most people begin training. This is one reason Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) attracts so many students.
By attending a seminar with the national cadet coach, all three types of practitioners are connected to the Olympic system, whether a hobbyist or a top-level competitor. Judo has this, unlike most other martial arts. This could be a major advantage for judo!

The Promotion and Coaching Systems

The Coaching System

Travis recommends a promotion system that relies on a participant database and modern marketing to track and develop practitioners.
Travis recommends a three-part coaching system.
The first system shows a 10-15 years old kid how to teach 4-7 year old kids judo for martial arts and self defense.
The second system shows a sensei how to teach anyone judo for martial arts or self defense.
The third system shows a coach how to teach competitors ways to win judo contests.
These are different systems with different requirements. The new USA Judo would provide online resources to teach all three systems.
Winning judo competitors learn and execute a system. This is why judoka can recognize a Russian judoka, or a Japanese judoka, or certain American champions.

Getting Judo into BJJ Schools and Assisting Judo Schools

Sensei Certifications
The “sensei” coaching system enables black belt BJJ coaches to embed judo into their academies.
For example, begin with a “level 1 certification.” This would equip a certified coach with a white to green belt curriculum. It could cost an access fee of $499, plus an exam fee.
The benefits to the certified coach include being able to offer a nationally certified judo program. Kids who join the new judo program would pay USA Judo $70 per year in dues as well.
There would likely be five levels of certification.
Judo needs a national events application and software system that gives competitors a chance to watch and share their matches. It already exists, for example, with TrackWrestling.

Centralized Top Competitor Training

Centralized Training and Regional Coaches

Every competitor that wants funding to compete has to train at a centralized training location. Travis prefers Boston, because the Pedro family are the most successful coaches in US history. Boston is close to Montreal, which would provide competition opportunities as well.
At a centralized training location, USA Judo could hire a specialized coach, perhaps a Japanese coach, to train competitors.
In addition to a centralized training location, Travis would hire regional training coaches. They are not volunteers but employees. Their goal is to raise athletes from their region and convince them to move to the centralized training location.

USA Judo as a Consultancy and Enabler

USA Judo Consulting
Travis would convert USA Judo into a dojo consulting service, via “dojo in a box,” such as a membership system, marketing and social media, training systems, web sites, uniforms, crash pads, etc., to become an official “USA Dojo.”

This is less likely to be a franchise, and more likely as a system and consulting. The purpose of this step is to grow the grassroots dojo and reduce the fear for owners to open and grow their schools.

Conclusion

USA Judo doesn’t have the money to fund this program now. That’s why Travis begins with hiring a national coach, with his or her salary being initially funded by judo seminar profits. The remainder of those profits then become the initial funding for these other programs.

I will try to keep track of this and see what happens. If I can help in some way, I'm interested.

Stay informed of new blog posts by following me on Twitter @martialvitality. For posts on martial arts history, see my project Martial History Team.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nothing But the Best for My Stuff

Image
If you've heard anything about Krav Maga, you've probably heard about the need for groin protection. This Simpson's video , starting at the 45 second point, makes that requirement abundantly clear! When I started training in Krav Maga six months ago, I realized I needed to upgrade my personal protection. I had relied on my old hockey cup and strap when practicing other martial arts. For Krav Maga I decided to do some research, buy some gear, test it live, and let you know my findings! The first product I bought was the Shock Doctor Core Compression Short with Bio-Flex Cup . At the time of writing, the Web site shows this product for $29.99. Using compression shorts was a new experience for me, but I quickly adjusted. This product relies on a pouch positioned inside the shorts to hold the cup in place. While this system seemed to be an upgrade from the simple cup and strap I wore under my hockey equipment, I didn't stay with it. The cup was not comfortable and it did not...
Read more

Passing My BJJ Blue Belt Test

Image
It's been a while since I blogged, incidentally about returning to Jiu-Jitsu  in January, but I have good news -- today I passed the test for my blue belt. I began studying at Professor Pedro Sauer's headquarters school in January 2017. I began mostly with the Gracie Combatives system, then switched to the Pedro Sauer fundamentals classes by the end of the year. In May of 2018 I essentially stopped training BJJ to focus on my Krav Maga studies, finishing with my G1 grading in December 2018 . With G1 accomplished, I switched attention back to BJJ and resumed training in January 2019. Not all BJJ schools require testing to advance in rank. Prof Pedro Sauer believes that tests are an opportunity to demonstrate required skills. The core of the blue belt test is a set of over 80 techniques that must be successfully demonstrated on your training partner, one after the other as the instructor calls them out. The test also includes positioning rolling (i.e., start with your partner in ...
Read more

Retiring from Martial Arts, For Now at Least

Image
  I've decided to retire from martial arts, for now at least. I started this social media presence in January 2016 , so the seven year journey is now concluded. I took my last BJJ class in March 2020 , as Covid-19 was first surging in the US. I injured my back in that session, and my left arm and shoulder had been bothering me for months. I figured some time off might help anyway. In April 2021, after getting my first two vaccinations, I had another round of shoulder surgery . The rotator cuff fix combined with a bicep repair was worse than my previous three shoulder surgeries. It took about a year to return to a relatively pain-free life, even with diligent physical therapy and care. I originally had a goal of staying with BJJ for the long haul in order to earn a black belt. Given that it took me  2 1/2 years to pass my blue belt test , I had many years ahead of me, even before Covid hit.  I think of earning my blue belt as one of the five toughest physical challenges I...
Read more