Judo is a family affair for the Mulders from the Netherlands
The Mulder family loves judo, almost as much as they love their daughter Sacha, a Special Olympics "judoka." The Mulders are from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. There is father Chris, mother Wil, sister Christel, 21, and Sacha, 19. There is an extended family of 50 who have followed the careers of Sacha and Christel, also a "judoka" and her sister's coach. "I started taking judo at a local club when I was about 4 years old and my sister joined me a few years later," Christel said. "I like to coach Sacha. We know each other very well so it makes it easier for us to train together." The sisters trained at a mainstream judo club and although they did not feel different from the others, Wil, their mother, could see that her younger daughter was not being accepted and "it hurt very much." Now Sacha trains at a club for people with intellectual disabilities with Christel, who is studying to be a teacher, as her coach.
Sacha has excelled in the sport, winning a gold medal in the Special Olympics European Games in 2000, one of the family's proudest moments. Wil, who is a special education teacher, said that Sacha has grown from a rather shy child to a self-confident young woman. She feels "marvelous" when she sees her two daughters together. Tycho van der Werff, 31, Christel's boyfriend, is head coach at the club where the two sisters train and where there are 100 members with intellectual disabilities. "Verbal and physical communication is very much part of judo," said van der Werff, who has been involved in the sport for 27 years and has been a volunteer coach for 10 years. "It's also a social sport with the main message being, 'I am not going to hurt you.' It's a beautiful sport that enables us as coaches to give people with intellectual disabilities the chance to grow, to learn to make their own choices and to experience friendship and camaraderie," he said.
Left to right: The Mulder Family (left to right): sisters Christel and Sacha (in blue), Tycho van der Werff, coach; mother Wil (far right) and father Chris (back row). [Photographer: Martha Jo Braycich, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia] |
The first regional judo tournament in the history of Special Olympics was held 29-31 January 2005 in Tongerlo, Belgium. Organized by Special Olympics Belgium in cooperation with the Flemish Federation for Disabled Sports, the tournament had 135 male and female "judoka" from eight countries competing: Andorra, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Slovenia. Three Special Olympics Programs — from Bulgaria, Denmark and Moldova — sent observers and are expected to start up Special Olympics judo shortly.
Opening Ceremonies, held at the Tongerlo Sports Center on 30 January, was attended by approximately 500 persons, including Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, a member of the Belgian royal family that has provided long-time support to Special Olympics Belgium. During the Ceremonies, the Special Olympics "Flame of Hope" was ignited by Belgian Olympic archer Paul Vermeire.
Judo was first organized as a demonstration sport in 2000 at the Special Olympics European Games in Groningen, the Netherlands. It made its debut as a competition sport at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland. At that time, only teams from Europe competed.
Mariusz Damentko, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Sports Director, said he hopes that other regions will become interested in judo and prepare teams for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, to be held 10-19 October 2007 in Shanghai, China.
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Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium (in plaid) meeting a Special Olympics athlete during Opening Ceremonies. Media interest was high. [Photographer: Mariusz Damentko, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia] |
"Judo is a unique sport because of its therapeutic value," Damentko explained. "There is physical contact between individuals, but because of the rules, philosophy and discipline of the sport, it teaches an individual to harness aggression and respect his or her opponent," he said.
Roy Court, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Sports Advisor for judo, has been organizing judo competitions for people with intellectual disabilities for more than 25 years. "It has taken a long time to get to this point where we have a first-class competition," he said. "Our 'judoka' are now being given the same opportunities to compete as others who love this Olympic sport."
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An overview of the first regional tournament. [Photographer: Mariusz Damentko, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia] |
Court, who is a judo coach and a member of the European Judo Union Temporary Disability Commission, said that over the years he has had many parents tell him about the dramatic change in behavior in their children. Aggressive at home, the child became more passive and home life more peaceful once the child started to take judo and channel his or her aggression in a controlled and disciplined manner. Court said that as a next step, more coaches need to get involved in Special Olympics judo. "New coaches know the sport but they need to have awareness about people with intellectual disabilities and have the competencies to work with them." As part of coach recruitment and training, Ryan Murphy, Manager of Sports Resources, Special Olympics, who was observing the competition, said that the organization is developing Special Olympics judo coaching guides as part of efforts to expand judo to other regions.
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Judo action on the mat. [Photographer: Mariusz Damentko, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia] |
Approximately 20 federation-certified referees from Belgium, Finland, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands were on hand during the competition. Ron Cleere, the British referee, officiated at his first Special Olympics event in Dublin in 2003 although he has been involved with people with intellectual disabilities for 10 years. "Through judo we give young people a goal and we support them as they strive to reach that goal," Cleere said. "It is very touching to see them try so hard and often battle great personal odds. Yet they never complain, they never fight and they always manage to have a good time — on and off the mat," he said. "I have introduced six new referees to Special Olympics judo and I encourage more to join this marvelous sport."
Roy Court, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Judo Advisor (in beige), with "judoka" from France, Belgium and Great Britain. [Photographer: Martha Jo Braycich, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia]
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Coach Tita Myönänen (left) and Special Olympics Finland "judoka" Leena Tarssannen, 30 (top) and Merja Eskelinen, 24 (right) [Photographer: Martha Jo Braycich, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia] |
Thirty-seven of the "judoka" at the competition were women. "I love judo. It's a great sport and I get to make new friends and meet new people," said Special Olympics athlete Leena Tarssannen, 30, from Finland. Her coach, Tita Myönänen, said her female athletes enjoy the sport as much as the males do. Myönänen, 29, has been a judo coach for 10 years and has a background in sports medicine, and specifically injuries related to judo.
The competition's main sponsor was a local Lions Club. The Flemish Judo Federation, the community of Westerlo and others were highly supportive of the well-organized event. Major national and local television broadcasters covered the competition.
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