Making It to the Olympics for Judo, Then and Now - An Interview with Nicky Yonezuka

Shintaro sits down with ⁠Nicky Yonezuka (   / judonick_jkc   )⁠, the second generation of the famous Yonezuka family. Nicky shares what it was like growing up in a Judo family with his father, Yoshisada Yonezuka, who was a highly accomplished Judoka in Japan, and making it to the 1980 Olympics at 16 years old. Shintaro and Nicky also discuss what it has been like to be the head sensei at the ⁠Cranford Judo Karate Center⁠ ( https://www.cranfordjkc.com/ ) since his father's passing in 2014, and coaching his two sons, ⁠Jack⁠ (   / thejudoman   ) and ⁠Nick (   / nickyonezuka   )⁠, who are training to become Judo Olympians themselves.


00:19 Making it to the Olympics in 1980
09:40 Growing up with a Judo father
13:15 Taking over the dojo and training his kids
21:50 His YouTube channel
22:45 His sons' current Olympic journey
30:37 Advice on building your kid into an Olympian
36:52 How it's like to be a Judo full-timer


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