About Us
Our History
The Lethbridge Kyodokan Judo Club was founded by Yoshio Senda in 1952 and has been active, with Sensei Senda as head instructor and coach up until his passing on September 9, 2009. The club has a proud history, of which we will add more later. If you would like to read about the club, you can read the book Kyodokan: The story of the Kyodokan Judo Club and the founder, Dr. Yoshio Senda edited by Jane Senda. It is available from the Lethbridge Public Library and other fine libraries and from Jane. For further reading on Sensei Senda and several other members of the club, as well as Canadian judo in general, try Judoka : the history of judo in Canada by Glynn Leyshon, available at the University of Lethbridge and other fine libraries.
Yosh and Flo Senda were the two longest-serving Senseis in the Lethbridge Judo Club.
The late Sensei Yoshio Senda was the highest ranked Judoka in Canada, having earned the first ever Kudan (9th degree black belt) awarded by the Dan grading committee of Judo Canada in July of 2006. Sensei Senda founded the Lethbridge Judo Club in 1952 and was the Head Instructor and Coach of the club until his death at the age of 87 on September 9, 2009. He was on the mats coaching until August of 2009 and despite his ill health, he travelled from the hospital to the dojo to watch his judoka take training from a visiting Japanese sensei. He was also the Head Instructor and Coach of the University of Lethbridge Judo Club since the University was formed in 1967. He won the Canadian Junior Championship in 1937 and achieved his shodan (first degree black belt) in 1939 at which time he started instructing judo as an assistant to Sensei Eichi Hashizume in Mission City, B.C. Sensei Senda was coach of the Canadian Olympic Judo Teams in 1980 and 1984 and Joe Meli's personal coach in the 1988 Olympics. Among the many honours Sensei Senda has received are:
Membership in the Lethbridge, University of Lethbridge, and Judo Canada Halls of Fame
An honorary Doctor of Laws degree granted by the University of Lethbridge
Decorated with `The Order of the Sacred Treasures, Gold and Silver Rays' conferred by His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan
Presented with a `Key to the City' of Lethbridge
and, most recently, appointment as a member of the Order of Canada
The late Sensei Florence Senda started into Judo relatively late, and didn't receive her shodan (first degree black belt) until 1974, after two of her sons (Ron in 1966 and Greg in 1972). Since then she was actively involved in instructing the judoka in the Lethbridge Judo Club. She held the rank of Godan (5th degree black belt) and was found at the dojo whenever the beginners' class or the Kata class were meeting.
We will all miss our founding Senseis and will try our best to follow the path they laid down for us through their life in judo.
Our Senseis
The strength of the Lethbridge Judo Club is the level and dedication of the Senseis of each class.
Senior Class SENSEIS
Head Sensei
Russ Gallant
5th Dan
RTC/HP Director
Ewan Beaton
6th Dan
Senior HP Sensei
Trevor McAlpine
3rd Dan
Senior Assistant Sensei
Tim Takahashi
3rd Dan
Physiotherapist/Medical
Alana Takahashi
Brown
Team Manager
Angie Gallant
Intermediate Class Senseis
Tyler Boras
3rd Dan
Brad Seeman
2nd Dan
Troy Gallant
2nd Dan
Junior Class Senseis
Brad Seeman
2nd Dan
Connor Gallant
Brown
Beginner Class Senseis
Brett Forsberg
1st Dan
Danielle Beaton
3rd Dan
Lynn Westlake
Brown
12+ BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE
Chris Bailey
2nd Dan
Dawson Mandel
2nd Dan
RTC Program
Ewan Beaton
6th Dan
Russ Gallant
5th Dan
Tim Takahashi
3rd Dan
OUR Dojo
The members of LKJC are very proud of our dojo. It is located at 2775 28th Avenue South in Lethbridge and an owned and operated by the club.
LKJC Board
President
Trevor Hazel
Vice President
Brad Seeman
Secretary
Abby Slovack
Treasurer
Angie Gallant
Directors
Lynn Westlake
Jacqueline DeMaere
Eric Gallant
Jesse Gregory
LKJC Bylaws
Board Meeting
Board meetings are open meetings and all interested members are invited to attend.
Next Board Meeting: TBD