History of Judo

Judo is a martial art which means "the gentle way".  Judo can be a form of self-defense, a sport, or a method of exercise to develop confidence, strength, and coordination.  Judo was developed in 1882 by Dr. Jigaro Kano.  Dr. Kano created Judo after studying three styles of Ju-jitsu (a very old fighting system used by the samurai warriors in Japan).  Dr. Kano opened his school, the Kodokan in Tokyo, Japan.  From there, Judo grew to become an international sport, with about 187 national federations currently participating in international competition.  An international governing body (the International Judo Federation) was created in 1952. And in 1964, Judo became an official Olympic sport.

history of Derry judo club

The Derry Judo Club, first known as the Hood Judo Club was founded in 1971 by Mr. Chris Veziris, a science teacher at the Gilbert H. Hood Middle School in Derry, NH.  In 1995, he transferred to West Running Brook Middle School in Derry and the club was renamed The Derry Middle Schools Judo Club.  When Mr. Veziris retired, the club moved to the Veteran's Memorial Hall with the Derry Parks & Recreation Department and was renamed the Derry Judo Club.  Mr. Veziris handed over head instructor duties to Roger Lenfest in 2004 and actively assists in the lessons at the dojo.  The club earned recognition as a Top 20 Club for the United States Judo Association in 2005 and 2006.  The Derry Judo Club's goal is to develop youth through judo.