James A. Pedro is an American retired World Champion and Olympic judoka, as well as a current judo coach. Pedro currently holds a 7th degree black belt in judo. He is the coach of Kayla Harrison, the first and currently only American to win an Olympic gold medal in judo.
Michael Lee Swain is one of the most successful American judoka. He competed in countless international competitions. He is now the VP of Martial Arts at Dollamur, Sports LP where he develops and sells Martial Arts equipment and continues to be a spokesperson and board member for USA Judo.
Philip S. Porter was a martial artist in the United States.
Yoshihiro Uchida was an American judo coach, businessman, and educator who was best known for his contributions to judo. Uchida had been the head judo coach at San Jose State University for over 70 years, and had played a leading part in the development of the university's judo program. His brother George Uchida was the 1972 US Olympic judo coach. He turned 100 in April 2020, and died on June 27, 2024, at the age of 104.
Maureen Braziel was one of the pioneers of Women's Judo competition. She has been thought of as being one of the top Judoka in the United States, and within the 1970s.
Karl Geis was an American judo, aikido, and jodo instructor. He died of prostate cancer. Karl Geis is a member of the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame, and the founder of Fugakukai International Association.
Leo White is a former Army officer and two-time member of the US Olympic judo team. White is one of the winningest judoka in US history. White currently holds the rank of 8th-degree black belt in judo.
James "Jimmy" Pedro Sr is a former national level judoka from the United States and an alternate for the US 1976 Olympic judo team. Jimmy Pedro started Judo at the age of 19, earning his black belt in 2 years. Jimmy won the black belt division at the 1971 Taka Invitational Tournament, and went on to win the 1972 New England AAU Tournament. He earned bronze in the 1974 Senior Nationals, and bronze in the 1974 Pan American Championships. Jimmy trained with Olympians Jimmy Martin and Pat Burris and was selected to take part in the 1975 American Team to Challenge Europe's best judoka. In the US National Championships, James earned a silver in 1978, a bronze in 1979, and a silver in 1980. In 1978, Jimmy Pedro was selected to the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame as a judo coach. He coached his son, Jimmy Pedro who became the first person from the U.S. to take home two Olympic medals., and went on to be selected as the 2012 US Olympic Team Assistant Coach.
Mike Vincenti is an American judoka from Revere, Massachusetts.
Bernard Lepkofker was a competitive judoka from Brooklyn, New York, in the United States. He was a two-time gold medalist at the Maccabiah Games in Israel, won a New York Judo gold medal, and twice won silver medals in the US national championships.
Yasuhiko Nagatoshi (1942) is a former US national champion in judo. In the 1967 US National Championships, Nagatoshi won grand champion and the gold medal in the under 80 kg division. He was a bronze medalist in the 1968 National Championships.
Steve Seck is a former competitive judoka for the United States. Seck was the 1976 alternate for the U.S. Judo Team.
James Takemori was an American judoka and World War II veteran.
Steven Jay "Steve" Cohen is an American former Olympic judoka and Olympic coach. He won the US National Judo Championships in 1974, 1975, 1977, 1985, and 1987. He won a gold medal at the 1973 Maccabiah Games, a bronze medal at the 1975 Pan American Games, and a silver medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games.
Terry Farnsworth is a Canadian former Olympic judoka. He won a Canadian national judo championship in 1972 and 1973, competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics, and won a gold medal at the 1969 Maccabiah Games and a silver medal at the 1973 Maccabiah Games in Israel.
George Uchida was a judoka, wrestler, author, and coach. Uchida was the brother of San Jose Judo Coach Yosh Uchida. Uchida and other family members were sent to the Poston internment camp during World War II, following the signing of Executive Order 9066. He later served in the US Army in the field of military intelligence. He got key intelligence about Russian involvement in the Korean War. Upon his return he enrolled in San Jose State University majoring in physical education.
Sadaki Nakabayashi is a former judo teacher and author. Nakabayashi authored a number of judo books including Judo, in 1968, How to Improve Your Judo in 1960, Fundamentals of judo in 1964. He also wrote the book fundamentals of Judo along with George Uchida and Olympic Coach Yoshihiro Uchida Nakabayshi taught for a period at the Kodokan. Nakabayashi is considered to be one of the best Judo instructors to have been sent to the United States.
Delores Brodie is a former competitive judoka for the United States. She won three gold medals, 3 silvers and a bronze in the US National Judo Championships. Delores competed on both the national as well as international circuit. Delores at 17 was the US Junior National Champ in Judo.
Tammy Hostetler is an American former competitor in the sport of judo. In 1977, she was recognized by Black Belt magazine as one of the Top 10 female judoka in the United States.
