MIDDLETOWN — Jonathan Wilson, 10, had much to tell his friends at Coyote Valley Elementary when they returned to school last week. Wilson spent a week in Orlando Florida over the summer where he competed in the Junior Olympics judo division.
Wilson didn”t bring any medals home with him but he still had the time of his life participating in the competition and taking in the adventures of Disneyworld when he was away from the mat.
Wilson competed in pool of 18 competitors. His mother, Kim Wilson, said this year”s competition enjoyed record numbers with 900 youngsters, 17 and younger, competing.
“I had to win 12 matches just to take fifth,” he said, adding that the competition was held in double elimination format. “I was in a pool with one of my friends from Middletown. If he won one match I would have had to go against him. I didn”t have to face him though because he was eliminated.”
Wilson said he was a bit discouraged following his first match. “I lost my first match and I thought I was going to be eliminated,” he said. “Every time they stopped us and let us go again, right when they said ?go” I would scream Kiai!”
The screaming, Wilson said, helped get him psyched up for the match, which turned out be very beneficial for him. “When I came out the second time, I slipped so the other kid got a point on me. Then I got up and once we went again, I beat him.”
Wilson said after his first win he felt more confident and better about the competition. He said he pinned his next three competitors for the win. “I felt better going into the next match and I pinned the guy,” he said. “Then I pinned the next two guys for 25 seconds. You have to be in control for a pin and every couple of seconds you get a point for it.”
Wilson said there are three ways to win a match: by points, by pin or by ippon. Ippon, he said, is when your throw your competitor on his back. Ippon is Wilson”s preferred choice in a win; however, he said he usually wins by pin.
“I like throwing my competitor but I usually pin them and I”ve never been pinned,” he said. “Well, I”ve been pinned in class but never in competition.”
In order to qualify for the Junior Olympics, Wilson had to compete in no less than four tournaments. He competed in various tournaments from October 07 to June 08 to qualify for the competition in Florida. “I participated in a bunch,” he said. “Some were San Francisco, Cupertino, Santa Clara, San Jose and over the bay area.”
Wilson gets his judo training at the Middletown Judo Club where he also receives muscle training and body conditioning. “They are very strict with respect, too,” Kim Wilson said. “It”s demanded.”
Wilson trains with several instructors including Professor Fletcher Thorton, Sensei Simone Hingston and Sensei Steve Lehman. Lehman said Wilson is an excellent student. “He”s one of our toughest competitors,” said Lehman. “He did real well (in the Junior Olympics) and he did everything we trained him to do. He is a pleasure to work with in class. He”s going to go far if he keeps it up.”
Wilson has been involved in the martial art for nearly five years. He said judo has taught him many things such as self-confidence, self-defense and discipline. Mostly, he said, he”s thankful for all the new friends he”s made. “Every tournament you go to, you get new friends,” he said, “like I have friends from San Francisco and Rhode Island.”
Wilson raised $2259 to help get him to the Junior Olympics, which was held July 25 through 27.
“It was really neat. Everybody in Middletown helped out,” said Wilson”s father, Rick Wilson. “He was all over the newspapers and everybody in town knew he was going and they were all really supportive.”
Janina Elder, whose son also participates in judo, got the donations rolling with a $200 contribution. Wilson”s aunt and uncle, Melissa Reece and Michael Fernandez also helped considerably. “It was because of them we were able to raise so much money at Middletown Days. They donated the games and prizes,” Kim Wilson said. “And Mark and Alice Reece manned the booth when we couldn”t be there.”
The Wilsons said they were also very appreciative of the support of Joan and Clarence Dold, who, along with a cash donation, made sure the family had plenty of batteries for their camera to capture all the excitement of the trip.
Wilson said he hopes to compete in next year”s Junior Olympics, which he said will be held somewhere on the west coast. In the meantime, he”s setting his sights on the gold. “I”m striving for a gold medal this year,” he said. “I have won plenty of silver and bronze medals, but I want a gold.”
During his time away from the mat, Wilson and his little sister Jillian, along with their parents, enjoyed the adventures of Disneyworld, which he said could be seen from his hotel room at the Coronado Resort.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
