More local contributors honoured
In last week’s column, we told you about five of the Special Recognition awards that were presented to 11 individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to traditional Japanese sport in Lethbridge, or those of Japanese descent who have achieved significant accomplishments in sport.
The awards were presented on July 14, in partnership with the 50th Anniversary of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden and in honor of Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation.
This week, we’d like to tell you about the remaining six recipients and their contributions.
Tim Takahashi has taken care of thousands of local athletes through his work as an athletic therapist since 1998. Tim is a Certified Exercise Physiologist, Certified Athletic Therapist, Registered Kinesiologist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
Tim is a physical training instructor for the Recruit Training Program through the Criminal Justice Program and Exercise Science Program at Lethbridge College, trains Lethbridge Police Service officers and officers from other law enforcement agencies, a University of Lethbridge Kinesiology Instructor, and Co-Owner of Rebound Health Centre at the University of Lethbridge Sports Medicine Clinic.
Tim has been coaching high school football for over 17 years and serves as a sports injury and sports performance consultant to many high performance, Olympic level and professional athletes.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Tim was a Doping Control Officer with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport for the International Olympic Committee. He continues in his work as a doping control officer for the southern Alberta region.
Tim is also an accomplished judoka — a 2nd degree black belt and a two-time Lightweight Veterans National Champion and a bronze medalist at the 2016 World Masters Championships.
As Tim was unable to attend the presentations, Dean Maruyama accepted the award on his behalf.
Malcom Kano has been the Lethbridge/Taber KidSport Society Chair since 1995. KidSport believes that no kid should be left on the sidelines and all should be given the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of organized sports. KidSport removes the financial barriers that prevent children from playing organized sport.
Since 1995, Malcolm has led the fundraising to over $700,000, which has assisted over 4,500 kids the opportunity to participate in sports. He is a 20-year and current provincial board member for KidSport Alberta, which has raised over $19 million and funded more than 93,000 kids.
Dave Rathnow began his martial arts training in 1982 learning karate under the instruction of Thor Tandy Sensei and Roger Keeping Sensei at the University of Victoria with much attention given to the spiritual aspect of Budo training and how it could be used to improve oneself through disciplined practice.
In 1992 when Dave was introduced to Ken Maneker Sensei and started studying Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido under him. He started teaching Iaido in 2002. In 2013, Dave passed his Rokudan (6th-dan) grade in Japan.
Since 2004, Dave volunteers his time to come to Lethbridge and often brings students with him to host demonstrations and classes. Lethbridge students make the return trip to his home dojo in Calgary to receive training.
Lethbridge Kyodokan Judo Club was established in 1952 by Yoshio and Florence Senda. It is now in its 65th year of operation and over those years, through exceptional organizational leadership, has progressively increased the membership to 275 members and 25 coaches becoming one of the largest judo clubs in Canada.
In 2006 they built a custom designed, judo specific facility in south Lethbridge and in 2015 began operating a Regional Training Centre with Judo Canada.
The club has had a long history of producing National Champions and Olympians. In 2017 they led Judo Alberta to a historic second place finish at the National Championships while winning the most medals by any individual club.
The award was accepted by Dean Maruyama on behalf of the club.
Florence Senda has been involved in judo for more than 50 years, and during that time, she has served the sport in every way imaginable — as an athlete, coach, instructor, administrator, referee, tournament organizer, scorekeeper, chaperone and even cook.
When the Club had enough money to purchase used straw tatami her husband would take home three mats at a time and Florence would hand-sew canvas covers for them. She ended up sewing approximately 50 mats.
Florence earned her black belt in 1974, becoming just the second female in Alberta to attain that level. She presently holds a Yondan (4th-degree black belt).
Florence was instrumental in attracting girls to study judo and at one time, the Lethbridge Judo Club featured more female
Yoshio Senda (1922 – 2009)
To say that Yosh has done an outstanding job in building, administering, promoting and coaching judo in Lethbridge would be an understatement of immense proportions. Yosh Senda is judo in our city.
Yosh and Flo were the force behind bringing judo to Lethbridge — starting off at the original YMCA and later moving to the University of Lethbridge, where they coached for more than 40 years.
Many of their athletes became National and International Champions and went on to represent Canada at several prestigious events, including the Olympic Games. Yosh was coach of the Canadian Olympic Judo Teams in 1980 and 1984, and Joe Meli’s personal coach in the 1988 Olympics.
Yosh won the Canadian Junior Championships in 1937 and went on to be an outstanding Judokan in the 1940’s 1950’s and 1960’s. He has the distinction of having earned the first ever Kudan (9th degree black belt) awarded by the Dan grading committee of Judo Canada in 2006.
Yoshio’s award was accepted by his wife, Florence Senda.
Once again, congratulations to all the award recipients, and everyone in our community who dedicates themselves to making sport more diverse and vibrant in Lethbridge.
We are fortunate to have you and your culture in the City of Lethbridge.
Full biographies on all award recipients can be found on our website