One of the ‘pillars’ of judo community retires
Kitchener’s Bob Zettl has taught thousands of kids in his career spanning 50-plus years
KITCHENER — Bob Zettl has bowed out.
The 69-year-old is closing the doors of his Kitchener dojo — the Kaizen Judo Club on Lancaster Street — and retiring from the sport after competing and training fellow judokas for more than 50 years.
The ceremonial end came Friday night, when Zettl bid farewell with a formal bow on the mat in front of friends, family and former students.
If you ever slipped on a judo gi in Waterloo Region, Ontario or, heck, even across Canada in the past 52 years, there is a good chance that you crossed paths with Zettl at some point.
After all, his passion for the sport has taken him places.
“I’ve been all over the world,” he said. “Judo has done a lot for me.”
The judo bug started in 1964 when Zettl, then a keen 15-yearold, was inspired by Canadian Doug Rogers’ silver medal performance at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
The teen made his way from the city’s north end to downtown by foot to learn and train at the Hatashita Judo Club under sensei John Hatashita.
From there he went on to compete and guide thousands of athletes at various local clubs, and as a provincial and junior national team coach. In some cases, Zettl worked with family members spanning three generations.
“He has been one of the ongoing pillars of judo in the community,” said Waterloo’s Roman Hatashita, a four-time Canadian judo champion who represented Canada at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Chris Chapman was nine years old when he first met Zettl.
He was having a tough time at school and was a bit of a troubled kid, but he found focus in judo with his mentor.
“Bob was a massive influence on who I grew up to be,” said Chapman, who is now a viceprincipal at Waterloo Collegiate Institute. “It’s hard to put into words the amount of kids that have been impacted by him.”
Chapman earned a black belt under Zettl’s watch and, later in life, leaned on him to help teach judo to disengaged students in Waterloo Region.
“When you’re a part of Bob’s club, you are a part of his family and he sees you that way,” said Chapman, whose three kids have also trained with Zettl. “He holds you accountable for your actions on and off the mat, but he does it in a respectful way where you know he cares.”
Judo helped Zettl as a kid, too. The son of Austro-Hungarian parents lost his hearing after catching scarlet fever as an infant and didn’t speak until he was seven. He used the sport to build confidence that he still carries to this day.
But now it’s time to dial things back.
The former Waterloo North Hydro employee wants to travel and spend more time with his family — wife Dana, kids Andy and Becky and grandchildren Luka and Lily. That means it’s time to shut the doors at the Kaizen Judo Club after 15 years.
“He really is the lifeblood of that place,” his daughter said.
Judo will still be a part of his life.
You’ll see Zettl, a seventh-degree black belt, in the shadows teaching and lending a hand when and where he can. His involvement will just be a bit more muted now.
Friday’s gathering was emotional but happy, with Zettl surrounded by so many familiar faces that he’s seen across the mat.
Zettl didn’t hesitate when asked what he’ll miss the most.
“Teaching young and challenged kids,” he said. “I’ve worked with a lot of kids over the years that for whatever reason had problems at school. It was a challenge, but they realized that nothing is impossible. I think that has helped them with other things in life.”