[Judoheidi]

Please pass this on to any visually impaired and blind judoka you know. Thanks!

Dear USABA Judo Athletes and Coaches:

Currently USABA and U.S. Paralympics are finalizing the 2006 Judo High Performance Plan and athlete selection criteria to qualify for the 2006 IBSA World Judo Championships to be held in Brommant, France, June 29 to July 3. As soon as this information is finalized, we will post it on the USABA web site (www.usaba.org) and I will forward it to you via e-mail. Please make sure the USABA office has your correct e-mail and mailing address.

Meantime it is imperative that you continue your training in your local dojo and compete in as many local and regional tournaments as possible in 2006.

We are creating a plan in which athletes who compete in judo tournaments and place will then in turn accumulate points which will be used to determine if you qualify for U.S. Paralympic Elite and National status, funding and qualify for the World Championships.

We are working on creating another separate category for "USABA Emerging athlete" which may qualify athletes for USABA funding to attend the April evaluation camp, May evalaution training camp/trials and perhaps even the World Championships which is dependent on your training and competition performance in the first half of 2006.

An Evaluation Training camp is scheduled for April 5-10 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. We have also invited the Great Britain Paralympic Judo Team to train with us. On April 8, both the USA Judo Team and Great Britain Judo Team's will compete in the Northglenn Judo Tournament just north of Denver. This is a competitive E level tournament so it is imperative that you attempt to get in at least one or two judo tournaments prior to attending this training camp and Northglenn Tournament. For more information regarding this tournament go to http://www.northglennjudo.org/.

All current members of the U.S. Paralympic Judo Team who compete, place and win at least one match in sanctioned judo tournaments prior to this evaluation camp will receive a travel stipend of up to $250 in airfare to attend the April training camp plus room and board at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Please submit your results and check with me if you have qualified (use attached results form). All other athletes who have accumulated two points or more at approved tournaments prior to this evaluation training camp will receive $200 in airfare to attend the camp plus room and board (refer to attached point matrix). All other athletes may request attendance at the camp pending coach approval and if invited are responsible for their travel costs plus room and board. Please confirm your attendance at this camp by March 3.

We are planning a second Judo evalaution training camp/trials in May 21-23 in San Jose, California at Cahill's Judo Club for all athletes emerging though elite. Prior to the start of this camp, USABA athletes will compete in the junior/open competetion of the California Judo Inc. State Championships, May 19-20 in San Jose. This event will also serve as the trials competition for athletes entered in the same weight category which determies who qualifies for the Worlds. All athletes who have accumulated the following points in U.S. Judo tournaments in 2006 before this final evaluation camp will receive funding to attend this training camp as follows:
6 or more points will receive $300 in airfare
3 or more points $200
1 or more points $100

As previously stated, the 2006 IBSA World Judo Championships will be held in Brommant, France, June 29 to July 3. Currently the athlete selection criteria is in a USOC committee for approval. Pending approval, an athlete for each respective weight category will need 6 or more points by the second evaluation camp/trials in May/June to qualify. If there are two or more athletes per weight category, a trials will be conducted. Athletes with 3 or more points will be considered for the Worlds by the coaches. Athletes who achieve the qualifying standard, will receive full funding to attend the World Championships. Provided as a saved document, is the Point Matrix which will determine point ranking to qualify for US Paralympic Judo Team status and the IBSA World Judo Championships.

The team which will compete in the World Championships will be selected immediately following California Judo Inc. State Championships and the evaluation/ training camp (May 22).

All athletes who make the 2006 World Championships team and medal will receive U.S. Paralympics Judo Team Elite or National status and performance funding the remaining part of 2006 and into 2007.

I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to train in your dojo at least two/three times per week and enter several judo tournaments in particular if you are interested in attending the April evaluation training camp and Northglenn Tournament. For a list of current judo tournaments go to http://www.usjudo.org.

With this all in mind, please answer and complete that attached athlete vi form and return it to
Walter Dean by Feb. 10.

This letter is also an open invitation for any athlete, developmental through elite, that would like to join the USABA Judo Team. If you want to be considered, we need to hear from you. You can find the USABA judo athlete or coach application on our website at www.usaba.org. Please complete and return the application and forward it to Walter Dean who can be reached at email: WalterPDean@sbcglobal.net or TEL: @ 760 944 9486. Information regarding your competitive results are especially important. Complete and forward the attached results form to Coach Dean at the end of each tournament. Be sure to list the date and name of the event, the number of athletes in your weight division, the number of wins you had in this tournament and your final result. We must know how your results can be verified so list the website that lists your results which includes the tournaments directors name and contact information.

Please also provide Coach Dean your projected 2006 judo tournaments on the results form.

Finally, based on the above information please let us know if you feel you will qualify for the World Championships as our second entry form is due to the Local Organizing Committee in February.

If you have any questions, please contact me or Coach Walter Dean.

Regards,
Mark Lucas
United States Association of Blind Athletes
33 N. Institute St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719) 630-0422 Fax: (719) 630-0616
Website: www.usaba.org