When USA Judo began its newest fund raising venture a few years ago- charging coaches $75 to be a “certified” coach- I called the chairman of the coach education committee to voice my concerns about this. Outrage was what I felt when I found out that at the time there were no requirements to go along with the fee and the title. The chairman, an acclaimed former elite competitor and coach, assured me that requirements would be forthcoming, but in the interim, “we need to become professional,” and the $75 fee would set us on the right course.  Recently, another well-respected former elite player and coach mentioned that he was pleased that the IJF’s new requirement that coaches wear suits and ties to the competition draws and to the medal rounds made Judo more professional. Continue reading →