This weekend, the club will celebrate its longevity in the presence of the Japanese consul and the Japanese Yoko Hono, double world medalist.
Among the many sports associations that make the city shine is the judo club. With around a hundred members, it has been able to persist in the local landscape for 50 years now. Before being one of the biggest clubs in Drôme, the club was only a section of the MJC. “At the time, members practiced in a room of 40 m2 on sawdust covered by a tarpaulin”, says the president, Charles Martin. The practice of judo developed in Chabeuil under the leadership of Doctor Georges Roux. “It was he who wanted judo to leave the MJC so that it would be recognized by the Judo Federation. He therefore created a club in 1974 but always within the room made available by the MJC”he adds.
A club that evolved thanks to Georges Roux
But seeing the number of members increase, the doctor and his team decide to find a new training location. After discussions, the municipality grants a long lease on a site outside the city center. “It was not an easy task. The team managed to find funding, some members even participated financially. Thanks to this, a building was built in 1977. The interior fittings were carried out by the volunteers”, recalls Charles Martin. The club continued to evolve and managed to overcome the death of Doctor Georges Roux in 1980 and the figure he represented for the club. “He was president, teacher and member of the departmental judo committee”. Several replacements succeeded him and for 12 years, Charles Martin has been at the head of the club. Today, the sports association is enjoying great success which can be explained by its seniority but also by its school and its quality of teaching. “Judo is recognized for its values and its rules. We make sure to pass them on to our young members. There are also several parents who entrust their children to us because they think that judo will help them to understand “he smiles.
An exceptional guest for the 50th anniversary
To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, the club is organizing a party this Friday June 14 and Saturday June 15. To mark the event, the association invited the Japanese Yoko Hono, double world medalist -70 kg. “It’s exceptional that a sportswoman with a brilliant track record makes such a brief trip”, underlines Charles Martin. Among the highlights of the event, the champion will lead two training sessions on Friday evening at the Roman dojo. The next day, an official reception at the town hall of Chabeuil in the presence of the Japanese consul of Lyon will be given. The festivities will continue in the Seignobos sports area where an outdoor area with a festive playground will be available free of charge to families. At 5 p.m., Yoko Hono will teach a new free class for children under 9 years old. Finally at 6:30 p.m., a stage representation of the history of judo since its origins in 792 will be performed on the mobile stage in the middle of the sports area.
