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About Our Dojo

This dojo began on January 2, 2010 but our experiences date back to 1965 when Sensei DiFranza started judo.  First, let’s meet the instructors:

Greg DiFranza
Sensei Dr. Greg DiFranza

 

has actively competed in Kodokan Judo since 1966.  During that time, he has held various Divisional, Florida State, and Southeastern United States Championships including a Gold Medal in the Florida State Police Olympics in 1982. He retired from competition but returned as the 2000 Sunshine State Games Gold Medal Champion and Florida State Champion in 2001-2004; Bronze Medalist in the 2000 International Police Olympics; Bronze Medalist in both the 100+ kg division and Open weight divisions of the 2001 World Master Athlete Championships; and won two Gold Medals in the 2000 Disney World International Festival of Martial Arts. He is a Gold (+100 kg) and Silver (Open) Medalist in the 2003 and 2004 International Masters Championships and Gold Medalist (+100 kg) in the 2005, 2010 and 2011 International Masters Championships.He won the Gold Medal (+100 kg Masters) in the 2005 World Police & Fire Games held in Quebec City, Canada, and the 2005 Pan American Masters Judo Championship in Denver, CO as well as a Silver Medal in the Open Weight division and a Gold Medal fighting for Team Florida. He won the Gold Medal (+100 kg Masters) in the 2007 World Police & Fire Games held in Adelaide, Australia, and the 2007 U.S. Open Judo Championship in Atlanta, GA. He won the Grandmaster Heavyweight (+100 kg) Division in the 2009 World Police & Fire Games in Vancouver, B.C., and the 2010 Pan American Heavyweight Judo Champion.  He was named the USA Judo 2010 and 2011 Outstanding Master Athlete.
    In addition to training law enforcement personnel from around the world in both the public and private sector, he also teaches and lectures to various groups and appears on television and radio to present Police Defensive Tactics, Use of Force, Victim Awareness, and other related topics. He currently holds the instructor ranking of Yodan (4th degree Black Belt) and currently holds a Continental Coach level as well as being a certified referee.

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In Memorium: Assistant Sensei David Berlin

 

David is a Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt), a National Medallist, and an International Competitor:

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Silver Medal 2004 Sunshine State Games Masters 50+
Bronze Medal 2004 FJI State Championships Masters 50+
Silver Medal 2005 USA Judo Masters 50+
Bronze Medal 2007 USA Judo Masters 50+
Silver Medal 2010 USA Judo Masters 55+

Gold Medal 2017 USA Senior Nationals, 60+

Assistant Sensei John (Jack) Borsch

After competing in wrestling in high school in Pennsylvania and at Alderson Broaddus Collage in West Virginia, Jack transitioned to judo in 1989.  He studied judo at the Tempe Club in Tempe, Arizona and received his Shodan in 1996. He served as the lead instructor at the Tempe Judo club and received the rank of Nidan in 1999. He also was a member of the Arizona Judo Board from 1998 – 2002. In 2003, Jack joined the Desert Wind Judo Club in Las Vegas and instructed there until 2007, when his job moved him to Houston, Texas. There Jack received his Sandan at the SOHK Judo School in 2008. A  temporary work assignment brought him to the Los Angeles area where he was able to spend four years assisting at the Ogden Judo Club in Bellflower Ca. Jack is certified with the USJA as a judo coach and maintains a life time membership in both USJA and USJF.

Judo in Jacksonville, FL

In Mermoriam: Robert Santiago​​​

Assistant Sensei, international competitor, Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt)

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