• Introduction by Ing. Maria ‘Cuna’ Cabanová • 2005 April 20 • Translation & Editing by Gabriel Dusil

• Judo and the judoka of Košice shaped who I am today. I decided on my university education thanks to my coach Kajo Dusil, who thoroughly prepared me for my entrance exams to the Technical University Faculty of Metallurgy. The School of Economics, where I went did not adequately prepare me for technical school.

• When circumstances permitted, I tried to assist the Košice Judo Association in later years. In September 1978, I celebrated ten years as president of the Regional Association of Judo. I succeeded Edita Pačajová-Kardosová who stepped back to the mat as a trainer. I handed off this role to Marta Ujjobágyiova-Kelemenová and Erika Tordová-Királyová. At the time, women’s judo was completely separate from the men. The women were part of Lokomotíva Košice and men trained primarily in TJ VSŽ (Telovýchovná jednota Východoslovenské železiarne). I often offered my coaching assistance to the men’s team of Košice Judo. Helping me extensively were Laco Pačaj, Peter Széky and Jaro Plávka. Summer camps for the girls were organized by Csaba Kende. I coached periodically until 1992, before leaving for Bratislava to work. Then I raised my coaching qualification to class II, and graded successfully for my first dan, black belt.

• In judo I held various roles, such as chairwoman of the political-educational Commission for the District Judo Association, which at the time of the totalitarian regime was extremely important and had been one of the most important evaluation criteria for the sport. I worked as the President of the Judo Association and in that time we formed a joint association with karate. The Slovak Association of Judo awarded me an honorary second degree black belt for my contribution. At the elementary school in Barca (where I take my grandchildren) I led the judo team. I have now fulfilled my dream as a grandmother-judoka.

• It’s not my objective to just document the facts. These are my personal experiences and memories that others might remember differently. In closing, I must thank all judoka who shaped me, helped me and who are still my good friends. Mainly; Erika and Kajo Dusil, my lifelong friends; Csaba Kende, who devoted one summer for the preparation of my first dan black belt, and coached me through the final stages of my class II coaching certificate; Jaro Plávka who was my partner in my black belt grading; Laco Pačaj and Peter Széky who helped me in coaching, and with many other activities.

With reverent respect
I remember well the judoka and friends
who are no longer with us:
Vašek Dusil
Ďuri Mazánek
Julka Tóthová
Marcel Ondrík.

• Košice Judo

If you missed my previous posts on Košice Judo, you will find them here:

• Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 2 • Košice Judo
• Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 4 • Košice Judo
• Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 7 • Košice Judo
• Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 13 • Košice Judo • Memories of Judo, I
• Martial Arts • Photo Restoration • 17 • Košice Judo • Memories of Judo, II

• Digital Photo Restoration

• 6 minutes 20 seconds

 

• Documents & Articles

---