Changes in USA Judo Referee Commission

Today the USA Judo Board of Directors appointed Russ Scherer and Gary Takemoto as Co-Chairs of USA Judo’s Referee Commission. In these capacities, Mr. Scherer will be primarily focused on domestic referee development and administration and Mr. Takemoto will focus on international strategy, assignments and development for USA Judo Referees. Both will continue the Referee Commission’s initiatives to increase communication with the referee corps, provide more transparency and build a more robust development model to include training and a new evaluation and ranking system based on objective criteria. Mr. Scherer and Mr. Takemoto are replacing former Chair, Calvin Terada, who submitted his resignation from the Referee Commission to the USA Judo Board last week.

“The USA Judo Board of Directors expresses its sincere gratitude to Mr. Terada, who has been instrumental in pushing the Referee Commission in a new strategic direction, re-assessing referee development and improved communication and transparency by the RC,” said USA Judo President, Mark Hill. “We are grateful that Mr. Terada will continue to remain involved as a USA Judo Referee and other volunteer capacities within USA Judo. We also welcome Russ and Gary into the Co-Chair roles and thank them for their willingness to accept these appointments from the Board,” said President Hill.

Russ Scherer, who served as Chair of the Referee Commission in the past, said, “It is my honor to work with Gary and the rest of the referee commission as we enter a critical time where we need to improve referee development and communications in this country.”

“In the spirit of Professor Kano’s teachings, it is now my turn to give back,” said Gary Takemoto, who served as an Olympic Referee at the 2016 Olympic Games. “I look forward to working with Russ and the RC to assist USA Judo Referees with their development and growth internationally.”

The Referee Commission is one of many USA Judo Committees whose members are appointed by the USA Judo Board of Directors.