About Us

Established in 1962 by Yoshisada Yonezuka, the Cranford Judo Karate Center has been home to many aspiring students, world-class athletes, and Olympic medalists. After training several Olympic and World team athletes including his son Nick, Yoshisada was asked to be the Head Coach of the US Judo Team for the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games.

The Dojo walls display the club’s history in photographs, newpaper and magazine articles from Olympic Games, World Championships, Junior National, Junior World Championships, Karate World Championships, and Sumo Championships.  These artifacts are a tribute to the many years of dedication and training of these stellar athletes of all ages.

Yoshisada Yonezuka was well-known within the Martial Arts circles and was active in several organizations.  Promoting these sports and training world-class athletes was his life-long ambition.

Since his passing in 2014, his son, Nick Yonezuka, has dedicated himself to continuing what his father started.

Sensei Nick

Head Sensei, Nick Yonezuka, has been practicing and competing in Judo since he was 4 years old. Nick was Junior National Champion every year he competed from the age of 9 until making the Olympic Team in 1980 at 16 years old. He still holds the record as the youngest male judo Olympian. Nick was a 12 time Senior National Finalist, winning gold 5 times. Internationally, Nick defeated world champions, as well as winning a gold medal at the 1986 Dutch Open and a bronze medal at the World University Games. Since his competition days, Nick has continued to train religiously and instruct here at the Cranford Judo Karate Center. He has since served as the USA Judo coach for the following events: 2019 Cadet World Championships, 2019 European Tour, and the 2019 & 2020 Cadet & Junior Pan American Championships.

To check out more of Sensei Yonezuka’s accomplishments copy and paste the following link into your internet browser. http://www.judoinside.com/judoka/6025/Nicholas_Yonezuka On this site you can also see the accomplishments of our World Renowned Students, and other NJ Judoka/Sensei’s you may be curious about.

World Renowned Judo Students

Jack Yonezuka
Nicolas Yonezuka
Michael Swain
Allan Coage
Colton Brown
Nick Delpopolo
Marcus Dawson
Mitch Santa Maria
Clyde Worthen
Douglas Nelson
Andy Ruggiero
Susan Feingold
John Saylor
Jo Anne Quiring
Jaclyn Feuerschwenger
Gavrila Ford
Jack Yonezuka

2024 Olympic Games Paris

2024 Dushanbe Grand Slam-7th Place

2024 Panamerican and Oceania Championships-5th Place

2024 Upper Austria Grand Prix-3rd Place

2023 Perth Oceania Open-3rd Place

2023 Junior World Championships-2nd Place

2023 Panamerican-Oceania Senior Championships-5th Place

2023 Skopje Junior European Cup-1st Place

2023 Cordoba Panamerican Open-1st Place Junior and Senior

2023 Upper Austria Grand Prix-7th Place

2023 Tunis African Open-1st Place Junior and Senior

2022 Guayaquil Junior World Championships-3rd Place

2022 Senior World Team Member

2022 Senior National Champion-1st place

2022 Junior Worlds-3rd Place

2021 Jr. PanAm Games-2nd Place

Nicolas Yonezuka

2024 Senior World Team 

2023 Montreal Panamerican Open-7th Place

2023 Panamerican-Oceania Championships-5th Place

2023 Guayaquil Panamerican Open-7th Place

2023 Senior World Team 

2022 Senior World Team

2022 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

2021 Senior Nationals-1st Place

2021 Guayaquil Panamerican Open-1st Place

2021 Punta Cana Panamerican Open-2nd Place

2020 Panamerican Junior Championships-2nd Place

2019 Cadet World Team

2019 Senior Nationals-3rd Place

Michael Swain

5 times US Nat’l Champion

1987 World Champion 73

1988 Olympic Bronze Medal

Allan Coage

Known as “Bad News Brown” in Professional Wrestling

5 times US Nat’l Champion

Pan American Game Gold Medal 67 & 75

1976 Olympic Bronze Medal

Colton Brown

2020 Olympic Team

2019 Grand Prix, Montreal-2nd Place

2016 US Olympic Team Member

2016 Pan American Games Silver Medalist

2015 US World Team

2013 World Team

2013 World Cup Silver Medalist

2013 Miami Grand Prix Bronze Medalist

5X National Medalist

3X Collegiate National Champion

Nick Delpopolo

2016 Qingdao Grand Prix Silver Medalist

2016 US Olympic Team Member

2014 African Open Gold Medalist

2014 Miami Continental Open Silver Medalist

2014 Pan American Championships Bronze Medalist

2014 Belgium Open Bronze Medalist

2013 Pan American Championships Gold Medalist

2013 US Nationals Gold Medalist

2012 US Olympic Team Member

2011 Great Britain World Cup Gold Medalist

2011 Pan American Championships Bronze Medalist

2010 Venezuela World Cup Gold Medalist

2010  El Salvador World Cup Gold Medalist

2010 US Open Gold Medalist

Marcus Dawson

1992 US Nat’l Champion

Bronze Medal world Junior Championship 1992

Mitch Santa Maria

2 times US Nat’l Champion

Pan American Game Team 1983

Olympic Team 1980

Clyde Worthen

Gold Medal 1976 Pan American Game

4 times World Championship Team 69, 71, 75 & 77

Douglas Nelson

6 times US Nat’l Champion Olympic Team 1984

World Championship Team 83 & 87

Andy Ruggiero

1993 US Nat’l Champion

1993 World Championship Team

Susan Feingold

Gold Medal Maccabiah Game 1977

John Saylor

1978 & 1980 US National Heavy Weight Champion

1978 Gold Medal National Sports Festival

1980 Bronze Medal – Pacific Rim International

Jo Anne Quiring

1987 US Nat’l Champion

1992 Olympic Team

3 times World Championship Team 85, 87 & 89

2 times Pan American Game Team 87 & 91

Jaclyn Feuerschwenger

2022 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

2021 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

2008 Senior Nationals-3rd Place

2006 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

2005 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

2004 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

2003 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

2002 Senior Nationals-3rd Place

2001 Senior Nationals-3rd Place

1999 Senior Nationals-2nd Place

1997 Senior Nationals-3rd place

 

Gavrila Ford

2016 World Veterans-3rd place

 

Contact

For any inquiries please email

nicolasyonezukajkc@gmail.com


Facebook-f


Instagram