What makes Gompers Judo special?

  1. We are the only judo club located in a public school in southern California.
  2. We have been in operation for 14 years.
  3. Of students who have been in the program two years or more, 100% have graduated high school.
  4. Gompers Judo students are more likely to attend college and attend more selective colleges.
  5. We are 100% funded through private donations. There is no cost to students.
Judo Black Belt & UFC Fighter Manny Gamburyan teaching matwork

How can I contact you?

You can email us at gompersjudo@gmail.com . Also, feel free to follow us on Instagram at gompersjudo.

Can I come practice with you?

We get this question a lot, and as we are at a public school, the answer is a qualified “no”. That is, we do not have practices on campus with people who are not students or alumni of Gompers Middle School. The exceptions are:

  • Guest instructors: If you are a judo black belt or have expertise in strength and conditioning and would like to volunteer to run a practice one afternoon, please email us at gompersjudo@gmail.com Practice is from 3-5pm. Currently, we only practice on Wednesdays. We are planning on adding days but it will always be after school from 3-5pm.
  • Joint practices: These are held OFF-CAMPUS. If you would like to invite us to practice at your club in southern California, that would be fantastic. Keep in mind that our students are mostly white to orange belts aged 11 to 14. Also, because we require parent permission slips and need to notify the middle school, we usually need a minimum of three weeks to organize any events.

Please do not ever just “show up” on campus.

Are donations to your program tax-deductible?

Yes. You can donate through the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation. 100% of donations will go to the judo program.

Would you like donations of judo gis or other items?

Yes! We particularly always need gi pants and white, yellow or orange belts. Our students do range in size from about a judo gi size 2 through 5. We are also always looking for incentives to recognize attendance, improvement and GPA, anything from t-shirts to notebooks. Bottled water and snacks are also always appreciated.