Billie Jean King to present Rusty Kanokogi Award at the New York Open Team Judo Championship Sunday, March 6, 2011 at the New York Athletic Club at 2:30 pm


NEW YORK, NY – On Sunday, March 6, legendary tennis great Billie Jean King will present the 2011 Rusty Kanokogi Award at the New York Open Team Judo Championship sponsored by Film Annex and the New York Athletic Club. The New York Open Team Judo Championship features Canada, Germany, Italy and USA facing off in a team tournament at 1 pm. with some of the world's best competitors in the sport of judo.

Ms. King, founder of the Women's Sport's Foundation, will present the Rusty Kanokogi Award from the Women’s Sports Foundation at 2:30 pm. Ms. King has long been a champion for social change and equality, having created new inroads for both genders in and out of sports during her legendary career, and she continues to make her mark today.

The Rusty Kanokogi Award from the Women’s Sports Foundation was created for the advancement of U.S. Women’s Judo and helps U.S. female judo practitioners finance travel and training. The award and accompanying Rusty Kanokogi Fund supports the development of U.S. female judo players by providing direct financial assistance to support travel and training expenses for aspiring female athletes with successful competitive records who have the potential to achieve even higher performance levels and rankings.

Rusty Kanokogi is widely credited for helping bring women's judo into the Olympic Games for the first time in 1988. A pioneer of women's judo, she paved the way for thousands of women and girls into the sport. From the first time she faced gender discrimination in the sport, she worked relentlessly to effect real change. Through her tireless devotion to judo, she played a great role in the development of the sport, particularly for women.

Past Recipients

In 2009, the first Rusty Kanokogi Award was bestowed to Kayla Harrison, who received a $5,000 grant to help make her World Championship gold dream a reality last year. Kayla Harrison is also a New York Athletic Club sponsored athlete.

In 2010, the Rusty Kanokogi Award was bestowed to five female judo players who were selected and awarded a total of $10,000 in grants to cover the travel and training costs necessary for continued competition: Hana Carmichael, Angelica Delgado, Nina Cutro-Kelly, Jordan Mouton and Kathleen
Sell.

About The New York Open Team Judo Championship

The New York Open Team Judo Championship will be held at the New York Athletic Club, located at 180 Central Park South on the 6th floor. Spectators are welcome, and tickets can be purchased for $25 at the door, free for kids 15 and under. The tournament action will begin at 1 pm, semi-finals at 3 pm, and finals at 6 pm. For more information about the New York Open Team Judo Championship, visit www.newyorkopenjudo.com or facebook.com/NewYorkOpenJudo. The
tournament is sponsored by Film Annex and the New York Athletic Club and is sanctioned by
USAJudo.

About The Women’s Sports Foundation

The Women’s Sports Foundation, founded in 1974, is the leader in promoting sports, health and education for girls and women. With Billie Jean King as its founder and ongoing visionary, the Women’s Sports Foundation continues to have a profound impact on female athletics, from its vigorous advocacy of Title IX legislation to providing grants and scholarships, grassroots programs for underserved girls, and groundbreaking research. An agent for change, the foundation has relationships with more than 1,000 of the world’s elite female athletes and is recognized globally for its leadership, vision, strength, expertise and influence. For more information, visit
www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.

About the Rusty Kanokogi Fund for the Advancement of U.S. Judo

The Women’s Sports Foundation created the Rusty Kanokogi Fund for the Advancement of U.S. Women’s Judo and named in honor of the first U.S. female judo practitioner (judoka) to earn a seventh-degree black belt in 2009. The fund, created through the generosity of the Richard and Pamela Ader Foundation, helps U.S. female judokas finance travel and training.

About Judo

Judo debuted as an official Olympic sport in 1964 and is practiced by millions of people throughout the world today. The discipline of Judo is a Japanese martial art and combat sport that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Best known for stunning throws, Judo also involves much grappling on the ground like wrestling, using controlled holds, pins and arm locks.

Judo, translated as "gentle way," teaches balance, leverage and flexibility in performing throws and
other skills, and helps to develop complete body control and fast reflexive action. Skill, technique and
timing, rather than brute strength, are the essential ingredients for success in this sport. Worldwide,
over 20 million people practice judo, with all age groups, both sexes and disabled persons all able to
participate in learning and practicing in the sport.

Judo develops self-discipline and respect for oneself and others, and helps teach self-confidence,
concentration and leadership skills. It's no coincidence that several world leaders have also studied Judo, including Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, former Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, former U.S. Senator of Colorado, Olympian Ben Campbell, and former President Theodore Roosevelt, as well as many celebrity judo practitioners, including director Guy Ritchie, actors Chuck Norris, James Cagney and Peter Sellers.


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CONTACT: Carrie Gray, New York Open Judo
 
PHONE: (516) 967-4729
EMAIL: publicity.judo@gmail.com