A first-of-its-kind judo academy will open this year at a youth village in Kibbutz Kfar Silver. The academy was established in cooperation with the Israel Judo Association and is headed by Danny Leopold, who coached judoka Yael Arad to a silver medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The judo academy hopes to cultivate Olympic athletes and provide opportunities for youths aged 12 to 18 from the country's social and geographic periphery. The Education Ministry's Administration of Settlement Education, Boarding Schools and Youth Aliyah will provide scholarships to students from low socio-economic backgrounds. As part of their five-year training, the 16 participants in this year's program will develop physical strength, technical and tactical fighting skills and resilience. Students will also take part in national and international judo competitions. Vanessa Levy, 13, from Ashkelon, is one of only three girls who will take part in the program. Levy said, "I love sports. I was excited to see [Israeli judoka] Yarden Gerbi win [an Olympic bronze medal]. I love judo and I want to become a professional athlete." Benny Fisher, who heads the Administration of Settlement Education, Boarding Schools and Youth Aliyah, said that "youth villages are the ideal setting for unique programs, such as the judo program, that require extensive training beyond school hours." Shimon Silver, who runs the Kfar Silver youth village said, "We hope to cultivate judoka on an international level. The Israel Judo Association will organize additional programs and training camps with national teams and judo clubs, so that students also meet the best athletes in the field."
Israel's first judo academy hopes to cultivate Olympic medalists
Sixteen judoka to participate in five-year program at Kfar Silver youth village • Students will compete in national, international judo competitions • Academy intends to provide opportunities to youths from Israel's social, geographic periphery.
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