Judo for Jake
By Kristen Brown
Mark “Stan”
Staniszewski’s passion for martial arts began over 3 decades ago as a young boy
growing up on Long Island, NY. Years later, Stan discovered Judo and Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu. Stan excelled in both, and has dedicated his life to studying,
competing, and teaching the two disciplines.
Stan has
medaled in multiple state, national and world competitions and is the first
dual black belt on Long Island in both Judo and BJJ. He was deservedly inducted
into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2010. Stan’s accolades in Judo and BJJ seem endless;
however, his greatest accomplishments are his two sons, Luke and Jake.
A month ago,
Stan’s youngest son, Jake, was diagnosed with a rare form of pediatric
cancer. Jake was diagnosed with advanced
stage 4 Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma at only 15 months old. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a
type of cancer that develops in the connective tissue, skeletal muscle or bone.
The news shocked and devastated the Staniszewski family, but Jake is a fighter,
just like his father. Members of the family quickly set up a donation page to
help defray the steep costs of Jake’s treatment. In addition, Stan’s extended
family, those in the Judo and BJJ community, set into action to support their
friend in his time of need.
Upon hearing
the news about Jake, Michael Hall, friend and colleague of Stan’s as well as
president of the American Competitive Judo Association (Americomp Judo), reached
out to his friends for help. Nick Kossor,
an international Judo competitor and US National Champion offered to donate his
own money to the cause. However, Hall
believes that the martial arts community could do more. Hall organized Judo for Jake, a benefit seminar with
all proceeds going directly to the Staniszewski family.
The Saturday
April 6th event will be open to both children and adults and will be held at Stan’s
martial arts academy, Team Combat Judo and BJJ in Massapequa, NY. Participants will have the unique opportunity
to learn from some the nation’s top ranked Judo players. The seminar will be taught
by 2016 Olympic hopefuls Tony Sangimino, Hannah Martin, Nick Kossor, and Brad
Bolen. All skill levels are encouraged to come.
These four
Judokas have been training with Jason Morris at the Jason Morris Judo Center in
Glenville, NY for nearly a decade. Morris, the four time Olympian, is considered
to be one of the top Judo coaches in the country. “With Morris Judo goes beyond training. It is
a culture and way of life.” stated Hall. The four athletes have one goal in
sight, to bring home medals in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
To accomplish that, the next 3 ½ years will consist of travelling around the
world competing in world cups, grand slams, and world championships. Unlike
other countries this travel is all self- funded.
Despite this
pressure of raising money, traveling every few weeks, training twice a day, and
often working other jobs, the future Olympians still find time to give back to
their community by teaching clinics and seminars. Martin, who is ranked #1 in the US at 63 kilograms,
and #20 in the world in her weight class, explains, “Judo is very family
oriented. Your Judo people become your family and friends. Everyone supports
each other.” Martin has never met Mark Staniszewski or his son Jake. In fact
none of these top instructors who will be teaching the seminar have met Stan.
They are coming together to help one of their own because as Hall explains,
“Without this support there is no community.”
By attending
the Judo for Jake seminar or by making
a donation, members of the martial arts community have the opportunity to give
back to a man who has given so much to the world of Judo and BJJ. More
importantly, with this support, Jake Staniszewski becomes one step closer towards
winning his fight against this awful disease.
To make a donation
to Jake Staniszewski please go to: http://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/7v22/jakestaniszewski?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=Isupport
For
information about Judo for Jake
please contact:
Mike Arcuri
at Team Combat Judo and BJJ (516) 586-8844
@TeamCombatBJJ
For
information from the American Competitive Judo Association
National
Office: 516 670-JUDO (5836)
Follow their
journey to the 2016 Olympic Games
Tony
Sangimino- USA Current #3 at 81 kg @Sangi81
Hannah
Martin- USA Current #1 at 63 kg
@JUDOHaNnAh
Nick Kossor-
USA Current #1 at 60 kg @NKossor
Brad Bolen-
USA Current #1 at 66 kg @BradBolenJudo
For
information on future BJJ seminars for Jake please email:
For more
information on Rhabdomyosarcoma go to:
Special
thanks to the Jason Morris Judo Center and Michael Hall, President of the American
Competitive Judo Association
