Frank Vosson, 5th Dan
Frank started judo at the Wilson Heights Budokan in 1962.
In his early days, Frank was a fierce competitor, however, a knee injury requiring surgery ended his competitive career in 1968.
Frank became an instructor at the Budokan, teaching weeknights at the home club and teaching on weekends at several clubs across Toronto and Scarborough.
Committing to judo seven days a week helped Frank progress rapidly. Receiving his Shodan (1st degree black belt) in 1967, he was the first student of the Budokan to earn a black belt.
Frank was asked to be the head sensei at the very first Camp Budokan in 1965, the first ever judo camp of its kind in North America.
Frank did not get his 2nd degree belt until 1984 after several years of prodding by Sensei Bill Dougherty. By this time, Frank had become a successful and respected referee.
Frank received his National A in refereeing in 1986, his Pan American referee certificate in 1993 and his International Referee certificate in 1995. His refereeing career spanned 35 years. Refereeing in tournaments from the Budokan monthly shiais all the way up to international tournaments that included the 1996 pre-Olympic tournament in in Atlanta, Georgia. Frank refereed in 256 tournaments over his 35-year span as a referee.
Frank also used his expertise to help guide Judo Ontario's executive committee as a provincial councillor. He chaired a number of high-level committees, including the Dispute Resolution Committee and the Judo Ontario Election Committee - he chaired the Judo Ontario Referee Committee for seven years.
His judo career now spans 62 years. A dedicated Budokan member, excellent instructor and Dojo Shu and a fantastic and respected referee.
Michael Flynn, 5th Dan
Michael started judo in 1967 at the JCCC. Where he was a student for nine months. In the summer of 1967, Mike attended the very first judo camp in Perry Sound, Ontario. After that camp, Mike joined the Budokan Dojo at Bathurst and Wilson in North York.
Mike was a competitor and attended every shiai within driving distance, riding fast on the competitive judo scene. He either placed in, or won, every tournament he entered and he earned his black belt in early 1970.
Once a black belt, Mike competed at national and international tournaments and in 1972 was selected to the National Judo Team and sent to Germany as part of Judo Canada's Goodwill Tour that included training and team competitions throughout Germany.
When Mike retired from competing, he immediately took up refereeing, coaching and instructing at the Budokan Judo Club. Mike excelled at Kata and was widely recognized as professional Uke among the grading circuit - everyone knew if you wanted to impress the provincial grading board, you needed Mike to be your partner.
Once married and with three children, it was a no-brainer that Mike would introduce his children to judo. Michelle, Tara and Kevin all grew up doing judo at the Budokan Ajax. Michelle went on to compete nationally as part of the Canadian team.
Mike was a longtime secretary of the Provincial Grading Board a Provincial Councillor and a member of the Judo Ontario Referee Committee. In 1988, Mike and his sensei Bill Doherty were asked to go down to the Cayman Islands to assist the IGF as judo ambassadors for Judo Canada.
Mike received his Go Dan (5th degree black belt) in 2000, his national AA referee status in 1991, Pan American referee status in 1998 and then International Judo Federation Status in 2000.
George Simard, 2nd Dan
George started judo at the Thunder Bay Budokan in 1974, one of the first students to join the club when Bill Doherty and the family moved to Thunder Bay.
George took to judo very quickly, making it his number one sporting activity, which was considered a loss by some as he was considered a high school football star in Thunder Bay.
George traveled with the Thunder Bay Budokan to tournaments in Minnesota and all across Canada.
He received his Shodan (1st degree black belt) in 1978 and his Ni Dan (2nd degree black belt) in 1982.
In 1978, Bill Doherty moved back to southern Ontario and George took over the leadership of the Thunder Bay Budokan and produced a number of good fighters. His first black belt was a two-time Olympian, Sandra Greaves.
As economic times hardened in the North, George moved to Port Dover on the Erie Shore. There, he took over the Port Dover Judo Club for three years before starting his own dojo, Blue Panther Judo Club (Blue for Budokan). George taught judo for 30 years producing many good fighters.
George also refereed a provincial and national tournaments, receiving his National C Referee status.
Dale Rasmussen, 4th Dan
Dale started his judo career at Pickering High School in the 1960s. After high school, Dale took a break from judo but returned with his son to the Budokan Judo Club in 1983. They were the first students at the Budokan in Ajax.
Dale became a pillar of the Ajax Budokan, teaching the junior class for over 30 years. When a new student started judo, Dale was their first instructor, laying down the foundation for future judo champions, including Jessica Klimkait – the 2021 World Champion and first Canadian woman to win an Olympic Medal in Judo.
Dale was also an avid referee, reaching the level of National A status in 2014. He refereed at tournaments across Canada and the USA.
Dale retired from Judo in 2017 as a Yon Dan (4th degree black belt).
Sandra Greaves, 6th Dan
Sandra started Judo in 1976 at the Thunder Bay Budokan at the age of 13. She rapidly became a young competitor to be reckoned with, winning tournaments in Minnesota, Winnipeg and Arizona.
Sandra received her Shodan (1st degree black belt) at the age of 16, only three years after starting her judo career.
In 1987, Sandra won the Pan Am Games in Indianapolis qualifying her for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea - the only female Canadian judoka to qualify for the 1988 Olympics.
Sandra continued to win medals at a number of international tournaments after Seoul, such as the German Open, Pan Am championships, Austrian Open, Francophone Games, as well as winning the Canadian Championships seven times in a row. This success qualified Sandra for her second Olympic Games in 1992 in Barcelona, Spain.
Sandra was inducted into the Judo Canada Hall of Fame in 2000.
She has opened a number of Judo clubs during her travels across Ontario every one of them a Budokan. Sandra currently resides in Thunder Bay, where she is the Northwest Ontario Regional Director for Judo.
Watch this video made about Sandra's judo career when she was inducted into the Inductee Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.