About the club
RA Centre Judo Club, Ottawa, Ontario
About the ClubNewsJuniorsAdultsEventsClub CalendarGalleryLinksContact UsHome | History of the ClubThe RA Judo club was founded in the early 1960s. Instructors
Head Sensei Glen Campbell - Nidan Head Sensei Glen Campbell started his Judo training at the RA Centre in 1967 under Gilles Champagne, who was the instructor at that time. Glen moved to Seattle for five years, where he got his Black Belt, and he returned to Ottawa in 1973. He joined the Raoul Arsenault Judo Club in Hull, again under Sensei Gilles Champagne. Glen began instructing the adults at the RA in 1975, and apart from a break between 1989 and 1992, has been instructing ever since. He is currently the chief instructor for the adult classes.
Sensei Gary Boutilier - Sandan Sensei Gary Boutilier began studying judo in 1974 in Nova Scotia under Sensei Kenneth Whitney at CFB Shearwater. After receiving his Black Belt in 1984, he taught judo programs for city recreation, Dalhousie University, CFB Shearwater, and CFB Halifax. Gary started kata training at CFB Shearwater and was, for several years, successful at provincial kata competitions. In 1986, Gary moved to Ottawa and began training at Takahashi Dojo. In 1999, Gary began training at the RA Judo Club. In addition to his role as an instructor, Sensei Gary works extensively with students preparing for their black belt exams and students interested in the study of kata. Gary is a certified NCCP Level 2 coach and has served in various management roles for the East Region of Judo Ontario.
Sensei Brian Lamarre - Nidan Sensei Brian Lamarre started his Judo training at the RA Centre in 1967 under Gilles Champagne, then was involved in several other sports as a player and coach for several years. He returned to the RA Judo Club in 1991, became an instructor in 1995 and has instructed the adult program and chaired the club since 1995. He also instructed and coordinated the children’s judo program from 1998 to 2006 and is a Provincial B certified referee for judo.
Sensei Shu-Tai Cheng - Nidan Sensei Shu-Tai Cheng started her judo training in 1978 in the
Montreal area. She began instructing judo to children in 1982. Shu-Tai lived
in Toronto from 1985 to 1988 and both practiced and taught judo in Mississauga
during those years; she was also the director of the judo program at a summer
camp in Peel Region. After being absent from judo for many years, Shu-Tai
returned to the mat in 2003 and in the summer of 2004 joined the RA Centre Judo
Club. That fall, she began instructing in the junior judo program. In 2006,
Shu-Tai became the first female RA judoka to be promoted to black belt;
twenty-one months later, she was promoted to nidan (second degree black belt).
In 2007, Shu-Tai competed for Team Ontario at the Senior Canadian Judo
Championships in the Nage No Kata division. The practice of kata is one of
Shu-Tai's main focuses. She is also a keen volunteer in judo events across
Ontario and Quebec. In 2007, Shu-Tai was given an Outstanding Contribution
Award by Judo Ontario for her dedication to judo in Ontario. Sensei Shu-Tai is currently an instructor in both the junior and senior
programs and coaches RA Judo Club athletes competing at all levels. She is
N.C.C.P. level "A" certified and is in the process of obtaining level "B"
certification.  Sensei Francois Poitras - Nidan François Poitras a commencé la pratique du judo à l’âge de neuf ans, au Québec. Son premier professeur était M. Edmond Wawrzyniak, aujourd’hui 6e dan. Pendant son adolescence, il se mit à pratiquer également la lutte olympique. Malheureusement, le club de judo dut fermer ses portes. Tout en se maintenant en forme alors qu’il ne pratiquait pas le judo, il renoue avec ce sport à l’Hakudokan, sous la direction de M. Raymond Damblant. Après une autre période d’interruption suite à un déménagement à Ottawa, il revint définitivement à la pratique du judo en 1998. Promu ceinture noire en 2003, il persévère pour finalement mériter son deuxième dan en 2008.
Sensei Wade Clare - Shodan
Sensei Gord Comeau - Shodan
Sensei Greg Lemieux - Shodan
Sensei Greg Labonte - Shodan
Sensei Richard Leduc - Shodan After many years of involvement with football, as a player, official,
and coach, Richard joined the RA Judo Club in 1998. He was awarded his
Shodan in December 2005. Sensei Richard has a keen interest in the
techniques of Judo, for example, ashi waza, te washi, koshi waza, and
te waza.
Sensei Laura Trafford - Shodan Laura Trafford joined the Ottawa judo club in the third grade as an after school activity designed to keep her out of her parent's hair. She began to compete at local tournaments and to progress through the ranks. At the end of grade six, however, Laura stopped judo when the Ottawa Judo Club moved from the local YMCA to a church in another neighbourhood. She joined judo again at the beginning of the ninth grade, but this time with the RA Judo Club. After attending the Ontario Winter Games in the tenth grade, Laura began to compete provincially and nationally in the eleventh grade, making the junior provincial team in eleventh and twelfth grades and the senior provincial team in the twelfth grade. Now in first year university, she has become the second female black belt at the RA judo club, and receives Quest for Gold funding for her tournament expenses. Sensei Frank Freidrich - Nidan Sensei Tony Candeliere Sensei Olivier Genet |
