Judo Coach Willy Cahill Co-Founder of the Blind Judo Foundation Recognized by US Congresswoman Jackie Speier in Congressional Record For Lifetime Achievement Award
Redmond, WA (PRWEB) July 30, 2013 -- July 19, 2013 was a night of memorable occasions as Coach Willy Cahill, of Cahill’s Judo Academy and CEO & Co-Founder of the Blind Judo Foundation was honored at the Night-of-Champions event with a Lifetime Achievement Award from USA Judo.
Cahill's iconic coaching record includes an athlete roster of several Olympic and Paralympic Judo teams, World team members and hundreds of international and national medalists.
Cahill is one of the only individuals to coach both the US Olympic and US Paralympic Judo teams. He brought the US its first ever Gold Medal in the sport of Judo at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia.
Cahill's Judo Academy in San Bruno, CA has been a fixture in the community for decades. One of Cahill's former students, US Congresswoman Jackie Speier, paid her former coach the ultimate compliment by recognizing him in the US Congressional Records.
"Willy has empowered thousands of children and adults through an ancient art form that builds confidence and enhances independence" said the Honorable Jackie Speier. She goes on to say "I was one of those lucky children, who trained under Willy from the third through the sixth grade, whose teachings have served me well throughout my life."
Born and raised in Hawaii, Cahill survived the attack on Pearl Harbor with his family as well as a childhood bout with Polio. Doctors told his father that he would never walk again, but within a year Cahill walked out on his own. It was his father, John Cahill, who introduced him to the sport of Judo.
The family moved to Northern California in 1947 where the senior Cahill opened Cahill's Judo Academy a year later. After his father's untimely passing at the young age of 50, Willy took over the family business and dedicated his life to the sport of Judo in memory of his father.
"One of my father's goals was to have a student of his make it to the Olympics," Coach Cahill said. That dream was realized a few times over, as Cahill himself coached both the 1984 and 1988 USA Olympic Judo teams and several of its team members came through his Academy in San Bruno, CA.
His commitment to Judo for the blind and visually impaired has been equally strong, leading the 2000 and 2004 US Paralympic Judo teams, and training 2012 Team USA Judo Paralympians Jordan Mouton & Christella Garcia. Cahill is the CEO and Co-Founder of the Blind Judo Foundation, which provides financial support, coaching and training in the sport of Judo for blind and visually impaired individuals.
The Blind Judo Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that introduces and trains blind and visually impaired individuals of all ages in the sport of Judo. Interested parties can make tax exempt donations at http://www.blindjudofoundation.org/donate.php More can be found on the website http://www.blindjudofoundation.org or by calling Ron C. Peck at 425-444-8256 or email roncpeck(at)blindjudofoundation(dot)org
Ron C. Peck, Blind Judo Foundation, http://www.blindjudofoundation.org, 425-444-8256, [email protected]
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