The U.S. judo performance was the most successful in terms of being competitive since the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, when we won two medals.
We finished the Beijing Games with a bronze medal and three ninth-place finishes. Also, in closing out this quad for judo, it was a big improvement from the last quad.
The coaches just like the players have their support staff, and I would be remise if I didn't mention the main players that helped me along the way to have such a wonderful personal program in the Jason Morris Judo Center, along with leading the USA Judo staff.
Even though the Olympics is like a high school reunion every time I go, for me it brings bittersweet memories of one my biggest supporters, my father, Bernie Morris, who died in Barcelona, Spain, at the 1992 Olympics. I had just won a silver medal and was on top of the world, then nine days later, while I was about to attend the Olympians luncheon at the Whitehouse, my father had suffered a massive heart attack while on his way to attend the closing ceremonies.
Our last meeting and conversation is burned in my memory. We met inside the Olympic Village to say our goodbyes, as we had done 100 times before, since we often left events separately. We shook hands and he said "See you at home," I said the same and he went on his way. I also remember sticking him with a few extra things to carry back with him, as I often did, especially at events like the Olympics where you collect a lot more items than you came with.
He was a huge part of my success and still is as many of the things he taught me are instilled in me.
My wife, Teri Takemori, is about as perfect of a better half could be, and I often say that I got the better end of that deal when we got married. She has stood behind me since 1987, when we first met at the world trials in Colorado Springs, Colo. She has been with me through four Olympics as a player and now one as a coach. She is my partner in the Jason Morris Judo Center, which she had to take care of all by herself for three weeks.
My mother, Chris Morris, has always been there for me, lending her support both financially and physically. She singlehandedly keeps the Jason Morris Judo Center clean, along with doing all the landscaping to make the front of my property the best looking on Route 50 in Glenville.
Lou DiGesare was my shop teacher in junior high school at Burnt Hills and has been a family friend ever since. He is also my photographer for our international magazine, Real, that Teri and I have been producing for 11 years. Lou has been the every worlds and Olympics since we started the magazine, getting us the best photos in the business. I used to hide out in his office at high school and our friendship grew over the years.
My grandmother, Jo Attanseo, who is almost 93 and has been living with me now for 11 years, has also played a major factor in the Jason Morris Judo Center as I built an apartment for her and below it was made into our first dojo, where we worked out of for 11 years.
For all they have done and continue to do, I owe you a mountain of gratitude and thanks. THANK YOU!
The last thing I would like to take from my latest Olympic experience is to be able to make all my current and future Jason Morris Judo Center Olympic hopefuls realize that any and every sacrifice to try to make the Olympic team is worth even just five seconds on the competition mat, as the Olympics is the greatest event in sports and being part of it is amazing.
I would have liked to share this Olympic experience with my current group of 2012 Olympic hopefuls - Brad Bolen, Ronni Aragona, Kim Carpenter, Mike Doria, Angela Creutzberger, Helen and Nick Delpopolo, Jeremy Galib, Nick Kossor, Natalie Lafon, Jeremy Liggett - who was in Beijing as a training partner - Hannah Martin, Katie Mocco, Tony Sangimino, A.J. Silverman, Yuko Sin, Kyle Vashkulat, Josh Woosley and Olympian Travis Stevens - as it would help fuel their fire even more to want to get there and be part of it all.
USA Judo Team head coach Jason Morris is also posting photos to accompany his blog in the gallery "Olympic Experience". You can view the latest photos by clicking here, or view the entire gallery by clicking here.
For more on the USA Judo Team, go to the USA Judo Web site at usjudo.org.
