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When Judo Gives You More Children

From Granma · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Gilberto Solar Vaillant has spent decades using judo to teach discipline and values to children in Havana’s La Lisa municipality.
  • His Shiro Saigo school has trained athletes, organized community activities, and introduced judo to children during school holidays.
  • Coaches and parents describe the project as focused on character-building and education, not only on producing champions.

Gilberto Solar Vaillant calls the Shiro Saigo school his second child. More than 17 years ago, he founded the local development project, inspired by a legendary figure from judo’s early years and the old technique known as yama arashi, or “mountain storm.”

He says judo “forges character, creates discipline, and develops a series of processes that benefit beginners.” Solar Vaillant spent part of his athletic career on the Revolutionary Armed Forces team and has now worked as a coach for 46 years. His interest in guiding others began at home. He trained his son Gilbertico, who later won Central American and Pan American titles.

Forges character, creates discipline, and develops a series of processes that benefit beginners.

· Gilberto Solar VaillantHe explained what judo offers children beyond athletic competition.

Among the other athletes he helped develop is Dali Sentmanat, whom he watched grow from the age of five into a regional champion in the 52-kilogram category in Santo Domingo. The project has also welcomed young competitors including Raidel San Pedro Blanco and Javielito, a national and continental youth champion.

We organize social activities in all the popular councils of La Lisa, and even beyond it.

· Gilberto Solar VaillantHe described the project’s community work.

The school’s work extends beyond competition. “We organize social activities in all the popular councils of La Lisa, and even beyond it,” Solar Vaillant said. During the two-month holiday period, the project took “Teaching Judo” to a park opposite Frank País Hospital and attracted a group of children.

Solar Vaillant also serves as a national A-level referee. He took up officiating partly because he objected to decisions against his son and wanted to understand the mechanics of judging. He now says that being an official taught him that “reason does not belong to one person.” He adds that he is stricter with his own athletes than with others because mistakes are possible, but injustice is not acceptable.

Reason does not belong to one person.

· Gilberto Solar VaillantHe reflected on what he learned after becoming a judo referee.

The Shiro Saigo school recently added Tomás Maza Aranguren, a coach and A-level referee with experience in municipal sports programs, provincial athletic schools, and university teaching. Maza says the project does not focus only on champions. Its main goal, he says, is to work with children and plant values. Parents say the approach has already changed the habits of young participants who once spent much of their time on their phones.

It does not only focus on forming champions; its main goal is to work with the seed and plant values.

· Tomás Maza ArangurenHe described the educational purpose of the Shiro Saigo project.
About this summary

Originally published by Granma in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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