Kenji Osugi

The Head Instructor is Kenji Osugi, Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt). He started judo in 1960 here at Sawtelle Judo Dojo and has always been an active member except 5½ years active duty with USAF (1969 to 1975).

He currently serves on the Board of Directors to the United States Judo Federation. His credentials include Class A Master Instructor, Class A Judge and Regional Referee licenses from United States Judo Federation and USA Judo. He is also American Red Cross CPR and First Aid certified. When he is not teaching at Sawtelle, he provides judo instruction at UCLA. Along with judo, he also holds a black belt in karate and has practiced aikido and kendo.

Thierry Dusigne

Thierry began judo at the age of 10 years ago in French Guiana in South America. He was taught by a Japanese judoka instructing French Foreign Legionnaires. He continued his judo training while serving in the French Navy for ten years where he received his shodan (1st degree black belt) at the age of twenty years old. He also served in the French police department in Paris for twelve years. He had competed in French regional and national judo championships.

He has lived in the U.S. since 1995. He accidentlly came across Sawtelle Judo when he was helping move tables in the auditorium at the Japanese Institute's Seniors' lunch program.  While he looked up and noticed the photo of Jigoro Kano hanging on the wall above the U.S. flag and asked the woman that he was assisting, "Do people practice Judo here?  Because that's a picture of Jigoro Kano."  The woman quipped, "Yes, they certainly do."  Thus, he began his long association with Sawtelle Judo.

He recently received his yondan (4th degree black belt) in 2008 and serves as one of the instructors here at Sawtelle Judo. His favorite techniques are "ashi-wazas," foot sweeps and blocks. Professionally, he was the founder and co-owner of Crepes Dusigne in West Los Angeles. The shop offered more then an excellent crepe. Their menu extends to a variety of delicious choices.

Einhard Schmidt

Einhard started judo while he was in the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton here in Southern California. After his military service, continued studying judo off and on while in graduate school at Michigan State under Choi, former Olympic judoka. He acted as an assistant instructor there. He continued to practice judo with Jacques LaGrange in New Orleans and Karl Geis in Houston, Texas. Under Geis, Einhard began his aikido training, which he now holds his nidan (2nd degree black belt).

He has been training and instructing here at Sawtelle Judo since 2000. After working many years in the oil industry, he now works as a college chemistry professor at Santa Monica College. He has also taught at UCLA. He holds two Ph.D.s in physical and organic chemistry. He currently serves as the Nanka Judo (Southern California Black Belt Association) Kata Chairman. He received his shodan (1st degree black belt) in 1998. He received his yodan (4th degree black belt) in 2008.

He also continues to studies aikido at the Venice Aikido. He enjoys the traditional training methods of Sawtelle Judo with the emphasis on proper techniques and timing over sheer power. His favorite techniques are "ashi-wazas", foot sweeps and blocks.

Luis Russo

When he was 18 years old, Luis Russo began practicing judo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  In January 1967, he was invited by Takata Sensei, the author of the book, “My Hane-Goshi." For the next year, he lived in Tokyo to study at the Kodokan under Takata Sensei.

After returning to Argentina, he won the Argentinean middleweight selection tournament for the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games.  In the late 1980's, he began his training at Sawtelle Dojo and continues to assist as a "Coach Instructor." In 2008, he received his yodan, 4^th degree black belt, from Sensei Kenji Osugi.

David Monteverde

David started practicing judo at MIT while he was an undergraduate, and continued it in graduate school at Stanford. After school he moved to Los Angeles and joined the Sawtelle dojo. He is currently an engineering manager at Boeing, and practices judo about three times a week. His favorite techniques are "ashiwazas," foot sweeps and blocks. Other interests of his are travel, foreign languages, and historical literature.  He is currently on sabbatical traveling in Asia.