Cahill's Sends 5 Youth to International Judo Tournaments

The Bay Area’s best-kept secret is Cahill’s Judo Academy. Sensei John Cahill opened Cahill’s in Daly City in the 1940s. His son, Sensei Willy Cahill, re-opened the dojo in 1963 in San Bruno. He has been touching the lives and hearts of many since then.

The dedication of Sensei Willy Cahill and his coaching staff has given us the rare opportunity this fall to send five of our competitors to represent the USA at the 2012 Pan American Championships and The International Dual Meet Team Tournament vs. The Cuban National Team.  

Zachary Chow, a junior at Terra Nova High School and a Daly City resident, is ranked third in the country. He has been training in judo at Cahill’s since he was 7 years old.

With hard work, determination and the astounding support and coaching, he has received an invitation to compete in the 2012 Junior Pan-American Championships with the U.S. Junior National Team in Cali, Colombia.  

Zack has placed second in the Junior Nationals in Spokane, WA, second place in the Youth and Scholastic Nationals and third in the Junior Olympics.

Michael Bigler, a Pacifica resident and a fifth grader at Cabrillo Elementary School, has also received an invitation to compete with the U.S. Junior National team at the 2012 Infantil Pan American Championships in Mexico. He also got an invitation to compete at the Team Tournament in Cuba.  

Michael has been training in Judo at Cahill’s since he was 11 years old. With the great coaches and positive environment, Michael has received not only training but also a philosophy that he will take with him for a lifetime.  

Michael placed first in the International Junior Olympics in Texas and first at the U.S. Open in Florida.  Michael is ranked second in the country.  

Evan Chung, a Daly City resident who attends Franklin D. Roosevelt Elementary School, has been training at Cahill’s Judo Academy since he was 3 years old. He has been invited to compete in the Infantil Pan American Championships in Mexico.  

Evan has shown a love and passion for the sport. He trains tremendously hard and has been able to accomplish some great achievements this year.

He placed third in Spokane, WA, in the Junior Nationals, first place in Dallas at the Junior Olympics, and he placed third in the Junior U.S. Open in Florida.

He is now ranked second in the country.  

Allie Hyatt, who is a freshman at Drew High School in San Francisco, is ranked No. 1 in the country.

Allie has been working and training hard in Judo since 2009 and has accomplished a lot this year.  

She has been invited to compete in Cuba for the Team Tournament. She placed first in the Youth Scholastic Nationals in Texas, and she was given the outstanding female competitor award at that tournament.

She placed second in the Junior Olympics in Texas and she also placed first at the Junior U.S. Open in Florida.

Frankie Hyatt, Allie's sister and a sophomore at Drew High, has also been invited to go to the Junior Pan-American Championships in Cali, Colombia. Frankie is ranked No. 1 in the country.  

At the Youth Scholastic Nationals in Texas, she placed first. Frankie also took the gold at the Junior Nationals in Spokane, WA, and at the Junior U.S. Open in Florida.

We are so proud to see so many female Judokas within the sport. The female competitors have increased over the years teaching women to be strong and confident. 

Teaching girls to protect themselves and to have a high level of self-confidence is important to their success.   

These are exceptional kids from an exceptional dojo. 

—Erica Bigler