Eugenia Shmidt doesn’t know exactly how her interest in judo began. The 16-year-old High Tech High School junior and Secaucus resident believes she saw the sport being introduced in a gym class when she was a freshman.
"It was very different than anything I’d ever seen," Shmidt said last week. "It was a very individual sport, with good contact. I liked the technique of it. I knew nothing about judo, but I’ve always been willing to try new things."
Instructor Clyde Worthen, who teaches judo at the school, introduced Shmidt to the sport. She became so intrigued that she was willing to compete in tournaments.
"In the beginning, I was very shaky," Shmidt said. "Since it was very new to me, it was a bit exotic. But as I got better, my interest and skill escalated to the point where I could go to tournaments."
And Shmidt enjoyed instant success. In her first-ever tournament, she captured a gold medal in her age and weight class.
"I guess I was lucky," Shmidt laughed. "But it motivated me to keep going. Judo really gave me the discipline and the confidence to move forward, not just in the sport, but in life. Gradually, I went to more tournaments and I won more."
At the same time, High Tech was forming a judo club, with more than 20 students regularly participating.
"More and more kids were getting involved," Shmidt said. "It was very exciting."
Last year, Shmidt participated at the Liberty Bell Judo Tournament in Philadelphia, where several of the top-flight national athletes who trained for the Olympic Games in Sydney were. Shmidt placed third in her age group (13-to-16) and weight class (125-to-139 pounds) at the Liberty Bell.
"I was very impressed that I was able to do so well there," Shmidt said. "And I was also very ecstatic."
Shmidt has become very determined and dedicated to the sport, training all year round, four days a week, nearly two hours per session.
"There are no excuses not to train," Shmidt said.
Since that time, Shmidt has participated in nine tournaments – and has earned a medal each time. She has won four gold medals, four silver medals (including the prestigious Northeastern Invitational Judo Championships two weeks ago) and one bronze. She won the Wooster Invitational Tournament in Connecticut last weekend.
But last month, Shmidt received her finest honor, being selected to represent judo at the Women’s Sports Foundation Annual Salute to Women’s Sports banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan.
Worthen nominated Shmidt to attend the banquet, as long as she provided an essay and completed an application.
"I had to write about how sports has had an impact on my life," Shmidt said. "I never thought I would actually get selected."
Shmidt had no idea she was under consideration, but Rusty Kanokogi, the highest-ranking female judo athlete in America, selected Shmidt to represent judo at the event.
Shmidt was chosen and was able to share the evening with such illustrious female sports celebrities as Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Nadia Comaneci, Olympic speed skating champion Bonnie Blair, Australian gold-medal winning track star Cathy Freeman, WNBA star Lisa Leslie and soccer star Julie Foudy.
"It was a great evening," Shmidt said. "It was electrifying and incredible. I got a lot of autographs and had my picture taken with Nadia Comaneci, who has always been an inspiration to me. She was so down to earth and very amicable."
Shmidt said that she almost felt guilty that she was attending a banquet where the tickets went for $1,500 each.
"It was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I was so grateful to have that opportunity," Shmidt said. "I can’t even begin to explain it."
Shmidt said that she will continue her career in judo throughout high school and into college, where she hopes to study medicine.
"Judo will always be a part of my life," Shmidt said. "It’s definitely in me now. I can feel a level of confidence in myself because of judo. I feel more secure about myself. I have more discipline in my life. It’s been such a positive thing for me and it has been so reassuring."
Added Shmidt, "And it’s nice to throw some guys around from time to time. That makes me feel good as well."