Shintaro Higashi returns from the Junior Nationals in Chicago and shares a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at this major youth judo event. Joined by co-host David Kim, the two discuss standout matches, rising talent, and the evolving landscape of competitive judo in the U.S.

00:00 Intro & Trip to Junior Nationals01:30 Event Overview & Youth Pipeline

03:00 Event Scale & Social Aspect05:00 Smoothcomp & Tech Evolution

08:30 Coaching Rules & Professionalism11:00 Spotlight on Rising Talent

14:00 Second-Generation Judoka & Top Dojos

16:00 Challenges in Athlete Retention

18:30 Developmental Athletes' Takeaways

21:30 Next Steps Post-Nationals

24:30 Organizational Structure & Gaps

26:00 Funding, Politics & Solutions

29:00 Building Judo's Future

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