Doug Newcomer
My brother Wil Newcomer and I, were recently selected by USA Judo to compete representing the United States at the World Judo Kata Championships held at the end of September 2014 in Spain. It is a great honor and responsibility to represent and compete for our country. We have been working very hard for many years to get here, and have lots of people to thank.
Wil and I are both graduate of Denton High School and the University of North Texas.
I started my Judo career at Denton Jr. Optimist Judo Club in 1973 under the instruction of Mose Woodson and Tom Coyle, with their sons Mike Woodson (now head instructor) and Doug Coyle. I was 7 years old. After 41 years I still workout at the same club.
My Motto is Perseverance and Tenacity. (Fin Jones)
I had a really hard start to judo, losing all my matches for the first year and a half. I finally won my first (anything) tournament with a gold medal in the 1975 Amateur Athlete Union (AAU) Junior Olympic District Championships in Denton. Things got better after that, and I placed in several tournaments. I won 2nd place in the 1975 Dallas Invitational for my first trophy win. In the spring of 1976, I placed 2nd in the State Championship in Odessa – that was the best day of my life (at least up to that point, I was only 10).
I stayed with Judo and eventually started winning some tournaments, including several State Championships. I won my first State Championship in 1977 in Houston. That was a great day when both my brother and I won 1st place. I competed in a couple of National Championships as a junior and as a youth Judo player (17-20 yr olds), but never could quite place. I set a goal to place at a National tournament. Finally, in 2000 as a masters competitor, I won 1st place at the National Masters in Houston. I have since won 7 AAU National Gold medals and placed in the Masters division at the USA Judo Nationals 4 times.
After my winning the Gold medal in 2000, I became interest in Kata competition. In 2001 I entered my first kata tournament, placing second in Nage no kata. One of my coaches made the statement: “you won and nothing hurts.” That statement stayed with me, although I continue to compete in the Masters division. When I was up for promotion I had to learn Katame no kata and started competing in Katame no kata.
Kata has become an important activity for my family. It is an activity that we all share and brings us closer together. I enjoyed competing in Katame no kata with my dad as partner. We won 6 State Championships and one Texas All-Star award together. When he retired, my brother Wil became my partner. Together, we have won 6 State Championships and two second place National titles to date. My wife and I won 7 Texas State Championships together at Goshin Jitsu no kata. My son and I have won several State titles and 5 Texas All-Star awards as kata competitors together. Kata truly has been a great blessing.
I never would have believed when I started, that I would be representing the United States at the Kata World Championships. The course of my Judo career leading up to this World Championships truly shows how God works in his own way to make bigger dreams come true than you yourself could imagine.
Accomplishments Include:
Texas State Champion: 1977, 78, 80, 82, 85, 87, 88, 2002, 03,04,05, 07, 08,09.
Texas State Kata Champion: 2001-2014
2000 National Masters Champion
2003 3rd place National Masters
2003 National Kata Competitor
2006 3rd place National Masters
2006 National Kata Competitor 5th place
2007-2013 AAU National Judo Gold Medal Champion (Masters)
2009-2013 – Texas All-Star Kata Competitor
2012 2nd place National Masters Champion
2012 2nd place and 3rd Place National Kata Championship
2014 Two 2nd place finishes in National Kata Championship
2014 World Championship Kata Team.

I have had the privilege of training under great Senseis: Mose Woodson, Doug Coyle, Mike Woodson, Vince Tamura, Ace Sukigara, and many others. My brother and I strive to make our dad and all our Senseis proud by delivering our best performance at the Kata World Championship.
Doug newcomer