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FROM OUR ARCHIVES: Creston sensei Joe Meers hangs up his belts

Sensei Joe Meers retired from the Creston Judo Club in 2008, and died at age 92 on Oct. 31, 2013. Story from April 10, 2008...
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Lister resident Joe Meers

Joe Meers, a Lister resident and former sensei of the Creston Judo Club, died on Oct. 31, 2013, on his Lister property at age 92. We thought it was fitting at this time to republish a story written on the occasion of his retirement from the judo club, published in the April 10, 2008 issue of the Creston Valley Advance:

 

For an old guy, he can’t kick. Well, actually, Joe Meers still can kick — at the age of 86 (and a half, he is quick to point out) — but he recently decided to retire as head of the Creston Judo Club.

“If it wasn’t for the head injury I had last year, I wouldn’t be quitting,” Meers said recently.

Meers suffered the injury more than a year ago when he was thrown from his quad after spending an afternoon cutting firewood out in the bush near Yahk.

“I say it is a miracle he’s still alive,” said Lika, his wife of 30 years.

His head injury added to the challenges two earlier accidents had created, and Meers realized running a judo club with about 50 students was too big a responsibility to carry on.

“Bryan (Miller) is very good,” he said. “I know he will do a very good job.”

Meers’ history with judo dates back to the Second World War, when he was doing para-commando training in England. Born in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, on May 24, 1921, he returned to fight in his home country and eventually joined the St. Josse Judo Club in Brussels in 1950. He received his yellow belt later that year, and by 1954 he had progressed to earn his black belt, or shodan.

Judo has its roots in jiu-jitsu, the Japanese martial art form. Professor Jigoro Kano opened the Kodokan Dojo in Tokyo in 1882, where he began to teach judo, or “the gentle way”. Kano had developed both an attack and defence technique that encouraged physical conditioning and total health. Judokas learn principles that they are expected to take outside their training ground, and are expected to contribute “something of value to the world.”

As a man small in stature, Meers had a natural affinity for judo, which teaches that in battle giving way to an opponent, rather than using force, can sometimes be the most effective response.

Lika recalled the only time Joe ever used his judo training outside of a dojo. The couple had driven to Banff from their Calgary home for a day of skiing, and parked their vehicle beside a large motorhome. It was the last parking space available, but the beefy American driver told them to move their car because it was too close to his own vehicle. When Joe ignored him, the large man pushed him down. He had been at a disadvantage, holding his skis on his shoulder and wearing heavy ski boots. When the American began to kick him, Joe got up from the ground.

“Lika, hold my glasses,” he said.

In seconds, his adversary was on the ground, gasping for air, with the smaller Meers on top of him.

“Had enough?” Joe asked him.

After the sputtering bully had returned to the confines of his motorhome, his two large sons came out to see the source of their father’s humiliation, and proceeded to threaten Joe.

“Do you want to be next?” he asked.

They beat a hasty retreat.

The Meers retired to the Creston Valley in 1987 and Joe first worked as an assistant to sensei and black belt Bob Grunewald. The Creston Judo Club had 10 members at the time. Joe took over as sensei and club president in 1988, turned it into a non-profit organization and eventually built its membership to more than 50 students.

Of course judo, like most martial arts, isn’t intended to use other than under extreme provocation, and Joe is most proud of the many young people he has taught and inspired in his 20-year involvement with the Creston Judo Club.

“As sensei in Creston, I’ve produced fourteen ikkyu (brown belt holders) and five shodan (black belts),” he said. “Three of my students have made it to the Canadian national team.”

As important as those successes have been, Lika pointed out that it’s the relationship with the students that has a deeper meaning.

“They call and they stop in to visit after they’ve grown up and moved away,” she said. “Joe was always hosting activities and encouraging his students.”

If leading by example means anything at all, Meers’ students were learning from a master. He earned his second-degree black belt (niddan) in 1993 and in 2000, at 80, he was awarded his third-degree black belt (sandan).

While he might have retired from his position as sensei and turned the Creston Judo Club over to Miller, assistant instructor Barry MacPercival and a capable board of volunteers, there is no doubt Joe Meers will continue on in some role, if only to encourage and inspire students to learn “the gentle way”.