Judo club to open in Auxvasse

Chris Heitmann tosses his daughter and assistant coach, DeAnna, during judo practice. Heitmann will be opening DDD Judo Mid Mo, a judo club in Auxvasse, in November.
Chris Heitmann tosses his daughter and assistant coach, DeAnna, during judo practice. Heitmann will be opening DDD Judo Mid Mo, a judo club in Auxvasse, in November.

Beginning in November, residents in Auxvasse and the surrounding areas will have an opportunity to learn the "gentle way" of judo, the Japanese martial art of throws, takedowns and grappling.

DDD Judo Mid-Mo, a new judo club, will begin holding classes 6-7:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays beginning Nov. 1 in Clinton's Banquet Hall.

DDD Judo Mid-Mo is an extension of DDD Judo in the Grandview area of Kansas City, and will be started by that dojo's former sensei, Chris Heitmann.

A third-degree black belt, Heitmann began training in judo in 1991 and has been teaching since 1993. The three D's in the name stand for "Direction, Desire and Determination."

"I like to say I provide the direction, and the students have to provide the desire and determination," said Heitmann.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.