Yosh Uchida, who has been the head judo coach at San Jose State University for more than 70 years, celebrated his 103rd birthday on Saturday at the National Collegiate Judo Association Collegiate and High School National Championships. Uchida was born on April 1, 1920 in Calexico, California.
Uchida had been a student-coach of the judo program in 1940, before he was drafted into military service for World War II. He restarted the program upon his return. He persuaded the Amateur Athletic Union to sanction judo in 1953, and San Jose State went on to win more than 40 national championships under his leadership.
Kaycie Tanimoto, of San Jose State Judo, hugs her dad, Mike Tamimoto, who also went to San Jose State and was on the Judo team, during the NCJA Collegiate and High School National Championships at Yosh Uchida Hall at San Jose State in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, April 1, 2023. Nina Seoane, of San State Jose Judo, competes during the NCJA Collegiate and High School National Championships at Yosh Uchida Hall at San Jose State in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, April 1, 2023.