The findings of the questionnaire given to so-called “first rank judo players” concerning their instructors and method of guidance while they continued to participate in matches are as follows:
(1) More judo players have their own private instructors than participants in other types of athletics. The existence of a personal instructor is considered valuable and the period of guidance under a private instructor tended to be during high, school in most cases.
(2) Compared with other types of athletics, judo players have mainly been instructed between elementary school and junior high school, and then also between high school age and adulthood.
(3) Most judo instructors are school teachers. The remaining instructors are often employed at sports clubs. The number of the instructors at each facility are directory proportional to each other.
(4) There are two types of judo instructors. One type is an instructor that is a “king” in practices and during training. Superb leadership and strictness characterize this type. The other type is an instructor who acts as a source of technique and theory. High level techniques and medical knowledge characterize this type. While the former type of instructor gradually gains effectiveness from the elementary school period through the high school period (the peak of effectiveness) he becomes less effective after the peak. However, the latter type tends to be continuously effective as an instructor.
(5) Most judo players have met their most influential instructors during their high school years. We can presume from this fact that effective and consistent guidance by high school teachers is very valuable to a judo student.
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