While there are a variety of martial arts forms and a variety of martial arts clubs in Madison, Judo Ju-jitsu Madison and their focus on teaching Judo and strong values to people of all ages makes a big ripple effect from a relatively small studio.
The studio at 6717 Odana Rd #10 is taken up mostly by one large room where the lead instructor Osmil Millan, affectionately known as Sensei Os to many who participate, controls the space with dignity and safety as the structure. Dadit Hidayat remembers meeting Sensei Os the first time as his son, Fasha Adani, took up Judo at a separate studio, and eventually transitioned with the coach to the new studio that focused on bringing in a diversity of students and a new perspective.
“Madison was also not big into judo,” Hidayat told Madison365. “In Chicago, there is a big club, and in Milwaukee. Madison was not until maybe 10 years ago. My son started Judo in Madison as a white belt to become a black belt in 13 years and become a coach. I could see that a lot of what he was taking was from this mentality as an immigrant from his head coach. How to connect multiple resources that don’t seem connected. Physical training with this club or sports psychology is another thing. All of these elements, usually, when you have a strong judo club are together in one building.”
Hidayat explained how Sensei Os being both a Cuban immigrant along with being an 8th-degree black belt helped to connect Judo to a larger idea of finding place and purpose. Something that Sesei Os is also happy to mention, always giving credit to the kids who come in day after day as well.
Judo Ju-jitsu Madison is also a unique space in Madison in how it brings children, and adults, from different cultures and countries together. That point of pride for Sesei Os is the embrace of internationality as kids from over a dozen distinct nationalities make up the bulk of students coming to train.
“The mentality that they have to work together with the coach to keep training because it’s not about winning, but also about your discipline and everything about your life,” explained Hidayat. “Somehow they manage to reach that level. I don’t think that kind of mentality would grow without the immigrant mentality, without being a minority. What else could I show and in what ways could I be more visible? I’m not sure if they actually think that, but this is me thinking what ways we can be visible, and it looks like judo. Os has shared this space for us to just have fun and be together as a family. Then try to learn something from him through judo, through sport, and how we can be together as a family and supportive as a community.”
Hidayat’s own son, Fasha, is a prime example of how impactful Sesei Os’ impact is on his students as Fasha has seen gold-medal-worthy successes in Judo, but upon deciding to no longer compete, still comes to help instruct at the studio. Although success comes second to the training and principles to Sesei Os, the result often leads to the same place.
With success at the 2023 President’s Cup earlier this year where Caleb Lou took home a bronze medal while Iliyan Hoskins and Kalej Galvan took home gold, as well as Galvan earning gold at the 2023 Dallas Open as well, Hidayat could see the familiar pattern of prosperity being created through caring and mentorship from Sensei Os who makes it a priority to center character growth and respect.
“This is a very small, nonprofit Judo club,” Hidayat said. “He, himself, some of the time was the only coach and didn’t get paid. I appreciate the kind of care and love that he offers to his kids, and most of them are young, so with the age gap sometimes it’s difficult to offer that kind of caring mentality. He still has it. He still has it and offered that to Fasha, so he really looked up to Os as a role model on how to do Judo technically, but at the same time mentally, as well. Maybe partly because of Os’ training in being competitive and also a certified international referee, he knows judo and has a lot of connections in Wisconsin and beyond.”
Hidayat spoke about how meaningful it is to have a space where people of color, especially immigrants or international citizens, can feel comfortable and safe practicing an art that exercises the body, mind, and spirit.
While there is adult training as well, the studio truly comes alive with the presence of Sensei Os’ younger students who he could not be more proud of as he poured over pictures from past tournaments and training sessions at the studio. Although Hidayat hopes that many more can come to experience the warmth of Sensei Os as well as support the club, he also expressed hope that such a future can also coincide with keeping that feeling of closeness and community that is such a crucial part of the Judo Ju-jitsu Madison experience.
“I think I’m glad that Judo is still not one of the mainstream sports because that’s probably the reason why we can maintain that atmosphere,” admitted Hidayat. “Really focused on you, yourself, and your character development. In the meantime, let’s go to competitions and who knows, you could win something. Just keep improving for that, but really, the training in that school is not the competition. It’s the youth development and everything else that’s in the school. I feel like the more people that know there is this kind of space with this kind of mentality and vision, people can relate to it and then just come join.”
To learn more about Judo Ju-jistsu Madison and find ways to get engaged with or support the studio, visit their website here.
