New Judo Club started in Shaunavon

Posted on November 2, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Shaunavon Standard

A group of young athletes in Shaunavon began training last month for a sport entirely new to the community. The local judo club officially launched operations at the Shaunavon Elks Hall at the end of September.

The academy currently has 20 registered members, a turnout that exceeded the initial expectations of founder Logan Thiessen.

“I had no idea what to expect for numbers, or if there was going to be any interest at all,” laughed Thiessen. “I was kind of worried it was going to be just me and my daughter Nora. But the response has actually been really good.”

Thiessen is no stranger to the sport. He trained in judo for over two decades in Swift Current, beginning in 1992. He stepped away from the mats in 2013 when his family relocated to Shaunavon, but returned to the sport in 2023 after Nora expressed an interest in taking it up.

Initially, the family travelled to Swift Current twice a week for sessions. Nora trained and Logan offered coaching help at the club.

However, the commute, combined with a desire to diversify local recreational options, prompted Thiessen to establish a permanent club closer to home.

“Travelling twice a week to Swift Current was getting really old,”

Thiessen admitted. “So that was one of the main reasons we started looking at creating a club here. Plus, when you look at sports in Shaunavon, we don’t have that many alternative options. I wanted to give people the opportunity to try out a new sport.”

Launching a new athletic program always brings hurdles, and Thiessen faced two major challenges: finding a suitable venue and securing equipment.

Fortunately, both pieces fell into place quickly.

First, the club secured mats through an equipment-loan agreement with the Battlefords Judo Club. This was a big win, as purchasing the mats would typically cost thousands of dollars.

Second, the Shaunavon Elks Lodge stepped forward to solve the venue issue, offering a very affordable rental rate. The Elks also allowed the club to leave its roll-up mats in place between sessions, unless the floor space is specifically required for an upcoming community event.

“The Elks have been really good to us,” said Thiessen. “Just the fact that I don’t have to go there early to roll the mats out and pack them up after practice makes a big difference. At the end of practice, we can just turn the lights off and go home.”

Classes are held on Mondays and Thursdays and are structured by age. The junior group trains from 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM, followed by the older group from 7:15 PM to 8:30 PM. A few senior students participate in both sessions.

While the vast majority of the young participants are brand new to martial arts, Nora and a couple of other young athletes bring previous judo experience to the mats.

Because of the high volume of beginners, Thiessen’s instructional approach emphasizes breaking fundamental techniques down into small, manageable components.

“When you have a bunch of younger kids or newcomers to the sport, if you break it down step-by-step – just two or three steps at a time – they pick it up quickly,” Thiessen explained. “We get those down, add the next couple of steps, and by the end, they have the whole product.”

The academy’s inaugural competitive season runs through April, with several key dates already on the calendar. Experienced athletes will travel to tournaments in Watrous and Winnipeg later this month.

Meanwhile, a beginner-tier tournament in Swift Current in early December will serve as an introductory event for the club’s newer martial artists.

Looking ahead to the new year, Thiessen plans to host belt-grading examinations, which will qualify students to enter a wider range of regional events. As a certified coach, Thiessen can grade club members up to the brown belt level, while black belt testing is overseen by the provincial grading board.

The season will conclude in May. Nora is scheduled to compete at a major event in Raymond, Alberta, and the club has high hopes of qualifying at least one athlete for the National Championships.

Thiessen invites anyone interested in checking out the program to stop by the Elks Hall during practice sessions on Mondays or Thursdays. To encourage newcomers, the club offers a two-week free trial, allowing young athletes to experience the sport firsthand before making a financial commitment.