Youth judo · Santa Rosa, CA

Learn to fall. Learn to rise.

Judo for kids ages 6–15, taught by volunteer black belts. We build confidence, respect, and real skill — on the mat and off it. Every skill level, every ability, every budget welcome.

Enroll now How it works

Registration open · Tue & Thu, 5:45–6:45pm

Shining Together Judo students and coaches smiling together in their judogi on the blue mats
AgesKids 6–15
All skill levels
Class timeTue & Thu
5:45–6:45pm
LocationFinley Community Center
Valley Oak Room
AffiliationUSJA Chartered Club
#CA4344

About our program

Judo for everyone who steps on the mat.

Our goal is to make the art and sport of judo accessible to all — regardless of skill level, fitness level, training focus, age, income, or disability.

Shining Together is a community not-for-profit judo program. Before COVID we ran kids and adult classes at our previous locations. Today we share the mats at the Finley Center with the Santa Rosa Judo Club — they run the ongoing adult series, so we're focused on rebuilding our kids program. A teen program (13–16) is planned for the future.

  • Safe falling (ukemi) first — kids learn to land before they learn to throw
  • Throws, pins, and groundwork taught at each child's pace
  • Real rank promotions through the USJA belt system
  • Tournament opportunities for kids who want to compete — never required
A green-belt student standing proudly on the mat at promotion night The class practising breakfalls on the blue mats at Finley Center while Coach Dennis watches A young yellow-belt student looks up at Coach Dennis, who smiles down at him

Class enrollment · Now open

Getting started is four steps.

Register with the City of Santa Rosa

  1. Register for class

    Sign up through the City of Santa Rosa Recreation portal. Kids 6–15, all skill levels — no experience needed.

  2. Join the USJA

    A United States Judo Association membership is required within 14 days. It covers insurance and makes rank promotions official.

  3. Get a judogi

    An approved uniform is required. We stock white and blue Fuji judogi at club prices — see the shop.

  4. Watch for your welcome email

    It has everything you need for your first class: what to bring, where to park, and what to expect.

5:45 – 6:45pm

Finley Community Center, Valley Oak Room · 2060 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa

Questions? Ask us
First classBlack belt

Inside a class

Grip. Throw. Pin. Repeat.

Every class mixes warm-ups and breakfalls, technique with a partner, and supervised practice. Here's what that looks like on the mat.

Nage-waza Throws. Yes, students get to throw the head coach.
Katame-waza Groundwork. Pins and escapes, taught step by step.
Shiai Competition. Optional, and a big confidence boost.

The two principles of judo

Where our name comes from.

Portrait of Kano Jigoro, founder of judo
Kano Jigoro (1860–1938)Founder of judo. Photo: Kodokan.

Jita Kyoei

Mutual welfare and benefit

We get better by helping each other get better. Your partner isn't an opponent — they're the reason you can learn at all. It's the idea behind our name: shining, together.

Read more at the Kodokan →

Seiryoku Zenyo

Maximum efficiency

Use your energy in the best possible way. In judo, a smaller student can throw a bigger one with good timing and balance. Off the mat, it's how we teach kids to think before they act.

Read more at the Kodokan →

Meet the staff

Black belts who volunteer their evenings.

Coach Dennis McCarter smiling in a blue judogi
SanDan · 3rd Degree

Dennis McCarter

Head Coach

  • 3rd Degree Black Belt
  • USJA Life Member
  • Founding Board Member
Coach Christopher Fraze smiling in a white judogi
NiDan · 2nd Degree

Christopher Fraze

Coach

  • 2nd Degree Black Belt
  • USJA Life Member
  • Founding Board Member
Coach Amy Carlisle smiling in a white judogi
SanDan · 3rd Degree

Amy Carlisle

Coach

  • 3rd Degree Black Belt
  • USJA Life Member
Kristina Baker smiling in a white judogi beside the mat at Finley Center
ShoDan · 1st Degree

Kristina Baker

Admin

  • 1st Degree Black Belt
  • USJA Life Member
  • Founding Board Member

Coach McCarter's Community Activism

Featured by the City of Santa Rosa's Multicultural Roots Project: how Coach Dennis grew up in Roseland and founded Shining Together as a nonprofit so kids facing financial barriers could still train.

Read the story
A large group of judoka in white and blue judogi posing together on the mat
Our judo family: decades of training, competing, and teaching together.

Our roots

Thirty years training together.

Our coaches met as students in the Santa Rosa Junior College judo program, taught by Coach Terry Kelly.

We've been doing judo together for more than 30 years: training side by side, competing, earning our black belts, and teaching. Somewhere along the way, those training partners became family.

When we started having kids of our own, we wanted them to grow up with what judo gave us: lifelong friendships, respect for every partner, and the confidence to get back up. So we started Shining Together, to carry judo on to the next generation.

30+ years of judo together

Founded in 2011

Coach Terry Kelly, smiling, with his arms around Coach Amy Carlisle, both in blue judogi on the mat at the SRJC gym
Coach Terry Kelly with Coach Amy Carlisle at the SRJC gym, 2002.

On the mat

More on Instagram
A student throws Coach Dennis during partner practice
Throwing the head coach
A grinning young boy throws a classmate onto the mat
Nage-waza · throws
A coach hands a young girl her new yellow belt at promotion night
Belt promotion
Coach Chris laughing as students pile on top of him during practice
Fun is part of the plan
Two students grappling from their knees during groundwork practice
Ne-waza randori
Two students practising a groundwork pin
Ne-waza · groundwork
Three students with their medals at the Vacaville tournament
Vacaville tournament
A coach kneels beside a student to adjust her throwing technique
One-on-one coaching
A student in blue throws a partner in white onto the mat
Uchikomi · repetition
A line of students holding their new belts, one playfully chewing his
New belts, big day
A young student stands facing a line of black-belt coaches at promotion night
Promotion night
A young judoka holds a trophy next to Coach Dennis
First trophy
Shining Together Judo kids lined up in their judogi with coaches after class
Class photo
Coach Chris kneels to fix a small student's belt while another waits
Our early years

Club shop

Gear up for day one.

Visit the shop
White Fuji single weave judogi

Fuji Judogi — White

Single weave. Approved for class.

$45
Blue Fuji single weave judogi

Fuji Judogi — Blue

Single weave. Required for tournaments.

$62
USJA Promotion Manual

USJA Promotion Manual

The official rank requirements guide.

$55
USJA Membership

USJA Membership

Required within 14 days. Join direct at usja.net.

usja.net

Already a Shining Together family?

Log in to the members area for schedules, announcements, promotion tracking, and payments.

Members login

Contact us

Come watch a class.

Parents are welcome to watch any class before signing up. Call, text, or email — we'll get back to you.

Get in touch

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