This summer, National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) Sports Council was invited to assist on the medical team at the 2025 U.S. Open Judo Championship for the third year in a row.
The U.S. Open Judo Championship is an annual tournament with over 2,000 athletes registered from all over the world and is supported by the USA Judo, a nonprofit organization that represents all areas of judo practitioners. This year’s tournament took place at the Broward Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
A Decade of Service
Dr. Carlo Guadagno has brought Sports Council to volunteer at the U.S. Open Judo Championships multiple times over the past decade. This year, about a dozen students from both Ill. and Fla., along with Carlo Guadagno, DC, and Vasilios Nenos, DC, attended the event and treated nearly 100 athletes.
“The U.S. Open Judo is where athletes accumulate points for national standings. This is how Olympic and world championship teams form in this sport. It’s an important tournament, and they really appreciate our hands-on services – we’re pretty busy constantly. We’ll have a half a dozen tables going at a time,” Dr. Guadagno said. “We’re the only university invited to attend and treat.”
Since judo is a contact sport, Dr. Guadagno emphasizes that the students focus on soft tissue treatments including utilizing vibration percussion tools, instrument assisted tissue mobilization tools, taping and stretching techniques.
From Mentor to Medalist
Dr. Guadagno enjoys practicing judo as a hobby. While supervising the students, he also takes part in the sport himself. This was his seventh year participating.
“The Wednesday before the tournament, I had suffered a pretty severe bicycle crash, and I did not expect to participate in fighting at all. Due to the students’ help, I felt good enough that I ended up being able to participate. I even was able to make it to the podium with the silver medal. Without the support of my students, I would not have been able to do that,” Dr. Guadagno said.
Athletes and Students Share Success
Dr. Guadagno cherished a memorable moment from this year’s competition when medal-winning athletes expressed their gratitude to the chiropractic team for their support in achieving success.
He expressed his pride when observing how the students engaged with the athletes during treatment. Regardless of the competition outcome or language barrier, the students succeeded in making every athlete feel comfortable and understood. Dr. Guadagno highlighted that this opportunity not only provides the students with practical hands-on learning, but also allows them to refine their bedside manner, teamwork skills and build their confidence.
“When you work at events like this, your level of confidence is brought to a crest. One thing is working in the confines of your clinic where everything is controlled, but working in the chaotic environment of a live contest really elevates your confidence as a future physician,” Dr. Guadagno said.
“So, I am always so proud of my students. I just love seeing them in action and how they practice their classroom skills on actual athletes in the heat of competition. I’m proud to see not only how well they worked with the athletes, but also how well they worked together. It was really nice getting to see the joy on their faces when helping these athletes achieve their goals. They are the ambassadors for our profession,” Dr. Guadagno said.
Strengthening NUHS’ Role in Judo
He extended his gratitude to the administration for approving this opportunity, consistently offering their support and trusting sports council to excel at this event. He hopes to make this an annual volunteer initiative for the club and emphasizes that any student of any trimester is welcome to join.
