Morris Named to USA Judo World Team Post

       Colorado Springs, Co (June 6, 2005) - Jason Morris has been named by USA Judo as the head coach of the team that will compete in the 2005 World Judo Championships in Cairo, Egypt, September 8-11, 2005.  Morris is fresh off his head coach duties for the US team at the Pan American Judo Union Championships in Puerto Rico last month, where the squad won 10 total medals including 4 gold.  Jason is a four-time Olympian (’88, ’92, ’96, ’00) and won a silver medal in Barcelona in 1992. He is currently owner/operator of the Jason Morris Judo Club (JMJC) based in Glenville, NY.

          Four members of the 14-member US team already train full time with Morris at his club: Carrie Chandler (52kg), Aaron Cohen (81kg), Katie Mocco (70kg) and Ronda Rousey (63kg). These four athletes also represent the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) as does Morris. "It's just going to be great to have our hometown coach with us at the worlds" said Carrie Chandler, one of only two women in the USA ranked at the highest, “A-level” classification. Morris has competed in five World Championships himself, winning a bronze medal in 1993 and never finishing lower than ninth, which came in 1991. Morris will look to draw on his World and Olympic experience to help the US team improve on its poor showing (1-18) at the last World championships in 2003.  "I am honored to have this opportunity,” said Morris. "Except for two players (women 48kg, and men 81kg), this is an entirely new World team so I expect this Worlds to be a great building block on the road to Beijing in 2008. I just hope to be able to help them prepare any way I can to give them the chance to perform at their maximum potential,” he continued.