Isao
Wada was introduced to Judo at a relatively
late age. Although a charter member of the Gardena Judo Dojo in
1951 whose father had been instrumental in reviving the dojo,
he was already 17 when he began his training under the tutelage
of the late Tasuke Hagio (7th dan).
Wada Sensei was promoted to shodan in 1957; in 1960, he achieved yondan, and with it a first place in the Southern Pacific AAU Judo Championship in the 160 lb division. By the time he had achieved godan in 1974, he had made his competitive mark in the Nationals as well as Olympic eliminations, now having settled into the highly competitive 150 lb. bracket.
Wada Sensei was promoted to rokudan in 1989. He went on to win consecutive Senior National Master Championships in the 65 kg (143 lb.) division in 1990 (at age 56), '91, and '92. Back surgery in that year brought his competitive years to an end.
He was tournament director of the 1993 West Coast International Judo Championships held at UC Irvine which drew more than 200 competitors from all over the world; the following year he was co-director of the USJI Senior National Judo Championship with 600 participants. He was general chairman of the prestigious United States Judo Federation Junior Nationals and served as president of the Southern California Judo Black Belt Association 1994-95.
In 1994, Wada Sensei received the coveted US Judo Federation Coach of the Year award, the same year he officially became Head Instructor of Gardena Judo Club.
Isao Wada has been a partner in the Wada Nursery of Gardena with his brothers Kaoru and Sam for the past 40 years; he and his wife Mickie are the proud parents of three children and two grandchildren.
On August 6, 2001, the Gardena Judo Club held a banquet to celebrate Wada Sensei's promotion to 7th Dan; assistant instructor Mickey Matsumoto presented Wada Sensei with the poster pictured below, saying that he was a big man for all he had done for kids and was right up there with Shaq - then he unwrapped the poster:
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