Geof Gleeson

Geof Gleeson (1927–1994) was a British judoka. Teacher: Trevor Leggett. He went to Japan 1952-55 where he was the first westerner to serve as a special research student at the Kodokan Judo Institute.^[1] He studied most martial arts: Judo, Kendo, Akido, Bōjutsu, Jujitsu, Karate, and also studied Zen Buddhism. First kenshusei post World War II.^[2] Posthumously awarded 9th Dan.

He was captain of the first British team to win the European championships and was appointed national coach in 1960.^[1]

Selected publications

• Gleeson, Geof (1975) All About Judo, EP Publishing Ltd, Cranford. ISBN 0-7158-0590-8
• Gleeson, Geof (1967) Judo for the West, A.S. Barnes and Company, Cranford.
• Gleeson, Geof (1993) Judo Inside Out: A Cultural Reconciliation, Lepus Books, Wakefield. ISBN 0-86019-100-1

References

1. Jack Murray, "British Coach Analyzes U.S. Judo", Black Belt magazine, February 1973, pp 24-25.
2. Orlando, Bob (1997). Martial Arts America: A Western Approach to Eastern Arts. Frog Books. p. xxi. ISBN 978-1-883319-67-0.