Call her sensei: Martial arts a saving grace for 69-year-old

Don't call her Ms. Braziel. Call her Sensei Braziel.

Maureen Braziel, 69, has been involved in martial arts for 50 years. Her walls are filled with photos and trophies from her pioneering competition career.

Marcus Martin, a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, met Braziel at the Las Vegas Martial Arts Academy, 7450 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 112, and was surprised to learn of her many accomplishments.

"One does not just walk in off the street, as I did, and meet a world champion of her caliber at a small mom-and-pop local school," he said. "It is a lightning strike (moment) to meet her and have her be my coach."

Martin added that Braziel's training helped him take a silver medal in the senior division at the 2014 Winter Nationals in Azusa, Calif., in December.

A Sun City Summerlin resident, Braziel grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and admitted to being a tomboy as a child. Because of an alcoholic stepfather, she said she avoided being at home as much as possible.

"I grew up like a street kid," she said. "I was a good kid, but I stayed out late."

At 19, she discovered martial arts through a friend and with it, her direction in life. She began with karate, learning blocking, punching and kicking.

"It was like it was made for me," said Braziel, who is 5 feet, 9 inches tall. "I had a lot of pent-up anger, and it changed my life because I could channel that (anger)."

In 1970, she went to Japan to train for six weeks in judo and karate. Classes began with drums being beaten, a tradition that set the tone. She practiced against men because there were few women in the sport at the time.

It was judo that really took off as a sport and would be included in the Olympics. Judo is a derivative of jiu-jitsu. The meaning of judo is "peaceful way." Besides self-defense applications, devotees enjoy spirit-building, physical conditioning and agility, as well as the satisfaction that comes from self-improvement. Braziel began competing just as judo was getting a foothold as a fashionable sport. It was also a time when it was heralded as a man's sport, so she was a trailblazer for other women who would compete.

Her best friend, the late Rusty Kanokogi, is the subject of a film in development. While disguised as a man, Kanokogi beat men at a YMCA judo shiai (tournament) in the late 1950s, when women were not allowed to compete. When tournament officials realized Kanokogi was a woman, they stripped her of her medal. It was returned to her 50 years later, along with an apology.

Braziel and Kanokogi were good friends, and because of them, women around the globe now train and compete in the sport.

"We called it 'playing' judo," Braziel said.

"Playing judo" would result in a broken collarbone and a pinched nerve for Braziel, who went on to become a sixth-degree black belt in judo and a third-degree black belt in Seido karate.

Her long list of accomplishments for competing in judo include: a gold medal in the 1967-77 East Coast Championships; a gold medal at the 1978-82 Empire State Games; a gold medal at the 1974-77 AAU Judo championships (now USA Judo) and grand champion in 1974, '76 and '77; silver and bronze medals in the 1972 British Open Judo Championships; a gold medal in the 1975 Swiss Open Judo Championships; gold and silver medals in the 1976 British Open Judo Championships; a gold medal in the 1977 1st Pan American Judo Championships; a bronze medal in the 1977 British Open Judo Championships; and a silver medal in the U.S. Open Judo Championships.

She also worked as a referee from 1974 to 2005.

"I didn't have a lot of time left; (at) my age, I was coming to the end of my competition days," she said. "It was very disappointing."

She stepped back and stopped competing, saying her time had run out.

"It was hard to let go," she said.

Braziel began a 30-year career at what is now the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, from 1982 to 2012. She started the judo team there in 1982 and coached it until her retirement, ending her career as the athletic director and expanding the athletic program from seven to 14 sports.

She also coached the USA team in 1984 and 1985.

Braziel moved to Summerlin in 2012 and now does volunteer teaching at the Las Vegas Martial Arts Academy. Next up for her: climbing Machu Picchu.

For more information about the Las Vegas Martial Arts Academy, visit lvmaa.org or call 702-395-3007.

— To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.