BECKY SCOTT
World and Pan American Games Sambo Champion
Becky won 4 National Judo Championships and 6 National Sambo Championships, was a member of numerous international judo teams, winning medals in international judo competition as well.  Becky is a pioneer in women's judo in the United States, competing in the early days of women's judo and going on to become a coach of international judo teams as well, including the World Junior Judo Championships. Becky is regarded as one of the toughest and most skilled female judo and sambo athletes to ever come from the United States and certainly from Welcome Mat.

CORINNA WEST
Member, 1996 U.S. Olympic Judo TeamCorinna won numerous national judo championships on the junior, high school, collegiate and senior levels.  She won the Silver Medal at the 1995 Pan American Games in judo and was a member of many international judo teams.  She also won the Pacific Rim Judo Championship as well as other major international events. Corinna also won the annual Pan American Sambo Championships.  Corinna was a member of the U.S. Olympic Center Judo Squad for several years and has trained and competed in over 20 different countries.

CHRIS HECKADON
World Sambo Champion
Chris won National Sambo Championships in both the junior and senior levels and was a national champion in both the junior and senior levels in the sport of judo as well.  A varsity wrestler for Central Missouri State University, Chris was known for combining his experience and skill in a variety of different mat sports to win in every type of grappling he tried.  Chris won the Millinimum Man Submission Grappling Championship in 2000 at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Expo and won the National Judo AAU Grand Championship as well. Chris also won the National Shingitai Jujitsu Championships and is one of the few athletes in the United States to win national championships in judo, sambo and sport jujitsu. Chris Heckadon is one of the toughest and most rugged athletes to ever train at Welcome mat.

JAN TRUSSELL
World and Pan American Games Sambo Champion
Jan won national judo championships in the junior, high school, collegiate and senior levels and won national championships in sambo in both the junior and senior levels.  Like her sister, Becky Scott, Jan represented the United States in numerous international judo and sambo events and won the Pacific Rim Judo Championships, the annual Pan American Judo Championships and numerous other events.  Jan was highly skilled in newaza (groundfighting) and scored a lot of wins with her excellent groundfighting skills.  Jan was a member of the U.S. Olympic Center Judo Squad in Colorado Springs, Colorado for several years. Jan is considered one of the best lightweight female judo and sambo athletes ever to come from the United States as well as her home club at Welcome Mat.

SHAWN WATSON
National Champion in Judo, Sambo and Sport Jujitsu
Shawn won national judo championships in the junior, collegiate and senior levels and is one of the few individuals in the United States to win national championships in judo, sambo and sport jujitsu.  Shawn won the National Shingitai Jujitsu Championship as well as national championships in sambo on both the junior and senior levels.  Shawn has traveled the world extensively and has trained and competed in at least 25 countries.  Shawn was a member of the U.S. Olympic Center Judo Squad in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Shawn lived and trained in Japan for several years, working with some of the top coaches at Tokai University, the Kodokan Judo Institute and the Tokyo Police dojo.  Known for his aggressive fighting style and skillful technical ability, Shawn had few flaws in his fighting style and could win with a throw as well as a groundfighting technique with equal skill.  Shawn is known as one of Welcome Mat's toughest and most skillful fighters ever.

KENNEY BRINK
World Junior Sambo Bronze Medal Winner
Kenney won numerous national judo championships in the junior and high school categories and won national sambo championships in the junior and senior categories.  Kenney competed on numerous international judo and sambo teams and was known for his well-rounded ability both standing and in groundfighting.  Kenney was a member of the U.S. Olympic Center Judo Training Squad and considered as one the best judo athletes to ever train at Welcome Mat, Kenney was a rugged, skilled fighter who was equally at home doing sambo as judo.  One of the best technicians to ever train at Welcome Mat.

EVETTE TAYLOR
World Junior Sambo Bronze Medal Winner
Evette won many junior national judo and sambo championships and was one of the most successful junior athletes ever from Welcome Mat.  Evette was known for her aggressive style in both judo and sambo, but she was more well-known in national judo events.  Evette was one of many outstanding female judo athletes who were developed at Welcome Mat.

WARREN FRANK
World Sambo Silver Medal Winner
Warren won numerous national and international championships in the junior, high school and senior categories in both judo and sambo and his style of fighting was made for the sport of sambo.  A tough, aggressive athlete, even the few people who managed to beat Warren were far more worse for the wear than not.  His nickname of "War Zone" was appropriate.  Warren was a member of the U.S. Olympic Center Judo Squad and his all-out style of grappling make him one of the most respected members of Welcome Mat ever.

LARRY AND CHRIS LEIN
Jujitsu Pioneers and National Medal Winners
Larry and his son Chris have been active members of Welcome Mat since they moved to Kansas City in 1980 when Larry was still with the Federal Bureau of Investivation.  Well-rounded in a variety of martial arts, especially Shingitai Jujitsu and judo, the Leins were instrumental in getting Shingitai Jujitsu as a major part of Welcome Mat's coaching program. As athletes, Chris won several national junior championships in sambo and Larry won the National AAU Masters' Judo Championship. The Leins are highly respected in the field of Law Enforcement training and are the founders of the CLAMP, GRASP and STARR training programs for law enforcement. Both Larry and Chris are well-respected and have been a positive influence at Welcome Mat.

KEN CABEAN
National Sambo Champion
Ken won numerous regional championships in judo, but his real success came in the sport of sambo.  Known for the power of his tai otoshi (body drop throw), Ken threw a number of opponents so hard, they were knocked cold from the force of the fall.  Ken's good-natured disposition changed when he stepped on the mat as a fighter and he was a tough man to beat.  A major back injury cut his athletic career short, and had it not been for this injury, Ken would have been successful on the international level of sambo as well.

RICHARD LAZOTT
National Judo Champion
Rich won numerous junior, high school, collegiate and senior national judo championships and was a rugged, well-conditioned grappler.  An outstanding high school wrestler, Rich devoted his talents to judo entirely after high school and was a member of the U.S. Olympic Center Judo Squad for several years.  Richard was a real threat to any opponent, as he could throw or go to the gound with equal outstanding ability.  Rich is one of the most gifted athletes to have ever trained at Welcome Mat.

JIM SCHNEWEIS
National Sambo Champion and Coach
Jim is one of the best coaches ever in any sport, but his speciality was high school wrestling, where he developed many state high school wrestling champions in both Kansas and Missouri.  Jim was a rugged grappler as well, winning the National Sambo Championship, as well as many local and regional sambo events.  Although a lightweight, Jim would grapple with anyone in any weight class and was known for his all-out style on the mat.  This photo shows Jim as a referee in a sambo match.  Jim also earned a black belt in judo and won state and regional championships in that sport as well. Jim coached many national and international sambo champions and is highly respected.

JOE ROBERTS
National Judo Champion
Joe won national judo championships on the junior, high school, collegiate and senior levels and competed internationally for many years.  Joe is considered by many experts as one of the best high school judo athletes ever in the United States.  Joe competed in both the World High School Judo Championships and the World University Games.  A well-rounded grappler, Joe could win by throwing an opponent or by taking him to the ground and securing a submission technique.  Joe was adapt at using his height to his advantage and was always in top shape.  One of the most popular athletes to ever compete at Welcome Mat, Joe is respected for his great attitude and desire to win.

GENE SMITH
National Judo Champion
Gene was born with cerebal palsy but he never allowed it to hinder his progress in judo. Gene's strong spirit and willpower were inspirational to anyone who came in contact with him and he is highly respected for his accomplishments.  Gene earned his black belt in judo doing everything everyone else had to do to get it.  Gene won the National High School Judo Championships and won the final match with a sankaku jime (triangle choke) to gain the victory.  Gene is one of the most respected athletes to ever train and Welcome Mat.

BRYAN POTTER
National Judo Champion
Bryan won numerous junior and high school championships on both the national and international levels.  One of the strongest and most well-conditioned athletes ever to come from Welcome Mat, Bryan had excellent skills and was equally dangerous standing as on the ground.  Had it not been for a serious motorcycle accident, Bryan would have won many more international events in judo.  Bryan is known for his tremendous willpower and fighting heart and is a well-respected member of Welcome Mat's Hall of Fame.

BILL WEST
National Judo Champion
Bill won numerous national and international judo championships on the junior, high school, collegiate and senior levels.  Known for his outstanding technical ability, Bill could throw opponents as well as make them tap out with his juji gatame (cross-bdy armlock).  Bill was a member of the U.S. Olympic Center Judo Squad for several years.  Bill is also known as a top junior judo coach in the United States and has coached numerous junior national judo champions.  Bill co-authored a book with Steve Scott on juji gatame (cross-body armlock) and is considered to be one of the best and most analytical technicians to ever come from Welcome Mat.