Thirty years ago, when Yoko Fujii was a little girl, she went to her first judo class in Japan. It was her mother's idea. A little boy quickly threw Yoko on her head. She cried and didn't want to go back. Japan is a very traditional (पारंपारिक) country: women have certain roles and men have certain roles. Until recently, Japanese people thought it was not proper for a girl to participate (सहभागी व्हा) in a fighting (लढाई) sport.
But Yoko's mother told her to go back to the class! So why did her mother tell her to go back? What do you think?
Yoko went back to the class and by the time she finished high school she had won many judo awards.
Yoko is a quiet person. She is also humble (नम्र), as most Japanese people are. But she is very determined (निर्धारित) and focused (केंद्रित). She says that before she fights in a judo match, she believes she will win. She does not let herself be afraid. She does not let herself think of any other result but winning.
Today Yoko has done something very, very, very few women have done. She is the head coach for a men's national judo team. Even more, it is the Brazilian team—a successful, well-known team. In Brazil men are very "macho" (मर्को) and proud of being strong men. They believe that only men should do certain things. Most people were very surprised that a woman was named as the head coach of the Brazilian team, but Yoko has earned their respect. The men have warmly welcomed her and respect her skills, even though some of the men tower over her and weigh 2-3 times more than she does! They do not assume (गृहीत धरा) they could beat her in a judo match. They understand that she is there, working hard to make them successful. They do not care that she is a woman. They say she has already improved their skills. They call her by the respectful Japanese title, "Sensei Yoko" or, Teacher Yoko.
She says that one of the reasons she is successful is because she works hard to learn her opponents' (प्रतिस्पर्धी) weaknesses. When she learns their weaknesses (अशक्तपणा), she uses that knowledge to dominate (वर्चस्व) them.
Yoko must also make time for her husband and her little boy. She loves her family as much as she loves her work. We live in a time when roles for men and women are changing. How are they changing? Name some of the ways. Do you think all the changes are good?
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