World Championships IJF-A Referee Sharon Landstreet
For Sharon Landstreet refereeing always felt natural because of her experience as a certified high school softball umpire. After taking up refereeing in Judo she progressed up the referee ladder to National, then Pan American Confederation, and then IJF Continental.
After Sharon earned IJF Continental (IJF-B) she knew she needed to gain valuable experience, so in the years to come she refereed in approximately two dozen international tournaments throughout North America, Central America, South America and Europe.
In 2015 she passed her IJF International referee examination in Bolivia. Her big break came in 2017 when she was selected to referee the high level elite IJF tournaments.
Her first was in March 2017 at the Tbilisi Grand Prix in Georgia immediately followed by the Antalya Grand Prix in Turkey.
In June Sharon was sent to the Cancun Grand Prix in Mexico. During the tournament a fellow referee came over and congratulated her. Sharon asked “For what?” and was informed she was selected by the IJF Commission to referee the 2017 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary August 28- September 3, 2017. Sharon was pleasantly surprised by this honor. As such she refereed the best of the best. This was an experience she will never forget.
Landstreet refereeing World and Olympic Champion Teddy Riner at 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary
The IJF Commission is an extremely well organized to the smallest detail and very professional. World referees must be the same way. Sharon has bonded and made supportive friendships with several of her fellow referees from other countries on the circuit.
Sharon Landstreet refereeing at 2017 World Championships, Budapest
So what’s next for Sharon? In January she was approved to attend the IJF Rules Seminar in Austria sponsored by the EJU then will immediately fly to Tunisia to referee the Tunis Grand Prix. Sharon plans to also attend the IJF Rules Seminar hosted by the PJC in Nicaragua. At the end of February Sharon will referee the Dusseldorf Grand Slam in Germany.
Sharon’s key mentors in Shufu have been Dick Hugh, Jimmy Takemori, Roy Englert, Jr., and Dr. Gary Berliner. Sharon’s one regret is that Jimmy Takemori was not around when she passed her IJF International referee examination and her selection to referee the 2017 Senior World Championships. Personally I believe he was looking down smiling.
Sharon Landstreet refereeing Team Category at the 2017 World Championships, Budapest
