Athletes of the week: Lucas and Jeff Allen

It began seven years ago when father and son Jeff and Lucas Allen decided to take up Judo as a way to spend more time together. It was a fun, active hobby that quickly became a passion for both of them.

“I like competing and all of the techniques that you can incorporate into your fighting and there’s always room to improve,” says Lucas.

They did well in competitions close to home, which prompted them to travel further afield to compete. Jeff says Judo isn’t just a sport—it’s like a big family. “It doesn’t matter where in the world you go to a Judo club, they will welcome you with open arms hoping to learn something or maybe teach you something.”

When competing, they have each other to help train, warm up, coach and support like a father and son team should.

Jeff enjoys competing to see how far he can push himself and what level he can make it to next. “I want to win more competitions and eventually one day get a Gold medal at the World Judo Championships.”

Lucas works to improve with every competition and hopes to one day earn his black belt in Judo.

As Lucas’s coach, Jeff has watched his son’s skills evolve. “Lucas is a very smart fighter. He learns from his mistakes and adjusts quickly to the win. It’s amazing being able to coach him and to watch him grow.”

Lucas says his best moment so far was when he won the Florida State Championship in February 2018. “They were hard fights but I ended up coming home with a Gold for Canada.” Lucas is also the 2018 U.S. National Champion and he won two Gold medals earlier in the year in Judo tournaments in Barrie and in Orillia.

Above: Lucas Allen after winning the Florida State Championships (left) and Jeff Allen at the Bay State Games in Boston in July 2018 (Photos by Crystal Allen)

Jeff names his Bronze medal from the World Judo Championships as his best Judo experience so far. He faced a tough competitor from Spain who weighed more than 400 pounds and stood more than six-feet three-inches tall. “Having my son on the sidelines coaching me, my wife on the sidelines cheering me on, and to come home with a bronze medal after meeting the biggest person I’ve ever faced… I was proud to bring Canada home a Bronze medal.” He feels he has the motivation and encouragement to work harder and to push himself to be the 2018 World Heavyweight gold medalist.

Among Jeff’s many accomplishments are the 2015 Heavyweight Judo Champ of Canada, the 2016 World Heavyweight Bronze medalist, and the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Heavyweight Judo Champ.

Both Lucas and Jeff would like to thank everyone who has sponsored them over the years to help get them to where they have needed to be to compete:

Scott Doughty from Hidden Valley Resort
Dallas Clark from Hypervision Signs
Scott Festing from Festing Toyota
Rolston Home Building Centre
Phil Hope from Hope’s Foodland in Novar
Jamie Lockwood from Sutton Group Muskoka
Matt Schneider from Muskoka Custom Insulation
Jim McCarron from Wilshire Works
Ron and Chris Muirhead from the Huntsville Judo Club

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