Our instructors have spent many years devoted to training in the art of Judo and other martial arts and have attained a certain level of expertise to qualify them as teachers and also mentors.

Through extensive testing, certification and tournament level competition, our staff has attained mastery in this martial art and now enjoy sharing their skill and passing it to their students. Here are a few of Red River Judo instructors starting with Vern Borgen.

Vern Borgen – 5th Dan Zen Judo, 5th Dan Judo, 3rd Dan Goshin Budo Jujitsu

Professor Borgen served with the U.S. Army in Japan from 1971 through 1977, it was there that he was introduced to Japanese culture and the martial arts.Mr. Borgen has been teaching a judo class and coaching the judo club at NDSU since 1979. Over 3,000 students have taken the one hour credit class at NDSU and in 1984 NDSU recognized Mr. Borgen for his teaching and gave him the academic rank of Adjunct Professor. Mr. Borgen competed in shiai at many regional championships and at U.S. Judo Nationals on 3 occassions in kata (forms.) Mr. Borgen is the founder and current president of Gentle Ways, inc.; a not for profit corporation that supports many judo programs in the upper Midwest. Mr. Borgen is a Facility Engineer for a U.S. Government Research Laboratory.

Dane Ankeny – 1st Dan Judo

Mr. Ankeny is an assistant instructor at Red River Judo. Mr. Ankeny began practicing wrestling at the age of 5. While at college he was a member of the NDSU Varsity Wrestling Team, many times NCAA Division II National Champions. M. Ankeny began his study of Judo with Vern Borgen at NDSU in 1996. Ankeny has competed quite successful at a national level, while not winning any medals in the tough men’s divisions he has won matches against some stiff competition. M. Ankeny is a manager at a local hardware store.

Mr. Scott is an assistant instructor at Red River Judo. Mr. Scott began his study of martial arts with Aikido in 1997. He began studying Judo with Vern Borgen at NDSU in 1998. Mr. Scott has competed at several regional tournaments. Mr. Scott is marketing manager for a large equipment dealer.

Mr. Jones is an assistant instructor at Red River Judo. Mr. Jones began practicing wrestling at the age of 11. He was a member of the NDSU Varsity Wrestling Team and began his study of Judo with Vern Borgen at NDSU in 1998. Mr. Jones has competed at several regional tournaments. Mr. Jone is a civil engineer.

Ms. Seaborn is an associate instructor at Red River Judo.

Ms. Seaborn currently is the secretary for the United States Judo Federation Kata Develpment Committe and an assistant camp director for the annual Joshi Judo Camp which was founded by Sensei Keiko Fukuda, 9th Dan, the highest ranking female judo master in the world. Jana begin her study of Judo at NDSU in 1985 under the instruction of Vern Borgen. While training with Vern Borgen she began to compete nationally in shiai and kata. In 2001 she won a silver medal at US Judo Nationals in Women’s Master’s Shiai and in 2002 she and her kata partner, Frances Glaze, won a gold medal at U.S. Judo Nationals for their performance of the Goshin Jitsu. Ms. Seaborn is an electrical engineer and works for NDSU.