Subsequently, she devoted her life to training in high-level structures, as well as in judo clubs where she taught judo to all generations. Particularly attached to the pedagogy of judo, she has more recently developed a very gentle approach called Zen Judo.
It is not surprising and it is quite deserved that Marie-Paule obtained her eighth Dan at the beginning of the year. 8th Dan, that is a remarkable achievement! She became the first woman to obtain this grade in the East of France and thus joins Bernard Messner, who has been at the same grade for a few years.
As International Women’s Day, celebrated by the IJF each year, approaches, Marie-Paule Panza takes stock of what she thinks encourages women to stay in judo and reveals to us what kept her in the sport.
"I was a high-level competitor. I devoted many years of my life to performance but I must also say that judo is much more than that. When I look back, I see that competition is only one part of my life as a judoka. There is so much to learn in all areas.
Today, I believe that for girls and women to flourish in our sport, we must allow them to find the keys to self-confidence. Those who compete, we know that they will often, in one way or another, continue to practise or stay close to the world of judo. But what can we do for all the others?
Through the practice of self-defence we have a lever for action. Doing judo is learning to understand yourself, it is developing an awareness of your own body and it is taking ownership of it. For instance, we can develop these abilities through the practice of kata, which is gentler than competition. It is important to approach judo in all its dimensions.
You also have to work while following the evolution of your body. A young woman of 15 or 20 is not the same at 30, 40 or 50. As women, we must understand that there is no point in playing with the physical dimension. We are and will remain less powerful than men. It is physiological. But we have other possibilities, other opportunities. There are so many different facets to judo. Judo is a 'multipass' to discover a world of unexpected richness.
For my part, I remained hooked on judo because since the age of twelve, I have had the chance to be able to teach judo. I like it, it is as simple as that. I need to share my knowledge, while continuing to deepen it. If I can't pass something on, I'm not interested."
This desire to teach and pass things on is what Marie-Paule Panza found in practising the sport, which she has loved since she was very young. Now an 8th dan, by her own admission, she still has a lot to learn, but above all she still has a lot to pass on to generations of judoka. Her message for women, "Believe in yourself. Have confidence in yourself. Know that you can do it. My 8th dan today is proof of that."
Photos © Isabelle Geiger