Send Rhadi, Chloe & Rufus to the Cadet & Junior Judo World Championships!

Why this matters

Three extraordinary teenagers from the DMV judo community—Rhadi Ferguson Jr. (15), Chloe Williams (17), and Rufus Ferguson (19)—have just earned the right to represent Team USA at the highest level of their sport:

Cadet World Championships – Sofia, Bulgaria – August 2025 (Rhadi & Chloe)

Junior World Championships – Amman, Jordan – October 2025 (all three)

Rhadi and Chloe are already Cadet Pan-American medalists. Rhadi and his older brother Rufus also made U.S. history this month, becoming the first African-American siblings ever named to the Junior World Team in the same year.

All three athletes are MASTERS Fellows—scholar-athletes supported by Martial Arts for Social Transformation, Equity & Rights (MASTERs) and train out of High Noon Judo under Dr. Christopher Round. Rufus also balances a full football schedule at Howard University, proving that discipline transfers from the tatami to the gridiron and the classroom.

The opportunity—and the challenge

USA Judo covers only a fraction of the cost of international competition. Families must shoulder the rest:

Expense Bulgaria (per athlete) Jordan (per athlete) Total (3 athletes)

Airfare $1,200 $1,300 $7,500

Lodging & meals $900 $900 $6,400

Event fees & insurance $350 $350 $2,100

Pre-event training camps $600 — $1,800

Total Need ≈ $16,500

Our goal is to reduce that burden—every cent will go directly toward these unavoidable costs. MASTERs will cover additional expenses through existing grants and in-kind support, but we need the wider community to close the gap.

Where your gift goes

Airfare & ground transport to Sofia and Amman

Hotel and meals during competition and training camps

Entry fees, coaching accreditations & sport insurance

Pre-world training camps that keep the athletes in peak form

All funds will be managed by MASTERs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible in the U.S.

Impact beyond medals

These young judoka are already role models for girls, Black athletes, and under-represented communities in combat sports. Their success shows that talent, grit, and proper support—not zip code or income—determine how far a child can go. By backing them, you amplify that message on two world stages.

How you can help

Donate what you can—$10 covers a training session; $50 feeds an athlete for a day; $250 handles a competition entry fee.

Share this campaign on your feed, in group chats, at your dojo or gym.

Follow their journey—we’ll post training updates, travel diaries, and live results so you can celebrate every step with them.

Thank you

On behalf of Rhadi, Chloe, Rufus, and the entire MASTERs & High Noon families, thank you for believing in young people who dream big and work even bigger. Together, we can place three American flags on three judogi in Bulgaria and Jordan—and inspire countless kids watching from home.

“We rise by lifting others.”

Help us lift these athletes all the way to the world stage.