Judo runs in the blood of the Litzenberger family.
Chad Litzenberger first started in judo when he was a kid.
He left the sport, but returned to it once he had kids of his own to get them involved in the sport he loved growing up.
It culminated with Litzenberger being a Team Saskatchewan judo coach at the Canada Winter Games this year in Red Deer, Alta., with two of his sons competing.
“For them to be two of the 14 athletes to compete in a multi-sport-games, it was an amazing experience,” Litzenberger said.
Maximus Litzenberger, 16, earned a bronze medal at the games, and his 14-year old brother, Euan, was also on the team.
The brothers said representing the province with their father coaching them is an experience they will never forget.
“All the opportunities that have been set out to do judo, and with my family, with my little brother, we were both there,” Maximus said
“It was amazing that I was there, to have my little brother there, it was just that much better”.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Euan.
“It was really cool,” Euan said.
“We drove up with the women’s hockey team, we always went to their games and they came to watch judo so it was pretty cool”.
The two brothers have competed and trained internationally and are now passing on what they have learned to their younger brother, 11-year-old Jude.
“I think it would be cool to go just for the experience, to compete against new people and to do what they did,” Jude said.
Litzenberger said with his three boys now involved in judo, it’s only a matter of time before they beat him.
“I told the boys when they were really young that if they beat me at anything, they were going to have to earn it,” Litzenberger said.
“That day is coming. Max, Euan and Jude would say that day is already here.”