When Kristoffer Stakun and his 10-year-old son Jeremy from Lima Judoklubb in Sweden first heard they were heading to a Kids Camp in Budva, Montenegro, it came as a complete surprise.
“It was a shock, but a beautiful one,” Kristoffer smiles, seated near the mats where dozens of young judoka from across Europe laugh, train and form bonds that cross languages and borders. This was their first camp. First time in Montenegro. First time stepping into a world where judo isn’t just a sport it is a language, a family.
“Coming here, seeing how everything is organised, meeting these incredible people, it’s hard to put into words,” Kristoffer says. “You meet two kinds of people in life: those who want to show off, and those who want to show you how wonderful something can be. Here, we met the second kind everywhere we turned.“
“The most important thing I will take with me from this camp is the people,” he continues. “Warm-hearted, welcoming, genuine, from the youngest kids to the most experienced masters. Watching Jeremy train with them, seeing the smiles, the respect, the friendships forming, it’s more than sport. It’s life lessons unfolding on a tatami.”

Jeremy’s journey with judo started almost by accident. They attended an open day at a local club, just curious. But something clicked not because someone pushed him but because, in judo, Jeremy found something that felt like home. “As a parent, it means everything,” Kristoffer says. “He doesn’t need me to push him to go to training. He loves it. It’s his thing and through it, I see him growing becoming more confident, more proud of himself, more open to the world around him.”
Watching his son at the camp, among kids from all over Europe, was a moving experience. “You could see it, the kids didn’t care about where someone came from, what language they spoke, what religion they followed. On the mat, none of that mattered. It was pure. They cheered for every winner and showed real empathy for those who lost. It was judo at its most honest.”
For Kristoffer, seeing Jeremy blossom both as a young judoka and as a person is a gift.“My heart grows watching him,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “He’s starting to believe in himself. To see that he is good at something and in a way, it’s not just about judo. It’s about life. It’s about standing taller, being prouder, daring to be open and kind.” Their first kids camp draws to a close but Kristoffer knows it won’t be their last.
Author: Szandra Szogedi