Earlier this year, in 2024, Joshua Singleton, who resides in Flagler County with his parents, became the first African American Youth to compete and place in the USSF National Sumo Competition. His story is unique because, before the competition, he had only trained for Sumo for six months.
Joshua has been an avid football player since roughly age ten. His desire to play in the NFL led him and his parents to connect with Coach Lindee – a UCF alumni – in Daytona Beach for offensive lineman training. Coach Lindee explained to Joshua that the offensive lineman technique mirrored Sumo wrestling closely at the NFL level. He gave him a book on Sumo wrestling, not knowing it would ignite a second passion for Sumo. One year later, after receiving the book, Joshua took silver at the USSF National Sumo 2024 competition after training for only six months with Sumo coach Mark Jones, a Sumo champion himself.
After placing 2nd in the national USSF Sumo nationals at 16 years old, the JSA (Japanese Sumo Association) reached out and requested that Joshua come to Japan to train with them. Joshua plans to take them up on the offer after football season is over this summer. His goals include more Sumo competitions as well, with a possible competition this upcoming February in Florida and a desire to compete in the USSF Sumo Nationals again in 2025, where his goal is to take the Gold.
Joshua Singleton is a pioneer, with both of his parents cheering him on, as he is the first African American youth (under 18) to both compete and place in a Sumo tournament. What started as a way to improve his football techniques as an offensive lineman has now progressed into a second sport, where Joshua excels.
