INSTRUCTORS

– ISKRA STANCHEVA DROZDZIK

Iskra began her Judo career at the age of 9 at the SPARTAK Sport Club in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. At 12 years old she won her first National Championship and would go on to win the title 7 more times. She was a member of the Judo Girls National Team and the Women’s National Team, where she won medals from the Balkan Games and many other international championships. In addition to her Judo career, Iskra was also a Russian Sambo medalist, having won bronze twice at the European Championships.

Iskra pursued a higher education at the National Sport Academy in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria, where she graduated with a major in Judo. There she was honored in the Sport Club of the NSA and twice became Women Senior National Champion at 57kg. After graduating, she worked as a Judo coach for the CSKA/Central Sport Club of the Army. Under Iskra’s tutelage, her students won many medals on the national and international stage.

In 2004, Iskra moved to US. She had a vision to one day open a Judo club and continue the Spartak lineage. Her vision would finally become a reality in 2019 when she opened SPARTAK ATL. Her goal is to build a team that can compete in national and international arenas.

As a highly qualified Judo instructor, Iskra is modest, hard-working and always carries herself in a professional manner. Her attention to detail and ability to connect with students can be seen in the way she conducts her classes.

In addition to her Judo accolades, Iskra is a certified instructor for Suples Training System and Bulgarian Bag workout.