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Last year, British Judo launched an innovative project aimed at addressing the significant issue of fall-related hospital admissions among older adults, which number hundreds of thousands each year. This initiative focuses on teaching older adults—and the wider general public—how to fall safely, maintain their balance, and get back up with ease. Through the Finding Your Feet sessions, participants learn adapted judo techniques specifically designed to enhance their stability and confidence.

Two clubs are currently running pilot programmes in Scotland, supported by JudoScotland. We had the opportunity to speak with Jim Feenan, the driving force behind the Safe Falling, Safe Standing initiative at Carnegie Judo Club, and Stuart McWatt, who is running a similar programme at Garioch Judo Club.

Jim Feenan explained, “The programme supports older individuals, with 12 participants currently involved. Many of these participants face various challenges. We’re helping participants become more comfortable moving around, correcting their posture, and improving stability while walking. A key focus is getting them onto the ground and teaching them how to fall safely—forward and backward.” This approach not only enhances their mobility but also addresses the common fear of falling.

Since its inception, participants have shown noticeable changes . “Since the start of the programme, we’ve seen significant improvements,” Jim said. “It’s about creating a safe environment for everyone involved.” The programme draws on British Judo’s Finding Your Feet principles, aiming to provide older adults—who may not have previous judo experience—with valuable skills.

Stuart McWatt, who led the pilot programme through Garioch Judo Club, shared his experiences: “I was speaking to a guy who does pickleball, and he mentioned that a couple of members have broken their wrists from falls. I thought we can help with that, so I told him about the British Judo initiative.”

Stuart recounted how he introduced the programme to participants: “We took them into the dojo, had a chat about why we’re doing it, and we started off with light movement. We then got them lying on the ground and working on our breakfalls. By the end of the hour, some of the group stopped using the crash mats and were doing it on the mats.”

Stuart added, “We got them moving with the pickleball rackets.” He also addressed their concerns, explaining, “You’re better off rolling when trying to land from a fall, we’re doing a follow-up session soon. We had a very nice open discussion on how best to do things.” He highlighted the need for such initiatives, noting, “I was speaking to a woman rom the NHS, and she said you wouldn’t believe how many injuries you get from pickleball, so there is definitely a need for it.”

The positive impact of the programme is also echoed by participants. Neil Wilson who’s attending Carnegie’s sessions shared: “Since being here I’ve learned a lot, it’s really handy and gives me a lot of confidence moving. When I feel I’m falling now I’m in control and know what to do. Jim’s very easy to work with and you feel relaxed as he goes at a pace which suits everyone.”

Similarly, Pat Naggle reflected on her experience, stating: “I’m very prone to falling and have been all my life so I felt this class was for me. The staff have been fabulous, it doesn’t matter about your level of ability – it’s really inclusive. We’re all beginning to gel as a group and the physical benefits are bringing us forward. I’d say to anyone thinking about joining the class to come and give it a shot, it doesn’t matter your ability, you’re going to be very well taken care of.”

Through the combined efforts of dedicated instructors and the commitment of participants, the Finding Your Feet initiative is proving to be a vital resource.

If you would like to learn more about safe falling techniques with judo. You can sign up to JudoScotland’s coaches information session on November 22nd here

We are thrilled to launch the brand new JudoScotland Kilt! Crafted from our bespoke tartan, specially designed and woven by House of Edgar using traditional Scottish manufacturing techniques, this kilt represents the pinnacle of quality. It’s fitting that the first of these remarkable kilts was crafted for the legendary Shohei Ono, who is currently residing in Scotland from his native Japan. The two-time Olympic judo champion proudly models the kilt, symbolising the strong connection between Scotland and the global judo community.

Shohei said ‘The kilt is very special to me as it connects my love for Scotland and judo. I hope that I can wear it well!’

All profits from the sale of the JudoScotland kilt will be used to directly support more people to participate and develop in judo. With a particular focus on supporting those in need of relief, those purchasing a kilt will be making a significant contribution towards tackling wider societal inequalities.

JudoScotland Chair, Marc Preston, remarked, “Through our strategic plan, ‘Judo For All’ (2023–2027), we are committed to using judo as a platform to make a positive impact within Scottish society. Sport has the power to reduce loneliness, teach valuable life skills, and improve overall health and wellbeing. With  funds raised from the sale of the kilt being invested into projects across Scotland aiming at tackling inequalities, the ‘JudoScotland Kilt’ not only looks great but will do great things too.”

He added, “Our tartan is highly sought after by the global judo community, and we are excited to see how far our kilt will travel!”

We are offering a limited initial run of pre-order kilts that will allow you to showcase the JudoScotland tartan in your own way. To order your kilt, please contact info@judoscotland.com. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to own a piece of JudoScotland history!

How Do I Order My JudoScotland Kilt?

The order deadline for the first run of JudoScotland kilts will be October 21^st 2024. Due to the process of weaving tartan by the bale, a minimum order of 14 kilts needs be placed before JudoScotland can proceed with the weave. The hand crafted nature of this products takes 14 weeks to produce, and we hope to have the first batch of kilts ready for the Scottish Open 2025.

JudoScotland Member Cost £400

Non-JudoScotland Member Cost £450

You can order your kilt in person this weekend at The Gathering, if you can’t make it along please follow the steps below:

1. Download our online order form and complete with you measurements (as per instructions on form).
2. Email complete form to info@judoScotland.com
3. An invoice for the £100 deposit will be sent directly to your email for payment via card or bank transfer.
4. Once JudoScotland place the order to our suppliers we will email an invoice for the remaining balance.

A Brief update from the Chair of some key events and recent judo news from September.

Dear Members

September started off for me with an online training course delivered by sportscotland about good Governance practices. I truly believe it’s extremely important that we in JudoScotland continue to upskill and maximise the lifelong learning opportunities we are presented with.

The following week, on 10th, I was once again on a course organised by sportscotland: this time about Leadership Skills – a very informative and valuable course to attend.

That same evening we had our Board of Directors meeting at Ratho which was attended by our 2 Vice Presidents, Rick Kenney & Jim Feenan and our President Colin McIver. It was great to have everyone together.

On 15th of September we were delighted to host Bob and Rick Cleevely, both 11x British Champions, who were delivering a Kime No Kata course at Ratho. I believe this is the first time that this particular course has been delivered in Scotland, although I’ll stand corrected if anyone’s aware of another session!

It was very well attended with over 30 judoka taking part in the session. I feel that there’s been a real increase in peoples’ appreciation of Kata as a valuable part of their judo journey. And I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Bob and Rick for giving us the opportunity to learn.

On 17th I met up with Euan Burton, National High Performance Coach, Gary Edwards, National Talent Development Manager and Judith to discuss the programmes’ development and moving forward. We had a very constructive discussion and I look forward to seeing the outcomes.

On 21st I attended the Hibari Kan Grand Prix event supported by JudoScotland at Ravenscraig. The feedback was good and, in my opinion, the event went well. Well done to the organising teams.

Finally on 26th hosted the annual drop-in coffee morning for MacMillan Cancer Support. The event was well attended and raised £160 for this well-deserving charity. Thanks to all who came along for your support.

And now we’re fast approaching the AGM and The Gathering. I look forward to catching up with lots of you, and will give an update on both events in my next monthly report.

 Marc Preston

6th Dan

JudoScotland is thrilled to announce that 13 judo clubs across Scotland will benefit from a new wave of investment through the Judo Girls Rise programme. This initiative is designed to increase female participation in judo by creating female-only spaces, which are crucial in attracting and retaining women and girls in the sport.

The funding will support clubs in delivering female-focused judo sessions,  empowering women and girls to engage in judo within safe, inclusive environments. The programme will also include increased investment and opportunities for females in under-represented areas of the workforce to maximise the sustainability of this programme. Each of the selected clubs has demonstrated a strong commitment to expanding opportunities for female participation in judo.

Judith McCleary, CEO of JudoScotland, expressed her excitement about the programme’s impact: “We’ve been delighted by the response to our Judo Girls Rise fund. Due to the overwhelming interest, we’ve expanded our initial plan, now supporting 13 projects instead of the originally planned 8 clubs. As part of our Strategic Plan ‘Judo for All’ (2023-2027), we’re deeply committed to increasing female participation in meaningful ways. By supporting member clubs, we can provide greater opportunities for women and girls to engage in the sport.”

The following clubs have successfully secured funding through the Judo Girls Rise programme:

Carnegie Judo Club – Fife

Castle Douglas Judo Club – Dumfries and Galloway  

Clyde Judo Club – Paisley

Edinburgh Judo – Edinburgh

Edinburgh University – Edinburgh

Gairoch Judo Club – Aberdeenshire

Hamilton Judo Club – Hamilton

Just-Judo – Midlothian

Kanokwai – North Lanarkshire

Pro Judo – Glasgow

Sportif (2 x Club Projects)– Venues Across Scotland

Ultimate – Aberdeenshire

Are you ready to kickstart your career in sports administration while supporting Judo to become one of the most dynamic and inclusive sports? JudoScotland, the official governing body for judo in Scotland, is looking for a Business Support Modern Apprentice to join our team! This opportunity is ideal for anyone aged 16-24 with a disability or other barrier to employment.

As part of our strategy ‘Judo For All’ (2023 – 2027) our vision is to become a Scottish Governing Body renowned for excellence, enabling people of all ages and abilities to realise their potential.

As part of our Business Support Team, you’ll dive into a range of tasks, from membership services to communication and marketing, finance, and event support. You’ll also help us develop impactful programmes by providing essential data analysis on membership trends and club activities.

JudoScotland is working in partnership with Enable Works to support this role as we believe that every person who wants a job should have access to the support they need to get one. Enable Works is one of the largest and most successful providers of training and employability programmes in the UK. They help people who experience barriers to employment to find and train for work they enjoy and thrive in jobs they have chosen. 

Does this sound like the role for you? Find out more and submit your application using our Candidate Pack below.

48 hours before her bronze success in Prague, we caught up with Josie Steele to discuss all things judo, injury setbacks and Olympic aspirations.

Josie first stepped onto the mat at Highland Budokan in Inverness, under the coaching of Robert Inglis. “I played a lot of sports when I was younger, but I loved my first session there. Robert was great with the kids, so I stuck with it,” she recalls. As her Cadet career advanced, her achievements followed suit. “I started competing internationally and doing well. In my final year as a Cadet, I won a medal at the European Youth Championships.” Determined to advance further, Josie made the decision to relocate. “At 16, I moved to Edinburgh, left school after fifth year, and joined the Performance Programme at JudoScotland while starting at Heriot-Watt University.”

Going from training twice a week at Highland Budokan to everyday at the National Performance Centre took some adjusting, “It was quite intimidating at the start I’m not going to lie; I was young and it was my first time away from home. The first 6 months were tough but that was also to do with starting university. I didn’t know anyone at first, being able to make friends definitely helps. I noticed very quickly a big improvement in my performance level once I started training full time.”  Josie expressed her gratitude to Malin Wilson, Rachel Tytler, and Abbi Blackie, acknowledging their support in helping her settle in at the National Training Centre: “They were great, really helping me settle in and made sure I was always ok.”

Training alongside Olympic medalist, Sally Conway, Josie took the opportunity to learn good habits to advance further, “I picked up loads of good bits from Sal, the biggest one was actually not overtraining. Doing six good high quality randoris is better than doing 10 average ones and being at risk of injury. It doesn’t mean you work any less hard but when you’re at training just to make sure you are training.”

The success continued as she moved into the Junior ranks, picking up medals abroad and competing at the Junior European and World Championships in her first year training full time.

As is often the case in high-level sports, injuries became part of Josie’s journey. In her second year as a junior, she suffered a snapped elbow ligament, followed by a bulging disc in her neck, leading to an extended period away from the mat. After nine months of recovery, lingering neck issues resurfaced just three months later, prompting her to opt for surgery, where two metal discs were inserted into her neck.

Taking more time away from the mat led to Josie questioning whether she would be able to continue: “The rest is nice for the first couple of weeks, but I’ve had injuries and obviously covid has made me lose about 3-4 years. An injury is ok if you get told when you’ll be back. Initially the doctors weren’t actually sure if my neck would get better so it was a waiting game. I got three different scans on it and it wasn’t getting better at first. Injuries are really tough, especially your first major injury it feels like the end of the world but there is always things you can improve on when you’re injured. I did consider quitting but after the surgery I felt great. But I couldn’t imagine not doing the sport, whether that was recreationally or a performance level. I was also so young, only 22 so I felt I still had a lot to give. I was also still able to study and work so that balance was ideal.”

Recovering from the injury, Josie made the decision to go up and compete in the -63 category. “Moving up has been good for my overall health in terms of avoiding injury. I got a bronze in Latvia at the European cup, it was a big marker for me as it’s the first medal back since being injured and going up a weight. It was really important for myself as I knew I could still compete I also had my first Grand Prix earlier this month which didn’t go to plan but it was good to be competing in that level of competition as I feel I’m still just finding my feet.”

On long term goals, she says: “I take it week by week, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to be the best in the world. I’d love to be an Olympic champion, I want to compete for Scotland and GB. It’s very important to me and my goal is to be the best in the world.”

“I watched the first day of the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Steph Inglis was from my club and seeing her do well was a really big deal, and seeing Scotland do well was so good. Watching it I remember thinking I’d love to compete there, the Worlds and the Olympics.”

With our call nearing an end, the conversation moves to gender and what it’s like competing in a male dominated sport: “You definitely do face challenges based on your gender, mainly the lack of women in the sport and you tend not to have as many peers around you. As I get older it doesn’t affect me anymore, often you can be the only girl in the dojo. That’s fine with me now but as a young girl that would definitely be more difficult. I’d say it is getting better in the sport but I’m used to it.”

Though Josie reflects positively on the close bonds formed with her peers. “There are challenges in the sport, but it also means the girls who do it are usually quite close. You don’t have a choice — that might sound bad, but it’s actually really nice. You have to get along, so we form a close-knit group because there aren’t many of us, which is really nice. The girls here, especially, have always been a great group, and we’ve always got on.”

We end the call with advice she’d pass on to younger girls who are thinking of taking up the sport, “I would say get stuck in. Bring a friend if you feel a bit uncomfortable. There are loads of opportunities for girls in the sport, it’s not just a sport for guys – girls can fight too.”

Judoka from around the world gather in Largs every January for the JudoScotland Scottish Open. This year we are delighted to be adding to our programme of Judo at our flagship event which has seen Olympic Medallists and European Champions compete at the seaside town.  

We’re thrilled to introduce adapted categories for the 2025 Scottish Open, adding a new and exciting dimension to the event while enhancing its inclusivity and accessibility. The adapted categories allow judoka to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level of judo in Scotland in front of a packed crowd at the sportscotland National Sports Centre Inverclyde; it’s sure to be a monumental occasion. This is the first time we’ve included the adapted category, and it’s the perfect moment as Scottish adapted judo thrives both at home and abroad. Scottish judoka continue to excel, with Sean Allan winning gold at the Gdansk Get Together Tournament and Kirsten Taylor narrowly missing out on competing at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.  

The introduction of the adapted categories at the Scottish Open supports our strategy of fostering an inclusive, diverse membership, ensuring judo is a sport for all. Which has already seen our Disability Development Officer, Stephen Sommerville, working alongside clubs to develop training opportunities across Scotland and introduced online adapted workshops to enhance coaching for athletes with disabilities. 

JudoScotland CEO Judith McCleary said, “We are committed to making judo accessible and available for everyone. As such, our JudoScotland Equality Working Group is working with Moving to Inclusion to identify areas in our Culture, Leadership, Experiences, Relationships and Communication that require improvements. It’s fantastic to see meaningful actions taking place across the entire judo community that will ensure judo truly is for all.” 

“By offering adapted opportunities within prestigious events like the Scottish Open, we continue to develop and expand our Judo For All strategy; the inclusion of the adapted category is just the beginning. We are excited to see the impact this will have on the judo community, inspiring future generations of athletes and setting the standard for our future events.” 

If you would like to find out more about  The Scottish Open 2025, including how to enter, click here

We are pleased to present JudoScotland’s 2023 Annual Report ahead of our AGM on the 12th of October. This report highlights key achievements and milestones from January 1st to December 31st, 2023.