Stepping Back, Looking Back: James Thomson Reflects on 50 Years in Judo
After over 50 years involved in the sport, James Thomson is stepping back from judo.
It was only after finishing his rugby career that James sought out a new sport. For 23 seasons his main priority had been scrums and flying into tackles, but upon hanging up his boots, he decided to venture into the dojo at Alloa Club: “Once I got onto the mat, you could not get me back off it. It was as simple as that, I was hooked.”
“I was very fortunate to train with the Bridge of Allan Club and also the Stirling University Club. I was welcomed by both, and it meant that every night of the week, I had some sort of judo to go to.”
“It wasn’t just the sport itself”, James says, “It was the whole attitude, I realised that judo was definitely for me and it was something I should’ve started 20 years earlier.”
He credits Andy and Margaret McKenna of the East Kilbride Judo Club for giving him several years of enjoyable judo.
He then moved to Lanarkshire, although his passion did not diminish. Training at the East Kilbride Club as well as attending sessions at Stonehouse to get as much judo as he possibly could.
Not satisfied with just the three clubs, he joined John and Eric Kane. James admits that even before stepping on the mat with either of the brothers, he knew he would be in for a rough time due to them having some of the best judoka in the country on their team.
“It was the love of the sport that kept me going. It was the friendship that came with it that made me determined to keep going”
Although his enthusiasm never dwindled, James decided to replace his gi for a referee’s uniform. “Twelve years ago I decided I wanted to train as a referee and I was made very welcome straight away by Neil Malone and the rest of the referees and I’ve never looked back thanks to their help.”
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all my time refereeing but unfortunately health factors have prevented me from carrying on. I am disappointed in having to stop nevertheless I can’t complain because I’ve got an awful lot out of judo in my time and I certainly have a lot to look back on.”
When asked to pick out some highlights during his 50 years, one stands out: “I think like everyone else, the idea of a black belt was away in the distance but when I did eventually get it in 1977, I think I didn’t take it off for three days!”
What motivated James to keep going was also his grandson, Scott Thomson, following suit and making the British squad: “I keep telling him he is still not as good as I used to but I suppose it’s difficult to tell now!”
His message to anyone thinking of taking up refereeing in judo is simple: “Absolutely 100% do it. I’ve been involved in other sports and I have enjoyed them but there is nothing like the camaraderie you get with judo and I would recommend it to everyone”.
Results: The Scottish National Closed Championship 2023
Saturday 11th November 2023
Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facilities, 1 O’Donnell Way, Motherwell, ML1 2TZ
On the Mat with Ono: JudoScotland's Talent Development Squad Gears Up for an Exciting Weekend with Shohei Ono
We are excited to announce our fantastic outline for the forthcoming weekend’s JudoScotland Talent Development Squad.
With Georgian, Polish and Irish judoka joining our Scottish Pathway Squad, there will be over 80 judoka on the mat, providing these young players with increased exposure to international training and development together.
Our Talent Development Programme focuses on supporting individuals with their technical, physical and behavioural development as they aim to fulfil their performance aspirations. We have a group of highly experienced and inspirational Talent Development Support Coaches working with individuals at weekly sessions and in wider squad training environments.
On Friday night, Assistant High Performance Coach Taka Kitahara, having just returned from a three week training camp in Japan, will be sharing some of his expert technical guidance. All players are encouraged to be self-aware and to use self-reflection to consider how any information and guidance could benefit their style and performance.
Saturday will revolve around valuable mat time at Tulliallan, offering crucial opportunities to apply and integrate our learnings. Additionally, the group will have some off-mat moments dedicated to social media training, aimed at guiding individuals in thoughtful content creation, sharing, and optimal use of social media platforms.
On Sunday morning, we’re thrilled to announce that double Olympic Champion Shohei Ono will be present to enhance our randori session, engage in conversations with players, and provide personalised advice when needed. What an incredible opportunity for our Talent Development Squad!
Our National Talent Development Coach Gary Edwards said: ‘It’s brilliant to be getting repeat international judoka coming to train with us here in Scotland. They always love the atmosphere created by our group and it gives us strong training partners to challenge ourselves. It will be fantastic to have Shohei join us on Sunday with many in attendance determined to get to the Olympic Games.’
News From the Chair
A Brief update from the Chair of some key events and recent news from October.
Hi all
As I mentioned in the last report, The Gathering took place over the last weekend in September/first in October. I’d just like to reiterate what a magnificent event it was, featuring a world-class line-up. A big thank you goes to Shohei Ono, Masashi Ebinuma, and Kana Ebinuma as well as to Mike Callan and all the staff involved in organising it. This is a particularly busy period for JudoScotland and I was delighted at how well this sell-out event was delivered.
October was a busy time for JudoScotland and for our sport in general. Amongst other things, the final Grand Prix event was hosted by Highland Budokan in Inverness. The feedback I’ve heard was very good and again, congratulations to all those involved in the organisation and to those who entered – you are what the sport is all about.
We announced our Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Award winners, had the Scottish Masters sessions at Ratho, The East of Scotland Adaptive Judo Session, NTC Open mat sessions, and much more ……. well done to everyone involved in helping to grow judo in Scotland.
From a performance aspect, I was delighted to see 3 Scots selected for the GB team at the European Championships in the Senior and U23 categories – congratulations to Stuart McWatt, Ollie Short and Finlay Allan who are all great ambassadors as well as athletes.
In October I joined a session in the Scottish Governing Bodies Chair Network, chaired by Ewen Cameron of sportscotland. The idea of the forum is that Chairs of Scottish sports have the chance to get together to discuss topics of common interest, gleaning ideas and experience from other sports and people in similar roles. This time we discussed board diversity, succession planning and how our various sports can best work together. I have to say it was a very positive and collaborative session – very interesting to hear where other sports are on their journeys and to benefit from their experience.
In terms of succession planning, we are seeking feedback from our young members and club leaders to help shape our Young Leaders Programme. If you haven’t already, please provide your input – it does make a difference.
Looking ahead to November, I will be representing JudoScotland at the upcoming British Judo AGM at which Ronnie Saez will be stepping down as British Judo Chair after 12 years in post. We at JudoScotland wish Ronnie all the very best with whatever he decides to do in the future.
Marc Preston
6th Dan
Scottish National Closed Update
Due to circumstances out of the control of JudoScotland, we have had to move the Scottish National Closed Championship on the 11th of November 2023 from the main hall at Ravenscraig to the 'Running Track' Hall.
North Lanarkshire Council, who manage Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility, have had to take the difficult decision to close some of their venues with immediate effect due to the identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). As such they have had to relocate their Pantomime to Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility from 1st November 2023 to 31st January 2024, which means they are no longer able to host the Scottish National Closed Championship in their main Hall.
We can only apologise for this late change and can assure you we have done everything within our power to avoid this. The change in the hall will have the following impact on competitors and spectators:
- Spector seating will be extremely limited, and unfortunately, we will be unable to livestream this event due to the venue's internet facilities.
- The timeline for the day may be different from what is usually expected due to the reduced space, again we will communicate this as soon as possible.
- To keep up to date with all JudoScotland announcements make sure to keep an eye on our socials or join our telegram here
Once again, we wish to apologise and we would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, our membership, in advance for being so understanding.
The JudoScotland Young Leader Programme
Young people (aged 16 – 24) in judo have usually been involved in the sport for several years. Many have had amazing experiences from which they’ve learned a lot and formed their own opinions and ideas.
We want to provide support for young people in order for them to intern support their clubs and/or community. To help us all achieve this we are launching a ‘Young Leader Programme’, the first of its kind for young judoka in Scotland, and to give us the best chance of getting this right – we want to hear from you.
We want to know how we can best help young people shape the future of judo in Scotland. What specific skills and knowledge would help young people make better contributions to the sport, their personal development or their wider communities?
If you are a young person between the ages of 16-24 or you are currently in a position as a Club Leader (committee member, club coach, safeguarding officers, club management etc) please take a few moments to help shape the future of judo in Scotland by filling in the attached form appropriate to you.
Watch our short video to hear how Sam, and the team at JudoScotland, are hoping to support you.
How to get involved:
Click below if you are between the ages of 16-24 and want to help us learn what roles and activities you have the opportunity to perform in your clubs.
Please note, both surveys close on Sunday 12th November.
Click below if you are a club leader and you can share your experiences as to what roles and activities young people in JudoScotland clubs perform.
Three Scottish Judoka Clinch Spots on Team GB for European Championships
Following the GB and U23 GB team announcements for their respective European Championships next month, we caught up with Scottish judoka Stuart McWatt, Ollie Short and Finlay Allan who are preparing to compete on the international stage once more.
Stuart McWatt (-90kg) has been selected for the GB team for the upcoming 2023 European Championships in Montpellier, France, from 3rd – 5th November.
Stuart, who came through at Garioch judo club, secured his spot in the -90kg category with back-to-back medals at the Prague European Open (gold) and Malaga European Cup (bronze).
With the BJA announcing him as part of the final stage selections, Stuart spoke to us ahead of the upcoming championship:
“It’s great to be selected for another European Championship, any time you get to represent GB at a big Championship like this It’s an honour. I moved up to -90kg this year after my latest ACL injury and have been fighting well recently with medals at a European Open and European Cup. I know I can go toe-to-toe with the best in the world and looking forward to proving that in Montpellier.”
Stuart isn’t the only Scottish judoka preparing to represent Team GB on the European stage.
Ollie Short (-73kg) and Finlay Allan (-66kg) will be part of a team of seven judoka competing in Potsdam, Germany, from 17th to 19th November in the U23 European Championships.
Having both achieved bronze success in their respective categories at last weekend’s Malaga European Cup they head to Germany full of confidence.
Finlay, who trains with Camberley Judo Club, will compete in the -66kg category following some excellent European circuit displays. As well as his success in Spain, he won a silver medal at the Gaia European Cup and claimed a bronze at the Podcetrtek European Cup.
Finlay said: “I’m looking forward to competing at this year’s Under 23 European Championships. I have had my best year results-wise so far and I’m hoping to take away a medal at a European Championships for the first time.”
Ollie Short, trains with Edinburgh Judo and will be fighting in the -73kg category. Like Finlay, he has impressed in European competitions, gaining a bronze at the Riga European Cup as well as earning another bronze recently at the Malaga European Cup.
Ollie said: “It’s really great to have the opportunity to compete at such an event – especially in the last year I am eligible to do so. I have been able to improve a lot in the last year with some-top quality training opportunities and guidance. The Under 23 European Championships is an exciting challenge and an opportunity to put in a performance that reflects my training as well as the hard work of those who have supported me.”
The full squad announcements for each team can be found below:
Paul McGuinness and Fergus Pirie become Senior Examiners
Congratulations to JudoScotland's Paul McGuiness and Fergus Pirie on completing the Senior Examiner Pathway!
This qualification means they manage contests in Scotland and assess the technical competencies and knowledge of the players at National Dan Gradings.
Paul said: "I'm delighted to become a Senior Examiner, it's a fantastic opportunity for me to expand my knowledge further."
Fergus said: "I am really pleased to complete the Senior Examiner Pathway and become a Senior Examiner. I was invited on to the pathway back in August 2017 by Paul McGuinness and Tam Brown, and at one point was unsure if I would complete it due to health issues and the pandemic. A lot of the skills required are forgettable skills, therefore I would like to thank my fellow Senior Examiners and my own and local Clubs for their help and support, and look forward to working with Rick Kenney and his team of Senior Examiners, to provide wider opportunities for all judoka to progress along the grading pathway, both competitive and technical."
Well done, guys!
The 2023 JudoScotland Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards Winners
The JudoScotland Coaching and Volunteering Awards are our National Awards programme recognising the hard work and dedication of the Judo workforce in Scotland. This year we have been overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of award nominations celebrating individual contributions to the Sport it has been our busiest awards yet!
Although announced at this weekend’s AGM, the awards will be presented in the Judo club, surrounded by those who have nominated the individual. We look forward to visiting the clubs of each of our 2023 winners!
The winners of the 2023 Awards are:
Disability Coach of The Year
Charles Strachan – Tams Brig Judo Club
“Charlie is passionate and enthusiastic about bringing Judo to many different people. He sees the individual and what they can do, rather than what they can’t.”
Community Coach of The Year
Reanne Wylie – Orkney Judo Club
“Reanne is an excellent example of how a coach adjusts their teaching style to meet the needs of the students.”
Pathway Coach of The Year
John Buchanan – Sportif Judo Club
“John always goes above and beyond in his role as coach and mentor. Through his dedication and passion for the sport, he inspires judoka to want to be the best that they can be.”
Volunteer of The Year
Nicola Brawley – Irvine Judo Club
“Nicola is a Volunteer who only has the smooth operation of the club on her agenda.”
Referee/Official of the Year
Victoria Kirk – Tryst Judo Club
“Victoria is always willing to help and explain any decisions to players and coaches to improve partnerships between coaches, referees and judokas north and south of the border.”
Young Coach of The Year
Rebecca Bradley – Clyde Judo Club
“Rebecca listens to the children and adapts her sessions to suit who is on the mat and what is planned for them competition-wise.”
Young Volunteer of The Year
Jane Lawson – St Andrews Uni Judo Club
“Jane always brings a smile to training sessions and is an inspiration for all members due to her talent and passion for the sport and club.”
Young Referee/Official of the Year
Kirsty Wilson – Edinburgh Judo Club
“She really is an exceptional role model who possesses a strong desire to make a positive impact on the people around them.”
News From the Chair
A Brief update from the Chair of some key events and recent news from September.
Hi Judo Community,
September had a few memorable events and occasions to savour.
Judith and I attended Hibari Kan’s event on 16th September in Motherwell. A great day of competition which attracted the biggest ever entry for a Grand Prix Event in Scotland!
On 18th September I attended a very interesting event hosted by sportscotland on the ‘Role of the Chair’. I personally think it’s very important to keep up-skilling and learning so that we improve in our roles. This is the second such event I’ve attended this year.
On the 20th, I met up online with the Nomination Committee to discuss and agree on our recommendation for President of JudoScotland. This was subsequently passed by a unanimous decision at the Board of Directors meeting on the 26th.
On the 26th of September JudoScotland hosted our annual MacMillan Coffee morning. I was really sorry not to make it along where I heard there were wonderful judo memories and stories being shared as people enjoyed their home-baked treats. The judo community is a pretty special one and we aim to have some more social events in the near future to bring everyone together.
And at the end of the month, on Saturday 30th, we had the AGM and the Gathering.
The Gathering surpassed expectations. An excellent event, which hosted 200 judoka, organised by the JudoScotland team. A special mention should go to Paul McGuinness here – great effort Paul!
It was fabulous to welcome Mike Callan who gave a great talk on the history of judo in Scotland. We were honoured to have Masashi and Kana Ebinuma, and Shohei Ono from Japan deliver the sessions. I suggest this is the best lineup we’ve had in living memory on these shores.
Special congratulations go to Dr George Kerr 10th Dan who was awarded the new title of JudoScotland’s first President Emeritus. I’ve known George since I was a boy, and he’s had a great influence on my own development. And equally big congratulations go to Colin McIver, who was awarded the position of President of JudoScotland, an accolade he richly deserves.
Well done too to Susie Wright who was re-elected to the Board and to Jason Moore in his first term. I look forward to working with you all.
On a personal basis, on the day before the Gathering Lee McGrorty and I took Masashi and Kana out for a day flying gyr falcons (the largest falcons in the world). Suffice to say it didn’t go completely smoothly! There were very high winds. We used our drone to take the falcons up – and they both flew some distance away! Lee had to use all of his falconry skills to recover both bird and machine. But he did!! So a big thank you to him and to his son Harris for a great day.
And finally, at the AGM the revised Articles were voted in with a 79.7% approval rate. So thank you all for considering – and accepting – this move to embrace these progressive and best practice changes. It gives the Board a big boost to know that we have your backing.
Marc Preston
6th Dan