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Starting a new sport at any age can be a daunting experience, but even more so as an adult. The doubt sometimes creeps in before you step foot on the dojo or the pitch; Will I be made to feel welcome? Will I be any good? Am I fit enough? Will I enjoy it?

Whilst taking my daughter along to a weekly gymnastics class at Drumbrae Leisure Centre, I spotted a poster on the centre’s notice board advertising Drumbrae Judo Club, stating ‘all adults welcome’. That night I sent an email that would start me on my own judo journey.

The email conversation went a bit like this; “I am 40 with no martial arts experience, can I come along to the club?” The answer from the club “Yes”.

I would describe my first experience at the club as welcoming.  They accepted me straight away and guided me, making me feel really involved from the first day. I came away exhilarated and really part of something.

Although at times I have visited my local gym, I was not someone who had ever consistently taken part in sport before finding judo. Judo is something personal for me, with two children and a busy job in the NHS it can be hard to find the time to do something just for me. I have also noticed the improvement in my fitness and strength since I started.

My kids are proud of me and think it is great that I am part of a judo club, at my age!  Although they were surprised at the beginning, as they were nervous that I was taking part in something so physical, but I explained that you get taught how to practice judo safely.

Having recently achieved my 1st Kyu, I credit my club and coaches for the support and camaraderie.  Rosemary Blaikie my coach, motivates me to believe in myself and my abilities. Working through the syllabus with patience and guidance. We then support each other to keep up the motivation.

I have recently started coming along to Monday night randori at the JudoScotland National Training Centre, where I have the opportunity to train with a mix of abilities.  There is no pressure, no criticism it is just a great opportunity to practise judo.

As someone who joined Judo at a later stage in life, my advice for an adult looking to start judo for the first time, is simple, let’s talk about it, take the opportunity to talk to your local club to find out about what judo can do for you as it may not be what you think. I learned to love everything before I learnt to do it, it is not as scary as it may look and being part of the judo family is a real pleasure.

If you have been inspired by Denise’s story, find a Judo club near you here. 

Following the transition of Dr George Kerr 10^th Dan to President Emeritus for JudoScotland, we are delighted to announce that Colin McIver 9^th Dan will take up the position of JudoScotland President.

Colin was elected by the JudoScotland Board of Directors following a recommendation from the Nominations Committee. Colin will bring with him a wealth of knowledge and experience from his lucrative career in Judo.

Colin has made an exceptional contribution to the development of the sport of Judo in the UK. Taking on almost every role within the sport from athlete to coach through to referee as well as the British Judo Performance Director, he will now add JudoScotland President to his long list of accomplishments.

As an athlete, Colin claimed the title of British Champion in 1966 before going on to represent Great Britain at the World Championships in 1967. He has continued to develop his Judo even after retiring as an athlete, achieving the second highest grade in Judo of 9th Dan.

Colin’s achievements as a Coach are arguably even more impressive and resulted in him being awarded a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2015 UK Coaching Awards.

As the Great Britain Team Manager at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Colin led a team to three medals: Neil Adams MBE (Silver), Kerrith Brown (Bronze) and Neil Eckersley (Bronze).

As British National Coach his team won many World Titles and Olympic medals through players like Craig Fallon, Karina Bryant, Neil Adams, Neil Eckersley, Densign White, Kerrith Brown and Elvis Gordon.

However, where Colin has really excelled is within the development of the sport. Athletes who have progressed under his leadership have now gone on to coaching or development roles within judo and continue to contribute significantly including Joyce Heron, Graeme Randall, David Somerville, Euan Burton, John Buchanan and Sarah Clark.

Colin has inspired and developed athletes through the positive relationships that he has built with athletes based on the values of judo. Through his skills, experiences and focus on individual’s needs, he truly has been able to help others improve themselves and maximise their performance potential.

Serving in the past as Chief Executive of JudoScotland and British Judo Performance Director Colin has been involved in many projects to raise the profile of the sport including the planning and organisation of the 1979 European Judo Championships (Edinburgh) and the Judo tournament at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.

On his appointment, Colin commented “I am very proud to be appointed as President of JudoScotland. I will endeavour to do my best to represent the federation as best I can. George Kerr will be a hard act to follow, but I will certainly try my best.”

JudoScotland look forward to working with Colin as in embarks on this next stage of his Judo career.

JudoScotland is proud to announce President Dr George Kerr has accepted the new position of President Emeritus. This is the first time this position has been given and reflects the lifetime of contribution George has made to promoting Judo and Scottish Judo globally. This honorary role will allow George to pass the position of President to another fantastic ambassador.

JudoScotland Chair Marc Preston commented, “George has contributed enormously to the sport of Judo in Scotland and around the world in his role as President. I would like to take the opportunity to sincerely thank him for the strides he has made in making the sport what it is. It has been a great honour to work alongside him, and I speak for the entire Board when I say, thank you.”

We as an organisation are grateful for the doors George has opened for Scottish judoka in countries across the world.

Starting Judo aged eight, George was instantly taken with the sport. Showing a natural talent, George won a scholarship to train at the Budokwai Judo Club London, under the tuition of Master of Judo Mr T.P. Leggett who orchestrated a lifechanging opportunity for George to live and train in Japan. George attended Nihon University, known as Nichidai University where he studied Judo for four years and 3 months. He credits his time here as not only the place where he learnt to speak Japanese but also where he learnt to speak English!

Georges judo CV is unrivalled, helping him being awarded accolades the world over including the Order of the Rising sun with gold rays from the Emperor of Japan, an honorary doctorate from Heriot Watt University, the Edinburgh Award which saw his hands immortalised in the paving slabs at the Edinburgh city chambers and his CBE from her Majesty the Queen.

As a competitor he helped to secure Gold for Team Great Britain at the European Team Championships in Rotterdam. This was to become one of an impressive 4 European medals in total. It would have been more Gold if he hadn’t faced the formidable Anton Geesink in the final of the open weight.

Returning from Japan to the UK, George was sought after for his new knowledge and skills and settled in as head coach of the Renshuden and Budokwai in London. After controversially being banned from competing in the trials for the 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo for being deemed a professional, George decided to return home to his native Edinburgh where he set up the infamous Edinburgh club. The Edinburgh Club quickly became an institution, not just for Judo but for Edinburgh.

George didn’t let the disappointment of 1964 stop him leaving his mark in Olympic history, after becoming a referee in the Olympic Games  both at 1972 in Munich and at the 1976 Montreal Olympics where he became the first Brit to referee 3 finals, he made his coaching debut at The 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games winning a bronze medal before becoming the first British Coach to produce an Olympic Gold medallist, for Austria. In 1988 he topped this by become the first coach ever to produce a double consecutive Olympic Gold Medallist at the Seoul Olympic Games.

As chairman of The British Judo Association, George was pivotal in developing International Judo relations. Under George’s leadership, Great Britain hosted The 1955 European Judo Championships in Birmingham.

Whilst President of the BJA George Kerr went to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games to represent the interests of the British Judo Association. The Athens Olympic Games marked a significant change in the way Judo is presented including the introduction of Blue Gi’s and the introduction of back patches. He has continued to support the interests of British Judo at the Olympic Games and hosted dignitaries at the London 2012 Games.

Speaking of his time in the sport, George says ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed my career in judo and upon travelling the globe, I am proud to say I am Scottish. Having learnt to speak Japanese and through my time in Japan, I built strong relationships between Japan and Scotland which continue today. Judo is a truly wonderful sport and I wish JudoScotland all the best in continuing to inspire future generations to take part and enjoy it as much as I have.’

As part of The Gathering 2023, we were pleased to host the JudoScotland Annual General Meeting 2023. With a busy agenda, we are pleased to update our memberships with the following updates:

Board of Directors

Ahead of this year’s AGM, JudoScotland gave notice for the nomination of two directors and a treasurer to join our Board to help realise our new strategic plan ‘Judo For All’. After a comprehensive election period, our member clubs have elected two directors and treasurer.

We are pleased to welcome back Susan Wright to the Board who will continue in her role as Director for one more term. On her appointment Susie said; “I believe judo is for all and there’s a pathway for everyone I’ve been involved in delivering training courses for new officials and promoting our current volunteer workforce and want to continue over the next 4 years helping to upskill and increase that workforce.”

We are also delighted to welcome Jason Moore to the Board, bringing with them a wealth of experience. On his appointment, Jason said “I am delighted to be voted on to the JudoScotland Board, it is something that I have thought about for a lot of years and what I hoped I could bring to the members of JudoScotland. I am hopeful I can add a lot of experience both in the world of Judo coaching and with my competitive history. I am very much looking forward to seeing what I can bring to the board to help the team develop Judo in Scotland.”

Both board members bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge that will help JudoScotland realise its goals as set out in our new strategy ‘Judo For All’.

We were also pleased to re-appoint Graham Campbell as the Treasurer of the Company.

JudoScotland would like to thank all candidates for putting themselves forward for these roles.

Articles of Association

One of JudoScotland’s key goals identified in our ‘Judo For All’ strategy is Corporate Excellence, and as part of this review, The JudoScotland Proposed the following amendments to the Articles of Association, a summary of which can be found here.

We are pleased that our member clubs have shared in this ambition and have voted to implement these changes.

JudoScotland President

At this years AGM, we were delighted to welcome Dr George Kerr 10^th Dan, who has accepted the new position of President Emeritus of JudoScotland. After a comprehensive nominations process and unanimous agreement from the Board, George will be succeeded by Colin McIver 9^th as President of JudoScotland. Watch this space as we share more about this appointment, in the coming days.

The anticipation is reaching its peak as we’re all eagerly awaiting the start of The Gathering 2023 this weekend, taking place at the prestigious sportscotland National Centre in Inverclyde.

This year, we are delighted to welcome Shohei Ono, the reigning Olympic Champion and a three-time World Champion. He is set to join forces with the legendary Masashi Ebinuma and Kana Ebinuma, promising an unforgettable weekend.

Following their resounding success at The Gathering 2022, where their sessions left attendees equipped with new-found knowledge, Masashi Ebinuma and Kana Ebinuma are back by popular demand. Adding to the star-studded lineup, Shohei Ono will conduct a special guest session, generously sharing his remarkable skills with our Judo community.

Yet, The Gathering is more than just on-mat action. Dr. Mike Callan will start this weekend by taking us all on a journey through the rich history of Judo in the United Kingdom, with a particular tartan tinge.

The event will then showcase the extraordinary talents of Masashi and Kana Ebinuma and Shohei Ono, featuring a dynamic lineup of sessions throughout the day. On Sunday, the weekend’s culmination will see Kana & Masashi Ebinuma delivering two more outstanding sessions, ensuring a remarkable conclusion to The Gathering 2023.

This year’s edition of The Gathering promises to be the busiest event yet, with Judoka representing over 40 clubs for this sold-out event. The Judo community in Scotland is bracing itself for a historic weekend of Judo that is poised to leave a lasting mark on the sport and martial arts in Scotland.

For those lucky enough to have secured tickets, The Gathering 2023 is primed to deliver a Judo spectacle like no other, featuring the finest talents in the sport, rich historical insights, and the spirit of camaraderie that defines Judo.

Stay tuned for a weekend of Judo excellence that is sure to be talked about for years to come. The Gathering 2023 is about to make history!

One of JudoScotland’s key goals identified in our JudoForAll strategy is Corporate Excellence, and as such we are continuing to review our governance to help us reach our ambitions.

The Board is proposing a few amendments to the Articles of Association, a summary of which can be found here.

Below are the two main amendments being proposed with some more information to support our member clubs in making informed decisions:-

1. The Chair and the Treasurer roles are proposed to have open recruitment processes.

This aligns with the UK Sports Code of Governance and by introducing this change, JudoScotland will be following best practice guidance which is already in place across the majority of other medium to large Governing Bodies.

An interview system to identify the most suitable candidates against the skills required for these roles has been recommended to JudoScotland through an independent audit by KPMG and our major stakeholder sportscotland.

An interview system is in place for Chair and Treasurer roles at the British Judo Association and by introducing these changes, we would align more closely in our practices.

2. The President and Vice-President roles are proposed to have tenure lengths instead of being positions appointed for life.

This amendment is proposed in in-keeping with the UK Sports Code of Governance which all Governing Bodies of Sport are strongly encouraged to adhere to.

These are important ambassadorial roles for JudoScotland and by introducing these changes, the tenure lengths will align with JudoScotland’s Board of Director term lengths and enable a flow of people with varying skills to support the organisation.

On the proposed amendments, Graham Campbell (JudoScotland Treasurer and Corporate Working Group) comments:

‘A number of critical changes were made to the Articles of Association last year following an independent audit by KPMG. The recommended changes this year reflect our ongoing ambitions to improve our governance and align more closely with good business practice to support JudoScotland in its strategic planning and delivery.’

Should anybody have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Chair Marc Preston or our CEO Judith McCleary.

Keeping your JudoScotland Membership in date has just gotten easier!

Is renewing your JudoScotland membership each year one of those jobs that gets added to your ever-growing to-do list? We have made keeping your membership valid even easier. You can now opt-in for automatic annual subscription, so you are never without a valid licence on the mat!

The next time you need to renew, select ‘Subscription’ before proceeding to cart and enter your card details as normal. Once this has been selected your membership will automatically renew every year.

Ahead of this year’s AGM, we gave notice on the 3rd of August for the nomination of two directors and a treasurer to join our Board to help realise our new strategic plan ‘Judo For All’.

We are absolutely delighted with the response from our membership and are pleased to share that we have had seven applications for the director’s position and one application for the treasurer position.  Below you will find the candidates who submitted applications by the closing date along with their pen portraits outlining their skills and how they hope to contribute to the Board. The successful candidates will be elected at the JudoScotland AGM on the 30th of September.

To support our member clubs to be as well informed as possible, we are facilitating an online Q&A session with our candidates on Monday 18th of September at 7pm. This is a great chance for you to get to know the candidates and to ask questions.

Sarah Adlington
“I have a lifelong passion for judo and am extremely grateful for the experiences, abilities, practices and connections that judo has afforded for me. I would like to help drive judo in Scotland forward so that it is seen as a sport for all.”

Diana Balsari
“To utilise my digital marketing knowledge to maximise the online visibility of JudoScotland and therefore of the clubs while also increasing the awareness of the public about the sport.

To build strong relationships with leading European teams to give Scottish athletes the best tools to develop.”

Anthony Daye

“To contribute to the growth of the sport in all aspects, through experiences built up during my business career acting consistently with the great Judo values. Doing so in an inclusive way having been a young participant, Judo parent and now a masters Judoka continuing to learn and enjoy Judo.”

John MacDonald
“Judo has given me so much over the years and I feel it is time to give back. If elected I will strive to support Scottish Judo and the Judo for All strategic plan to the best of my ability.”

Kirsty Marsh
“I have been involved across various aspects of judo in Scotland including grassroots coaching, university judo and high performance. Out with judo, I have legal, managerial and voluntary experience. Passionate about increasing diversity and participation in JudoScotland. I would be a professional, positive and fresh voice if elected to the board.”

Jason Moore
“I am passionate about building the profile of judo across Scotland and making Judo accessible for all ages and abilities.”

Susan Wright
“I believe judo is for all and there’s a pathway for everyone I’ve been involved in delivering training courses for new officials and promoting our current volunteer workforce and want to continue over the next 4 years helping to upskill and increase that workforce.”

Graham Campbell 

‘As JudoScotland Treasurer I will use my corporate financial background to improve governance and ensure financial stability to support the company achieve its strategic objectives outlined in JudoForAll.’

All clubs that are eligible to vote will be contacted directly by Scottish Sports Association (SSA). If you have any queries, please contact info@judoscotland.com.

Be part of the exciting future of Judo in Scotland! 

JudoScotland is delighted to be recruiting for the role of Club Support Officer, a role that will empower and enable clubs to make a positive contribution to Scottish society and grow an engaged, diverse membership. We are looking for an individual/individuals to join the dynamic Business Delivery Team, who will work directly with member clubs to provide bespoke club support and develop targeted and inspiring initiatives and opportunities to attract and retain members. The role has been developed as part of our new strategic plan Judo For All, with the aim to maximise the contribution of judo to Scotland’s communities through the provision of safe, inclusive and inspiring clubs based on judo’s values. 

Ahead of our AGM on the 30th of September, we are delighted to share our Annual Report for 2022! The 2022 Annual Report showcases the highlights of JudoScotland for the year 1st January – 31st December 2022.

We are delighted that at this year’s AGM our membership will vote for two directors and a treasurer to join our Board of Directors.  In order to make the process as open and transparent as possible, we are pleased to be offering an online Q&A session with our candidates on Monday 18th of September, this will open for registration along with voting on Thursday 14th September.