News

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

Hi Judo Community,

With the Summer holidays now seeming like a distant memory, it’s time to concentrate on ensuring we have a strong finish to what, so far, has been a highly successful 2023!

The JudoScotland Board of Directors had our regular monthly meeting on 15th August, and, as always, worked our way through a wide range of material/topics.

I’m delighted with the response we’ve had from applications for the 3 Board of Director positions (2 Directors and 1 Treasurer). We’ve had the best response in living memory, with 7 applicants for the Director Roles and 1 for Treasurer.  All people keen to be part of our organisation going forward, I feel this truly reflects the great strides we’ve been making recently in JudoScotland.   I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have applied and to wish them good luck.  I look forward to working with the successful candidates.

The membership will get the chance to meet the candidates in an ‘online chat/debate and Q&A session’ on the evening of the 18th of September. More details on how you can get involved to follow.

Also, this month I participated in the British Judo Board meeting on 22nd August – this is something that Graham Campbell would ordinarily do on our behalf.  I found it very interesting.  Again, we covered a wide range of topics.  I was particularly interested in their ‘Youth Panel Update’ – the Panel being a group of youngsters who regularly feed upwards to the Board with their observations, thoughts and recommendations.  Something we are proactively pursuing for JudoScotland.  I believe that the opinions of our younger judoka are important for our future development.

We’re also planning on having a live broadcast of a BOD meeting before the end of the year.

Members will be able to connect in and get a feel for how the Board operates. We will get back to you shortly with more details.

On a different note, I’d like to welcome current Olympic Champion, Shohei Ono, and his former coach, Shinji Hosokawa, to Scotland.  Shohei will be in Scotland for the next year or so, depending on his English studies. Judith and I met up with him for lunch when, as well as agreeing to attend The Gathering, he kindly committed to doing several training camps/dates for Scottish judokas. It’s a tremendous opportunity for Scotland to have such a world-class competitor in our midst.

And staying with Japan, Masahi Ebinuma, 3-times World Champion, and Kana Ebinuma, 2-times All Japan Champion, expressed their desire to experience a day’s falconry.  Our very own Lee McGrorty, 2002 Commonwealth Games medallist, and expert falconer has kindly offered to entertain our guests (Shohei and Judith are also planning to join) and let them experience some spectacular Gyr Falcons flying.  Thanks, Lee.

Finally, on a personal note, this month I was also able to spend a bit of time with Colin McIver, 9th Dan. Firstly, marvelling at how well-trained his cocker spaniel is!  And then, by attending the Scotland vs. Georgia Rugby match.

Neither of us knew very much about rugby but we had a very enjoyable day finding out (and we won!).

Looking forward to catching up with everyone soon at the (sold-out) Gathering. Promises to be a great weekend!

Marc Preston

6^th Dan

Following the success of our first Keizoku in 2022 we are delighted to bring this event back for our members this November! 

Keizoku is an innovative event open to Judoka aged 5 – 12 years who are looking to take the first (or even second) step outside the club environment. Supporting the continuous development of young Scottish Judoka, this event provides fun off the mat challenges and offers maximum time on the mat to apply their Judo skills.

Keizoku introduces subtle changes to the traditional judo event to provide a more ‘age and stage’ appropriate environment in line with the JudoScotland Player Development Framework so that young judoka can enjoy the thrill of competing, the challenge of doing their best and the enjoyment of sport. As an introductory event, Judoka can wear any colour of Gi to take part as they experience the wider world of Judo.

Here is what the parents of last year’s attendees had to say:

“From arriving until we left it was fantastic, the kids were kept busy right from the start all staff/helpers were amazing with the kids. It was a very productive morning, and my son had a fab time. He especially liked doing all the little events like the plank lights and it was lovely how the kids all made friends from other clubs in their groups. Well done!”

“Lots of fun for the kids in a friendly and relaxed environment”

“Very fun for kids, great venue, fun warmup. It was great they got a lot of mat time. Not too much pressure for the kids.”

“The event felt like a family affair, it was very well organised, sign posted, and we were kept up to date throughout the day of the scheduled events, we had a fabulous day and will definitely be at the next event!”

This event is aimed at Judoka in the sampling stage that are looking to take the next step out of the club environment. This festival is designed with the child’s stage in mind providing fun on and off-the-mat challenges to develop their technical, physical and behavioural abilities. If you are unsure, it is suitable for you, please speak to your coach.

When she started her journey as a young judoka, Victoria Kirk, had no idea that it would lead to her travelling across the country refereeing at numerous different types of Judo events.

Ahead of our referee course this Saturday, we spoke to her about the benefits of refereeing, how she became involved and her aim to referee internationally.

“When I was 21, I had a bit of an injury which led to me taking time out of competing, judo has been a huge part of my upbringing with my dad, brother and partner all being involved in the sport so I still wanted to be involved and taking up refereeing kept me busy in the sport”.

“I first got into it (refereeing) by going to low-level competitions and that gave me some experience refereeing on the mat.”

Victoria then attended JudoScotland referee courses to achieve the necessary qualifications to continue her refereeing journey:

“I did a few courses which helped build up my knowledge and they were good fun. You get to meet other people and they give you the knowledge that you need to be better at judo in general. It doesn’t just help you in being a referee – it helps you better understand your own judo, improves your coaching, and helps you become better at supporting other people. As referees, we’re there to support each other and work as a team no matter where you come from.”

During her time in the sport, Victoria has seen a widespread change in how judo referees operate: “We’ve come away from the age where ‘what I say goes’. Referees are now communicating with judokas and explaining their decision. In turn that makes everybody work together. No referee is going there to make things difficult for people, we’re going there to help Judoka achieve the correct outcome and if you can communicate that by having the right knowledge you’ll make responsible decisions, and make friends along the way while helping people enjoy the sport.”

Victoria has also seen the benefits that becoming a referee has had outside the dojo. As a social worker, she’s been able to transfer valuable communication skills to the workplace: “It’s helped me communicate with people who may be upset. Judo competitions can create heightened emotions and in my line of work I’ve had to help people with high emotions as well, so it has helped keep me calm in these sorts of situations. Before I started refereeing people around me might have said I was a bit hot-headed, but now I’m calmer, as I can see from other people’s points of view.”

After succeeding in her promotion to National B referee at the British Schools Championship in March this year, Victoria’s sights are firmly set on achieving the next step. “It was inspiring to see fellow Scottish referee Audrey Pirie become the first female National A referee in the country. It has given me a drive to go and get that badge which will allow me to referee internationally and work at events across the world.”

To anyone considering taking their first steps into the world of refereeing, Victoria’s advice is simple: “Just go in and try it! Try it with confidence, come and speak to all the referees as they’ll be happy to give out any advice they can. It’s so worth it!”

If you are interested in starting your journey to refereeing and officiating, click here to sign up for this weekend’s course.

Following a comprehensive recruitment process, JudoScotland is delighted to announce Stephen Somerville has taken on the role of Disability Development Officer.

Stephen, who previously held the role of National Development Executive until 2019, will join the team on a part-time basis to develop our Adaptive Judo offering as part of our new Strategic Plan ‘Judo For All’.

The role of Disability Development Officer will lead the support and development of opportunities for people with disabilities to engage, progress and flourish in the sport of judo. Stephen will be responsible for creating and providing relevant development opportunities for the workforce to establish clear, transparent performance pathways across the JudoScotland and British Judo landscapes.

On his appointment, Stephen said, “I’m delighted to be back at JudoScotland in these very exciting times. My passion comes from Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo. As a judoka, you must contribute to society and that’s ingrained in our belief systems as you grow as a judo player. Too often people will say ‘They can’t do it’ but I think we have proven many times it doesn’t matter what your disability is you can always take part in some way.”

“There are many strands of pathways that people might not be fully aware of, from the Special Olympics to the Deaf Olympics.  I think most people will be aware of the Visually Impaired pathway as we’ve had success in the past with people like Sam Ingram (winner of two Paralympic medals), but there are many other pathways for judokas living with a disability.”

Talking about his immediate priorities in the role, Stephen added; “Gathering data is so important, and everyone needs to help us here as the more information we get from our membership the clearer our understanding of what we need to put in place. I think people tend to think we are being nosy when asking disability questions but we are asking it so we have a clear understanding of what the base level is and how we can best support Judoka.”

If you would like to discuss the landscape of disability Judo in Scotland further, you can contact Stephen at stephensomerville@judoscotland.com.

As he begins his transition moving to Scotland to start a new chapter in his career, current Olympic champion Shohei Ono and his former coach and double Olympic medalist Shinji Hosokawa dropped by for lunch with our team.

After calling time on a glittering judo career, which saw him win two Olympic gold medals and three world championships, Shohei Ono has begun his life in coaching.

His first port of call, moving to Edinburgh to undertake English lessons. In doing so, Shohei follows Masashi Ebinuma and Yoko Tanabe most recently in coming to the UK where there are fantastic all-round opportunities to kickstart a career in coaching.

Widely regarded as one of the best judoka to ever grace the mat, JudoScotland were delighted to welcome him to our office and dojo.

Our CEO Judith McCleary said: “Following Shohei’s retirement as an athlete, it is a huge honour that he has chosen to base himself in Edinburgh where he is enrolled as a student, with his primary focus on improving his English.

“Shohei has made a number of international judo event commitments over the next few months so he certainly won’t be at a loose end! The most important things for us at JudoScotland is to ensure Shohei is supported as he adjusts to a very different routine. We have extended our offering and know that the judo family will endeavour to help him feel at home.

“A lot of Shohei’s attention will be on his intense studies and we will offer suitable opportunities, when time allows, for Shohei to get involved with JudoScotland and British Judo activities, ensuring the best experiences possible for him during this exciting chapter.”

We can’t wait to see Shohei Ono at The Gathering on September 30th, where he will be joining Masashi Ebinuma and Kana (Abe) Ebinuma to deliver an exciting weekend of Judo.

Judoka attending will have the fantastic opportunity to learn from the very best of the sport as Shohei will be delivering a guest session sharing his immense skill set with the Scottish Judo community.

Though tickets for this event are fully sold out, you can join the waiting list by emailing events@judoscotland.com

As we embrace the values of courtesy, honour and respect inherent in judo, it’s just as important for us to extend these principles beyond the dojo.

In this article, we detail ways in which our judoka, coaches and volunteers can help foster a sustainable approach to the sport.

By donating and buying pre-loved kits, you are helping reduce the amount of waste entering landfill, helping to shift towards a circular economy.

Donate

You can donate your Preloved Judo Kits to us or other charities. You can help reduce waste by giving your preloved kits to various charities:

Kit for All: Kit for All is about offering recycled and pre-loved sports kit to individuals and families who need it, for free. Why? To make sport and physical activity more accessible for more people and to help the environment. https://sportscotland.org.uk/kit-for-all/

Your Club: Many Clubs run their own donating schemes to help reduce the cost of participating in Judo, speak with your club to see what schemes they have in place.

Shop/Sell

Looking for a bargain or looking to make a bit of extra cash?

There is an ever-changing supply of preloved kits becoming available, some have never been worn. You can get a great deal or make a bit of extra money, all while closing the loop.

Your Club: May run or offer a buy/sell community, speak with your coach. If your club doesn’t run one already why not think about setting one to help close the loop and save money for your club members.

Facebook Marketplace: There are specific judo Facebook buy/sell/swap groups where you can buy and sell your Judo kits. Simply search, ask your club or take a look at Judo Buy/Sell/Donate And Swap UK.

Vinted: There are some great deals to be had on preloved Judo suits on Vinted, all with the added security of buying through reputable company.

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

Hi Judo Community,

Hope you’re all enjoying the summer and getting the opportunity to enjoy a well-earned break!  Just a short update from me this month.

First of all, congratulations to all the judoka who represented Scotland so well at the National Teams early in July.  They achieved some great results and came away with 6 medals.  It certainly got the month off to a great start.

Later in the month, our President, Dr. George Kerr, and Vice Presidents Colin McIver, Rick Kenney, and Jim Feenan, along with Judith and myself, met up to celebrate the appointment of Lisa Allan as Secretary General of the International Judo Federation. As I mentioned previously, this is a wonderful accolade for Lisa and a great boost for JudoScotland, keeping our profile high on the international stage.

I had the pleasure of being on the mat at Ratho for the Masters Session on 16 July.  It was a great day with no fewer than 45 seasoned judoka on the mat! After an intensive technique period, I was amazed at the highly competitive randori session that brought the event to a close.  Well done guys – keep up the good work.

July also saw two Scottish judoka Eva Ewing and Ross McWatt compete at the European Youth Olympic Festival which provided a fantastic opportunity for the young Judoka to compete in a multisport environment.

You may have noticed several changes to the JudoScotland staff team in July. At the beginning of the month, we welcomed Alister Bean to the role of Digital Communications Officer, he is already making strides in this area and I look forward to seeing his part in the digital transformation of the organisation. At the end of the month Colin Aitken stepped down as our Safeguarding & Wellbeing Executive a role he has held on a part time basis since 2018, but has being doing as a volunteer for many years before then. Colin has been pivotal in the expansion of safeguarding and wellbeing within the organisation and has assisted in the development of our new strategic plan, ‘Judo For All’.  I would like to extend my deep gratitude to Colin for all his support. Colin will be succeeded by Luke Struthers as Lead Wellbeing & Protection Officer at JudoScotland on a full-time basis, after a rigorous recruitment cycle. We also saw the appointment of Stephen Somerville to the newly created role of Disability Development Officer. More on Stephen’s role and what it means for Judo in Scotland to come. We have been overwhelmed by the quality of applications for all three roles and we look forward to seeing how they can each play a part in the delivery of our new strategy ‘Judo For All’.

And finally, a quick reminder to please get your nominations in for the 2023 JudoScotland Coaching, Officiating and Volunteering Awards to recognise people who are excelling and going the extra mile for our sport.  We as an organisation absolutely value these superstars!   Nominations close on 1^st September.

Marc Preston

6^th Dan

Do you have a passion to make Judo accessible to everyone in Scotland? Do you have ideas to shape the future of our sport? Then we need you!  

JudoScotland are looking for two directors and a treasurer to join our Board of Directors to help realise our new strategic plan ‘Judo For All’. 

We would particularly welcome applicants from individuals with skills in the following areas;  

• High Performance 
• Legal Expertise 
• Business Marketing & PR  
• Income Generation.  

However, we encourage anyone who is interested to get in touch for a chat as you may have more to offer than you first think!  

By being part of the JudoScotland Board, you will be involved in key decisions that will impact the direction of our sport, a truly fulfilling role. Don’t take our word for it, here’s what our current directors have to say.  

Jodie Cox, Independent Board Member shares her experience about being on the Board; “I wanted to use my skill set to positively contribute to a National Sport, and being on a Board has provided an invaluable opportunity to do so. The addition of two new independent directors this year, demonstrates the effect of Judo on the wider Scottish sports landscape, whilst also helping to bring a different perspective to the Board. It is also great to hear from members directly about the success of the Board decisions and how they are positively impacting the organisation and the communities in which they are based. As a Board, we all have different strengths and experiences, and collectively, we aim to contribute and shape JudoScotland for the better.” 

Mark Brien, added “I feel that creating a positive environment and giving support as a JudoScotland board member is important so that our CEO and staff team can implement JudoScotland’s vision.” 

If you are considering applying, have a look at the outlines below and feel free to get in touch for an informal chat.  

Application Process and Eligibility 

To be eligible to apply, you must be a JudoScotland member and be endorsed by two member clubs.  A suggested nomination pro forma can be found below; 

Please submit your applications by 1630 hours on Wednesday 30 August 2023 to hr@judoscotland.com.  

We spoke to our medal winners from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games to hear firsthand accounts of their remarkable success.

One year ago today, our Scottish judoka created their own piece of history by entering the tatami for the first time at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Though the sport was not included in the 2018 edition, spirits were high thanks to the success of the 2014 Games in Glasgow, where 13 medals were won (6 gold, 2 silver, 5 bronze) over three days, making judo the most successful Scottish sport at a single Commonwealth Games in history.  

In total, 11 judokas travelled up to Birmingham for the games and, with a strong Scottish support behind them, they were once again successful, taking home four medals (1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze). 

Seven Scottish judoka took to the mats for day one. Finlay Allan was the first to secure a medal, earning silver in his debut appearance at the games. Following an impressive early round showing, beating Mauro Nassone of Mozambique, Steven Mungandu of Zambia and Jasleen Saini of India in the semi-final to come up against Georgios Balarjishvili of Cyprus in the final. It was a thrilling affair and the Cypriot managed to pip Finlay to gold; “The commonwealth games was different to any event I had ever competed in. The media attention was pretty strange to me and the crowd atmosphere was on a different level. I enjoyed the crowd and it helped me with each fight. The most memorable moment was seeing my family and friends in the crowd. They don’t often get to watch me compete so it was really special to have them there and celebrate with them afterwards. 

Malin Wilson was the next Scottish judoka to secure a medal, winning bronze after beating England’s Lele Nairne in Golden Score. Malin’s path to the bronze medal wasn’t straightforward, after winning in her first-round bout she was defeated by second seed Acelya Toprak which meant she went into the repechage and had to win against New Zealand’s Qona Christie to put her back in contention for a bronze medal. Thankfully, a fine display meant she was able to add to the growing medals list. 

Having only recently returned to full training, after an eight-month break for knee surgery – Malin Wilson used the upcoming games as motivation during her recovery period: “I completed eight months post knee surgery, but I went knowing that I had to pick up a medal. If you can focus in the right moments and keep your mind strong and focused in those moments everything is slightly more possible.” National pride also was at the forefront of Malin’s mind, being desperate to add to Scotland’s medal haul pushed her on even further, “I could feel the Scotland logo on my back and the pack patch on my kit. I felt pride but with that came a sense of duty and I felt I must win.” 

We didn’t have to wait long to see our judoka on the podium again as day three saw Sarah Adlington become the first Scottish judoka ever to win two gold medals. Sarah’s success in 2014 meant she was able to use past experience to ensure she had the best possible chance of repeated success: “I think I used everything that I have learned through my judo career to help me win last year. One of the key things I’ve learnt is that you have to enjoy every moment both on and off the mat. A games always brings different pressures. You can go and compete week in week out at judo competitions sometimes you win and sometimes you learn. Often friends and family aren’t even aware that you are competing. When it comes to a games, more people know about it and are interested, the media are interested too, and this is very different for judo players.  I think there was added pressure on me as people assumed because I’d won before I’d do it again, I was very aware though, that in sport anything can happen. My face was on posters in our accommodation and in the Team Scotland house which was a first for me! I had made a solid plan with Billy and Greg for the time we spent in Birmingham before I competed so that everything was geared towards performing my best.”  

Sarah certainly did perform at her best, after beating Dianah Kana of Kenya by Nippon in the quarter-final and beating Abigail Paduch of Australia with a Waza-Ari in the semi-final she faced Tulika Maan of India in the +78kg final. She found herself trailing though was able to produce the decisive ippon, retaining her gold medal. 

Though the tatami may have been in Coventry, you could be forgiven for thinking it was in the heart of Scotland with the stands draped in saltires and a vocal Scottish crowd belting out Flower of Scotland. 

Though the success did not end there for our judoka, Rachel Tytler was able to progress into the bronze medal fight having beaten Hayley Mackay of New Zealand by ippon. Rachel was able to dispatch Coralie Godbout of Canada within 30 seconds, winning again by ippon securing bronze in her debut games.   

Straight after her bout, Rachel was immediately able to share her success with those closest to her: “For me, the most memorable moment was just after I won my bronze medal match, as I went to walk off the mat I look to the crowd behind my opponent and saw two of my best friends. As I turned to face the other side I saw my family, and as I walked off towards Euan I saw my club behind him. I had no idea where any of them were sat. At that moment my eyes were drawn to the most precious people, no matter where I looked. The support and team spirit from every single Scot in the stadium was incredible. You could hear the support throughout the whole thing. It was incredible being able to compete in front of my family and friends, most of which was their first competition to watch. Being able to share the experience, joy and success with them was phenomenal.” 

A year has now passed since our judoka’s success in Birmingham. Though the team is made up of athletes from across the country, coming from different clubs. The shared team spirit at the games proved to be a huge driving point behind their success.  

Finlay Allan said: “The team atmosphere was great and played a big part. It was great to have a team around us to keep us in the best shape possible it was a massive help.” Malin Wilson added: “Judo is unbelievably hard in so many ways and on so many levels. A strong support network is ideal.” Sarah Adlington echoed their statements: “It’s so important if you want to be successful in anything to have a good team around you that want the best for you.” 

The 2022 Commonwealth Games has reaffirmed our judoka’s love for the sport, Rachel Tytler explained: “My medal was a bit of a confidence boost for my judo. However, I imagine for most judoka it would make them strive for more medals but for me, it has changed my mindset in that I need to enjoy what I’m doing more in order to succeed rather than chasing the medal.” 

As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of our Scottish judoka’s historic achievements at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, we are reminded of the indomitable spirit and dedication that brought them success. The games were a moment of pride for Scottish judo, as our athletes once again proved their prowess on the world stage, securing four medals in total and fantastic performances from all Scottish Judoka. From Finlay Allan’s remarkable silver medal debut to Malin Wilson’s hard-fought bronze after a challenging recovery, our judoka’s determination was unwavering. Sarah Adlington’s outstanding feat of becoming the first Scottish judoka to win two gold medals showcased her expertise and passion for the sport. Rachel Tytler’s bronze medal win highlighted the power of a strong support network and the sense of camaraderie that binds our team together. As we look back on this extraordinary chapter in our sporting history, we are inspired by the shared team spirit and can’t wait to see what’s to come in the next year. 

We are delighted to announce that Luke Struthers has been appointed as Lead Wellbeing & Protection Officer at JudoScotland on a full-time basis.  Luke’s appointment comes after a comprehensive recruitment process which saw over 30 applicants and multiple rounds of interviews.

Luke will continue to build on the great work of Safeguarding & Wellbeing Executive, Colin Aitken, who will step down from the role on Monday 31st of July. Colin held this position on a volunteer basis until 2018 when he joined the staff team part-time, has been pivotal in the expansion of safeguarding and wellbeing within the organisation and has assisted in the development of our new strategic plan, ‘Judo For All’, that aims to embed safeguarding and wellbeing throughout the entire organisation. JudoScotland would like to take this opportunity to thank Colin for his hard work,

On his appointment Luke said, ‘I am looking forward to beginning my new role at JudoScotland, and continuing the great work that Colin has achieved over the last few years, helping to ensure the wellbeing of all participants in judo in Scotland. Practicing sport, and judo in particular, has so many benefits, and I feel that everyone should be able to enjoy sport in a fun and safe environment appropriate to their needs. I look forward to supporting judo clubs to continue the great work they do delivering judo, and helping them make their clubs an even safer space for people to enjoy this amazing sport’.

Luke, who currently holds the position of Regional Development Officer for the West of Scotland, will start in the new role on the 7^th of August. I am sure you will join us in wishing Luke every success in his new position. If you would like to get in touch with Luke to discuss a wellbeing & protection matter, you can do so via email LukeStruthers@JudoScotland.com or call on 07495 836 223.