News

Applications for the JudoScotland Kaizen Academy are now open.

Entering its fifth year, the Kaizen Academy continues to embody the Japanese philosophy of continual learning. The programme is designed to support club coaches to enhance their skillset, increase confidence and support their understanding and development of coaching principles to bring back to their dojos to continue to develop judo in Scotland.

Kaizen Academy coaches can expect to gain access to various coaching CPD opportunities throughout the year including: exclusive sessions with judo legend Neil Adams MBE, discounted invites to JudoScotland events and personalised dojo visits with a dedicated coach developer. Furthermore, involvement in the Kaizen Academy programme provides the opportunity to join a group of like-minded coaches and share experiences and learnings with each other.

JudoScotland Coaching and Volunteering Manager, Paul McGuinness said: “The Kaizen Academy offers valuable opportunities for judo coaches in Scotland to develop their skills and receive expert guidance and advice from coach developers.

“We are excited to welcome the next cohort of coaches from across the country into the programme and support them as they progress through their coaching journey.”

How to Get Involved

JudoScotland invites Level 1 or 2 coaches to join the professional development programme. Participation requires club support, and acceptance to the programme is based on an individual basis. Preference will be given to coaches whose clubs:

• Prioritise workforce development
• Show a strong commitment to personal and professional growth of coaches
• Demonstrate increased participation and pathway development opportunities

The two-year programme requires a £250 annual investment from clubs or coaches. The remaining cost of the programme (circa £2,000) will be subsidised by JudoScotland as part of our strategic commitment to workforce development.

The application period runs from Monday 12th January to Sunday 9th February 2026.

Anyone who wishes to apply for the programme should contact Paul McGuinness at 07949 888 278 or email paulmcguinness@judoscotland.com

Introducing the JudoScotland Podcast!
We kicked things off with a visit to our partners at Lost Shore, grabbed a coffee, and sat down for a great conversation with JudoScotland Vice Chair, Sandy Hodge. Hear from Sandy about his role with JudoScotland and his thoughts on the future.

This is just the beginning; we’ll be bringing you more voices and stories from the Board and the judo community throughout the year. Stay tuned!

Carnegie Judo Club has recently become the latest club to achieve JudoMARK accreditation status since the club accreditation scheme was updated in 2024.

The JudoMARK club accreditation scheme is for clubs that are committed to maintaining the highest standards of Safeguarding and Wellbeing, People Development, Club Management and Governance. As the national governing body for judo in Scotland, JudoScotland is committed to equipping affiliated clubs with the resources and support they need to create not only a safe environment but one where the sport can thrive.

When discussing the benefits of undertaking the JudoMARK accreditation scheme, Head Coach Jim Feenan said: “We had the older version of JudoMARK from back in 2015 and I think that was a useful exercise to have gone through. When we started on the journey for the latest one, we had assumed that we had much of the processes and procedures in place when in fact we had to relook at everything.”

“It’s been an extremely useful exercise to make sure that we are compliant across a number of areas whether that’s the coaching side of things or safeguarding. We wanted to focus a lot on safeguarding to make sure we were Three Step Safe, and I don’t think we would have reviewed everything so thoroughly if it wasn’t for the JudoMARK process.”

At JudoScotland, our goal is to equip affiliated clubs with the tools and resources they need to create safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments for everyone who steps on the mat. JudoMARK presents an ideal opportunity for clubs to assess various areas in their club infrastructure to ensure these areas are at the forefront of operations.    

Sam Ingram, Club Support Officer, presented Carnegie Judo Club with their JudoMARK plaque in December: “We are proud of Carnegie Judo Club achieving JudoMARK status, it’s a true testament to the club’s dedication to operating at a high standard and their commitment to the safety of their club members.” 

“We hope to see more clubs in 2026 begin and complete their own JudoMARK journey as we continue to work together to ensure that judo clubs across Scotland continue to provide safe and nurturing environments for people to thrive and take part in our sport.” 

To learn more about JudoMARK and to find out how your club can get involved click here. 

A brief update from the JudoScotland Chair Marc Preston on activity in December. 

As 2025 comes to a close, I’m delighted to announce that Judo Scotland’s membership of 9,300 is at an all-time high. I would like to thank everyone involved – staff, clubs, coaches, volunteers and members – for this amazing achievement, which really confirms the adage that sticking together makes us stronger!

The month started off on the 4th of December when I was involved in the Scottish Governing Bodies Chair Network. This involves Chairs across a wide variety of sports with the opportunity to debate what is relevant and topical across sports in Scotland. I started off with a short presentation about how JudoScotland is rolling out Three Steps Safe in 2026. We’ve struck up an excellent relationship with Scottish Gymnastics, and I would like to thank Brian Ewing (Chair) and Doc McKelvey, (CEO) for their valuable input in helping JudoScotland on our journey.

On 9th December we had our final Board Meeting. Instead of being at Ratho, it was held at our partners Lost Shore Surf Resort where we finished off with a meal and a social catch up with the team.

On 15th I was again involved with the British Judo Board in the morning – an online session. And, in the evening I was at the Scottish Sports Awards in Glasgow to represent JudoScotland with Tony Penfold and Richard Marsh. I’d like to congratulate John D’Ambrosio of Hamilton Judo Club Inclusion for winning the Disability Coach of the Year Award! I have known John for many years; he was a fine Scottish competitor! Well done John on the tremendous work you and Hamilton Judo Club Inclusion are doing, and good to catch up!

On the 18th myself, Judith, Andrew Scoular (BJA CEO) and Gerry Gaultieri (BJA Chair) had an online catch up. The topic was about making sure we are aligned going forward into 2026, and part of that was again, discussing both organisations and Three Steps Safe.

A huge congratulations to the all the Scottish competitors at the recent British Championships where we took a phenomenal number of medals. We are extremely proud of you all!

And finally, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We’re looking forward to a bumper year in 2026 for JudoScotland!

Marc Preston, 7th Dan 

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re proud to look back on the third year of our ‘Judo For All’ strategy which has been nothing short of transformational for Scottish Judo. From record-breaking membership numbers, to the integration of the performance programme, here’s how we made this year one to remember!

Corporate Excellence

• We kicked off the year by being crowned Scottish Governing Body of the Year – a testament to our commitment to excellence.
• A major milestone: JudoScotland assumed full in-house control of the Judo Performance Programme from sportscotland, paving the way for a more integrated, athlete-focused approach as we gear up for Glasgow 2026 and beyond.
• Performance Staff: Alberto Borin joined as Head of Performance and Taka Kitahara as Performance Pathway Coach, together with Gary Edwards they will build on the strong foundations laid by Euan Burton and SIS staff.
• Governance updates: A heartfelt thank you to Gordon McCathie for his dedicated service on the Board, and a warm welcome to Richard Marsh following member club elections.
• Honouring legends: In January Eddie Cassidy was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
• Investing in future talent: We welcomed Emma through our Modern Apprenticeship programme in partnership with sportscotland and Enable.
• Strengthening partnerships: SportsHotels.com became our Official Accommodation Partner, and our Lost Shore Partnership opens new training opportunities and member discounts.

Growing an Engaged and Diverse Membership

• Over 9,000 members – the biggest it has ever been!
• Revamped Mon Grading system launched, with Kai and Kyu developments on the horizon.
• Expanded Trauma-Informed Coaching initiative with British Judo.
• Club Accelerator Pilot extended to Northern Scotland.
• Five clubs achieved Judo Mark, showcasing excellence in safeguarding, governance, and development.
• Community Awards 2025 recognised the tireless work of our workforce who are instrumental to the sport.
• Coaching Workforce: 87 new qualifications – including 72 Level 1 coaches, 15 progressing to Level 2, and 6 on the Kaizen Academy.
• Thanks to our workforce of 162 referees and technical officials, who make this sport possible!

Making a Positive Contribution to Scottish Society

• Senpai Programme: 12 participants, 300 volunteer hours, 40 qualifications earned – 55% female.
• Judo Girls Rise: 198 participants, 72% new to judo, and 9 clubs grew membership by 21%.
• Clubs launched inspiring initiatives including Safer Falling and Chat on the Mat, strengthening community impact.

Progressive and Inclusive Opportunities

• Scottish Open 2025: 700+ competitors from 16 nations, introducing Adapted & VI categories.
• National Closed Championship: 361 judoka from 46 clubs, plus a new Veterans category.
• Grand Prix Series continued to drive athlete development.
• Keizoku hit record attendance with 156 participants; this event is focussed on providing positive experiences for judoka stepping out of their club environment for the first time.
• All Stars gave young judoka maximum mat time in a fun, competitive format.
• Adapted & VI pathway expanded with 8 regional/national sessions and a dedicated festival.
• The Gathering with Tato Grigalashvili brought world-class judo to Scotland.
• First National Training Camp welcomed five-time World Champion Uta Abe, setting new performance standards.

Scottish Athlete Success

• National Teams: Podium finishes in every category.
• Major selections: European Para Youth Games, EYOF Skopje, and European Cadet Championships.
• Adapted & VI triumphs: Chris Murphy and Rebecca Lamb crowned European Champions.
• Performance Pathway delivered 29 international medals and 14 athletes met Glasgow 2026 qualification standards.
• Awards season success:
  • SWIS: Loretta Doyle – Inspiration in Sport; Lois Goldie – Young Sportswoman of the Year.
  • BJA: Coen Gilbert – Cadet of the Year; Kirsty Lyon – Referee of the Year.
  • Scottish Sports Awards: John D’Ambrosio – Disability Coach of the Year.

Thank you so much for your continued support throughout 2025 and we look forward to doing it all again in 2026.

The weekend saw 162 Scottish Judoka take to the tatami in a bid to become British Champion.

Scottish competitors made up 20% of competitors, a strong showing considering Scotland accounts for only 8% of the UK population. A total of 57 medals were awarded to Scottish judoka with eight individuals becoming British Champions in their respective categories.

We want to extend a huge thank you to all the clubs and coaches who supported judoka across the weekend and in their training and development throughout the year.

There was also a strong Scottish contingent among the Referees and Technical Officials at the weekend with eight referees and one technical official volunteering across the two days of competition.

Saturday 13th November – Cadet and Junior

The Cadets were up first, opening the weekend with an impressive medal haul of 14, including a gold for Tabitha Callaghan (Judo Club Esprit). Lexi Buchanan (Sportif) and Coby Sweetland (Sportif) both won silver in the -48kg and -46kg respectively. In the -50kg it was Double Bronze for Pro Judo with Finlay Whitelaw and Samuel Mcallister.

In Juniors a total of 16 medals, starting in the -100kg, it was a Gold & Silver finish for Scotland with Kevin Gordon (Hibari Kan Judo Club) and Jaden Calder (Judo Club Esprit). There were three medals in the Junior -73. In the -60kg category, Joe Buchanan (Sportif) delivered a stellar performance to claim gold, while teammate Coen Gilbert added to the success with a bronze. Finlay Strang (Danderhall) battled his way to silver, while Jack Macleod (Garioch Judo Club) and Eden Heffernan (Pro Judo) claimed bronze.

Meanwhile, in the Junior -48kg category, Eva Ewing (EdinburghJudo) delivered a brilliant performance to take gold, with Lexi Buchanan (Sportif Judo Club) fighting hard to secure bronze. In the -63kg category, Zaffira Edwards (EdinburghJudo) fought her way to a silver medal, while Bronach McGill (Sportif) claimed bronze.

Sunday 14th November – Pre-Cadet and Senior

The Pre-Cadets kicked off the competition on Sunday with some incredible perfomances resulting in 13 medals across the board. ProJudos’s Innes Whitelaw won gold in the –38kg category with Roibin Gallagher (Zenkai Judo Club) joining him on the podium after securing the bronze medal. Olivia Smith (Zenkai Judo Club) also won gold in the –40kg category with Kier O’Connor (ProJudo) also securing a silver in the -46kg.

Scots were across the podiums in the boys Pre-Cadets with silver medals from Magnus Thompson (Destination Judo) in –55kg, Jude Buchanan (Sportif) in –60kg and Angus Mowat (Highland Budokan) in –66kg. They stood alongside fellow Scots on the podium as there were bronze medals won in each category also by Carlo Pellicci (Judo Club Espirt), Lorenzo Justino (Tayside) and Aaron Sokolowski (Sportif).

The seniors took to the tatami later in the day and delivered some standout performances resulting in 14 medals in total. Following some tough competition, there were bronze medal finishes from Jidel Judo’s Tomi Imrie in the –57kg category and Harriet Jones (ProJudo) in –52kg.

The Final Block saw seven Scottish judoka in the finals, with five silver medals and two golds to add to the haul. Siblings Joe and Lexi Buchannan left with silver medals in the –60kg and –48kg categories alongside Neil McDonald in the –66kg. It was more medal success for our heavyweigh judoka with silver medal finishes from Kevin Gordan (Hibari Kan Judo Club) in the –100kg category and Gregor Miller (Garioch) in the +100kg.

Edinburgh Judo’s Scott Cusack secured the title of British Champion with gold in the -90kg category while Summer Shaw (Camberly Judo Club) delivered a standout performance to take home the gold in the –48kg category.

It wasn’t just the judoka making us proud, we had eight incredible Scottish referees stepping into the middle of the mat. Having joined the National A Programme at the end of November Kirsty Lyon and Emma Imrie-Herd took part in their first assessments, scoring well and will continue to be assessed over their next two major national events. Following the weekend we are proud to announce that Victoria Kirk has now completed the necessary assessments to become Scotland’s newest National A Referee. 

James McBeath stepped up into the role Co-Referee in charge for the event and was joined by Graeme MacLachlan as Mat Supervisor overseeing decisions and carrying out assessments over both days of competition. Paul Grady, Audrey Pirie, and Adam Lovey also took to the tatami to support with refereeing throughout the weekend. In terms of Technical Officials, Susie Wright represented Scotland and provided vital support to the successful running of the event. 

For a full list of results please visit the British Judo Website.  

Whether you’re across the country or across the globe, you don’t have to miss a second of the action. Tune in to the live stream and experience the event as it happens, wherever you are.

Date: Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th December

Venue: David Ross Sports Village, Beeston Ln, Nottingham, NG7 2RD

Mat 1

Mat 2

Mat 3

Mat 4

Mat 5

Mat 6

Mat 7

Whether you’re across the country or across the globe, you don’t have to miss a second of the action. Tune in to the live stream and experience the event as it happens, wherever you are.

Date: Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th December

Venue: David Ross Sports Village, Beeston Ln, Nottingham, NG7 2RD

Mat 1

Mat 2

Mat 3

Mat 4

Mat 5

Mat 6

Mat 7

We are excited to announce that Team Scotland’s Judo Coaches for Glasgow 2026 will be Alberto Borin, Gary Edwards, and Takafumi Kitahara. 

These three highly experienced, full-time coaches within the JudoScotland Performance Pathway have been identified as the most suitable to lead our athletes at the Games. Alberto, Gary, and Taka have been working closely with judoka and their club coaches throughout the qualification period, supporting training plans, competition schedules, and performance development to help athletes meet nomination standards for selection. 

As we approach the end of the year, we are proud to have 14 athletes already in contention for selection, with the qualifying window remaining open until 31st May 2026, giving plenty of time for more judoka to join the mix. 

A Home Games is a truly special occasion, and Alberto, Gary, and Taka are ready to embrace this challenge and lead Team Scotland to success. 

Alberto Borin, JudoScotland’s Head of Performance and Team Scotland Judo Coach added “We look forward to continuing our work with judoka and their club coaches throughout the qualification period, into the Games, and beyond. A Home Games offers a unique opportunity to collaborate closely with athletes, clubs, and additional coaching support right up until they enter the competition phase, enabling a truly holistic preparation. Our shared goal is to ensure this approach translates into a successful and memorable Games for Team Scotland.” 
 

A brief update from the JudoScotland Chair Marc Preston on activity in November. 

The month started off attending the British Judo AGM in Walsall.  I had to get up at the crack of dawn as I travelled down by train! The session, as always, went well, with a very informative presentation to the membership. Congratulations to CEO Andrew Scoular, Chair Gerry Gualtieri and their team.   

The Scottish National Closed Championships on 8th & 9th November at Ravenscraig showcased some incredible contests and I’d like to congratulate everyone on their results. Thank you to our clubs across the country who continue to encourage and support players on their competitive journey. 

On 15th November I was invited to attend an event in the Whitburn Community Centre to celebrate Ramsay Thomson’s 50 years in judo.  It was quite an emotional night with speeches from Ramsay himself and Gary Edwards from JudoScotland.  I’ve known Ramsay personally for this entire time!  He has been a stalwart on the Scottish judo scene, and I would like to congratulate him on this recognition. During the evening event we bumped into quite a few judoka I hadn’t seen for a long time – too many to mention but amongst them had a great catch up with Steven & Michelle Vidler and Winston Gordon from British Judo.  

On 17th November I had the pleasure of spending the day with Andrew Scoular.  He had a meeting with Judith and, later in the evening, Andrew, Graham Campbell, our President Colin McIver and I went for a very pleasant catch-up meal to end the day. 

Players from eight different clubs travelled to Montreal for the Montreal Pan-American Open and training camp and what a success that was – medals galore for our Scottish contingent and 4 more athletes meeting a Commonwealth Games minimum nomination standard in Canada.  

On 22nd, JudoScotland hosted Keizoku in the morning and our new Adapted & VI Festival in the afternoon.  I am informed that it was an exceptional day, providing a supportive environment for new players stepping out of their club, getting a flavour of what is on offer. Thank you to Jidel Judo and Tayside Judo who supplied fruit and medals for competitors and well done to the organising team for making it a truly memorable occasion. 

On a personal note, my wife and I travelled down to Wolverhampton on 28th November to pay our respects at the funeral of Christine Bent Brown – wife of Kerrith Brown, Olympic Medalist.  For those younger members of our judo family, Kerrith was one of the best players that our country has ever produced.  I have known them both for many years and would like to send my love and condolences to a very special person. 

Marc Preston, 7th Dan