I'm very involved in UK Judo. Arguably too much as I give up far too much time volunteering to fulfil numerous roles which takes time away from my own training.
An occasional thank you would be nice!
My Current Judo qualifications / involvement
- BJA promotions commission member
- Y & H Director of Examiners
- Y & H Chairman
- Y & H website and social media
- Lead coach at Sheffield University Judo club
- Organising events and handling registration for events (Y & H Area)
- BJA competitive 4th dan
- BJA technical 5th dan
- BJA Level 2 coach
- Nat A Referee
- Senior examiner
- Contest Recorder
Coaching success
Sheffield university Judo club regularly claim medals at competitions we attend, hopefully we'll be adding to the club website soon to start keeping tally.
Dan grades - in addition to competing myself, I've started getting players up to dan grade standard in recent years.
Which makes me feel like my coaching has reached a reasonable level.
I'm never going to be able to claim to have coached loads to black belt - as most members of the Sheffield University Judo club are only with me for 2 or 3 years.
My Judo history
My Judo progression through the kyu grades was as a member of The British Judo Association (BJA) in a period when there were 9 kyu grades.
In 2008, the BJA not only did away with the contest requirement for grades (which are now entirely technical) but reduced the number of kyu grades to just 6.
Info in my history refers to the 9 kyu competitive system.
The more day-to-day stuff I sporadically blog about in my Judo blog.
| 12/2024 | Achieved National A referee badge, last assesment at national pre-cadet & cadet |
| 11/2024 | Joined BJA promotions commision |
| 06/2024 | Qualified as Contest Recorder |
| 06/2024 | Judogi control at EJU Junior European Cup (Birmingham) |
| 08/2023 | Judogi control at IBSA World Games (Birmingham) |
| 06/2023 | Judogi control at Junior European cup (Birmingham) |
| 12/2022 | Elected to Y & H Chair under new constitution |
| 11/2021 | Technical 5th dan |
| 01/2021 | Became Y & H area Director of Examiners |
| 11/2019 | Samurai masters (40-49) : Silver, 2 wins from 3 (lost to 5th dan). No points. |
| 02/2018 | Referee in charge at the West Yorkshire Championships (Richard Dunn, Bradford) - think this was my first RIC |
| 10/2017 | Samurai Masters & High Grades comp, 2 bronzes and 20 points. Completed point collection for 4th dan. |
| 06/2016 | Passed National B referee exam at Kent International |
| 09/2015 | First go at "National B" ref exam at Heart of England competition. Didn't pass this time, but some useful feedback on stuff to work on. |
| 03/2014 | Samurai high grades & masters competition, bronze in each and bronze in open. Won 8/13 contests. 30 promotion points |
| 03/2014 | Fought in USIST, won 2/3. Bronze for team |
| 12/2013 | Qualified as Senior Examiner (date may not be 100%, sometime around here) |
| 05/2012 | Samurai High Grade competition : 20 points |
| 05/2012 | Reffereed at the North of England Open. My first ranking event as a ref. Intense! |
| 11/2011 | 3rd dan comp at Samurai "high grade and masters comp" = 10 points to 4th dan |
| 05/2011 | Assessed for Area ref award, passed as National C |
| 11/2010 | 3rd dan comp at Samurai "high grade and masters comp" = bronze + 20 points to 4th dan |
| 10/2010 | Last 10 points for 3rd dan claimed at Yorkshire and Humberside area grading in Goole. Woop woop! |
| 09/2010 | Grading, High Wycombe. Won one, lost one. Now 8 points shy of 3rd dan. Helen got last points for 1st dan |
| 08/2010 | Grading: 3 fights. 1 win (memorable seoi toshi)=10points, draw (held him for 18secs, 2 seconds short of the 10 points), loss |
| 06/2010 | Goole Open. +90Kg. Fought 2 heavy 1st dans. Came away with silver. |
| 05/2010 | Yorkshire and Humberside area grading. Fought 3 1st dans, beat 2 giving me 10 points towards my 3rd dan. Now on 72 and 3rd dan almost within reach! |
| 04/2010 | Midlands area 1st kyu+ over 90Kg. Bronze. No dan points though :( |
| 02/2010 | Bronze in Sheffield Uni team event |
| 11/2009 | Joined the Yorkshire and Humberside area committee officially |
| 11/2009 | Attended BJA Technical Congress for 1st time. Lots of interesting Judo and BJA stuff |
| 10/2009 | Samurai Masters +90Kg bronze medal, + 10 points for 3rd dan |
| 06/2009 | Silver at Goole Open +90Kg (open weight), 1st kyu+ category. |
| 05/2009 | North of England Open (Bradford). Won 2 of 3 fights to take silver. |
| 03/2009 | Yorkshire & Humberside area closed. Entered under 100Kg category and got merged with over 100Kg category. Lost both my fights :( |
| 11/2008 | Yorkshire and Humberside area team closed, fought with Sheffield uni Judo team then in team of two (rather than three) in veterans section. Took silver (of 3 teams) in veterans group. Not bad for team of two! |
| 10/2008 | Another grading, up to 42 points now, nearly half way to 3rd dan |
| 09/2008 | British Masters - took Gold in < 100Kg 30-35years group. At 30 and 6 months I must have been youngest there! Now allowed to wear 'British Masters Squad' badge :) |
| 08/2008 | 20 points for 3rd dan won at a grading. Won 2 of 4. |
| 03/2008 | Started coaching at Leeds university. Got involved to get new club launched. |
| 03/2008 | Bronze in Yorkshire & Humberside closed. >81Kg group. Think weighed in just under 100Kg |
| 02/2008 | Fought in USIST competition, won the deciding match for the team to secure bronze. |
| 04/2008 | Started working on the new Yorkshire and Humberside area website |
| 11/2006 | 1st go at 3rd dan grading, got 10 points but not happy with my fighting. Hurt ankle puts me out of action till new year. |
| 05/2006 | A few attempts it took, but just won my 2nd dan by line up :) |
| 12/2005 | Very nearly got my 2nd dan...lost third fight of a line up |
| 10/2004 | Looks like I will be able to revalidate into a BJA coach award after all, just have to attend one of BJA preparation courses but without exam. |
| 8/2004 | 1st attempt at 2nd dan grading, just to see how I would cope. Didn't do too badly, didn't get the hiding I was expecting and even got my 1st 10 points towards 2nd dan. Good day then. |
| 5/2004 | Having moved from Wales it would appear I have to redo my coaching courses/exams as the BJA wont recognise the WJA qualification. |
| Blooming nuisance it is, as the organisations are supposed to be affiliated to each other! | |
| 11/2003 | Qualified as Area Referee - first rung on referee ladder. Only did a few events in Wales before moving to Sheffield and stopped reffing for a while. |
| 5/2003 | Finally won the last points needed for 1st dan. I can now call myself a black belt, feels great! |
| 3/2002 | Awarded second rank in coaching scheme (Club coach). Now I can sign up theory requirements of Kyu grades |
| 10/2000 | Passed 1st dan theory. Examined by John Perrins (6th Dan) at a coaching course. |
| A gentle way back into Judo after busting arm. | |
| 6/5/2000 | Dislocated elbow at dan grading in Cardiff. Don't do it, it hurts, A LOT :( |
| 11/1999 | Awarded 1st Kyu by John Perrins (6th Dan). |
| First attempt at dan grading. Got a hiding :) | |
| 5/1998 | Awarded coaching qualification, essential to keep the Aber club going though I would have prefered to wait a bit before taking on the coaching of the club. Still, needs must. |
| 1/1998 | Won 2nd Kyu |
| 10/1997 | Won 3rd Kyu |
| 9/1996 | Started uni in Aberystwyth, joined club there |
| 7/1996 | Won 4th Kyu |
| 6/1996 | Awarded full college colours for Judo. Felt good despite silly Bruce Lee type noises from other kids! |
| 3/1996 | Won 5th Kyu |
| 1/1996 | First grading, won 6th Kyu (low green) |
| 18 months-2yrs training at school after a friend took me along, he subsequently gave up |
Judo related history
As part being a coach/being involved with running clubs I have had to get involved in a number of other bits and bobs.
- First aid certificate
- CRB Check
- Child protection course
- MIDAS certificate (minibus driving assessment)