CLUB DAN GRADE EXAMINATION & JU-NO-KATA COURSE
On Sunday 21st April the club invited Jeremy Robinson (BJA Senior Examiner & Senior Kata Examiner) to visit the club to conduct a number of Dan Grade examinations & deliver a Ju-No-Kata course for it's members.
Following a series of comprehensive & challenging assessments of the candidates ability, knowledge & understanding, the following examinations were passed:
Felix Harris - 1st Dan Competitive Dan Grade Skills
Mat Upton - 1st Dan Competitive Dan Grade Skills
Josh Dibbins - Technical 1st Dan Grade - Sections 1 & 2
Nic Costiff - Technical 3rd Dan Grade
Pete Whitfield - Technical 5th Dan Grade
A big thank you to George, Bruce & Pierre (Super Uke) for coming along to support their club mates by being thrown, held, strangled & arm locked :)
After a brief lunchbreak, we proceeded with part two of the day - a Ju-No-Kata course delivered by Jeremy Robinson former Nage-No-Kata World Champion & one of the leading Kata coaches in the country, assisted by his daughter Lani who is a multiple Junior British Kata Champion & due to represent GB in the forthcoming U18 European Kata Championships. It was an incredibly physical & mental workout, but a thoroughly enjoyable & informative course, linking this Kata to our Shiai/Randori judo. The course doubled up as a coach revalidation event for the club's coaches who attended & Certificates of Attendance were presented to all those who completed the course.
So once the tatami were put away & the dojo tidied, it was on to the 'second Dojo' to rehydrate & review the day - always the perfect end to a great day on the tatami.
Finally a big thank you to Jeremy & Lani for coming down & putting us through our paces, I'm sure this won't be the last time :)
Following a series of comprehensive & challenging assessments of the candidates ability, knowledge & understanding, the following examinations were passed:
Felix Harris - 1st Dan Competitive Dan Grade Skills
Mat Upton - 1st Dan Competitive Dan Grade Skills
Josh Dibbins - Technical 1st Dan Grade - Sections 1 & 2
Nic Costiff - Technical 3rd Dan Grade
Pete Whitfield - Technical 5th Dan Grade
A big thank you to George, Bruce & Pierre (Super Uke) for coming along to support their club mates by being thrown, held, strangled & arm locked :)
After a brief lunchbreak, we proceeded with part two of the day - a Ju-No-Kata course delivered by Jeremy Robinson former Nage-No-Kata World Champion & one of the leading Kata coaches in the country, assisted by his daughter Lani who is a multiple Junior British Kata Champion & due to represent GB in the forthcoming U18 European Kata Championships. It was an incredibly physical & mental workout, but a thoroughly enjoyable & informative course, linking this Kata to our Shiai/Randori judo. The course doubled up as a coach revalidation event for the club's coaches who attended & Certificates of Attendance were presented to all those who completed the course.
So once the tatami were put away & the dojo tidied, it was on to the 'second Dojo' to rehydrate & review the day - always the perfect end to a great day on the tatami.
Finally a big thank you to Jeremy & Lani for coming down & putting us through our paces, I'm sure this won't be the last time :)
2024 Gonosen-No-Kata & Itsutsu-No-Kata course
On Sunday 24th March we delivered a successful Gonosen-No-Kata & Itsutsu-No-Kata course at South Brent JC, with players joining us from across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset & Gloucestershire, six of the players were also accredited with it as a coach revalidation event.
All of the participants on the course worked hard, showing great focus & enthusiasm to learn & develop their understanding & performance of the kata, towards their promotion to their 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Dans respectively. Thanks to Pierre & Bruce for their support in preparing the dojo & delivering the course. We have another 3 courses running this year - see the calendar above for dates & details :) |
2024 British Schools Championships
On Saturday 9th March, two of our players made the long trip up to Sheffield for the finals of the British School's Championships to represent both IJC & Ivybridge Community College.
First up was Freddie fighting in the Year 10 & 11 section of the event at U55Kg. Unfortunately, Freddie was carrying a shoulder injury & a combination of this & being in the younger year group, saw him lose his first contest & drop into the repecharge, where he then lost his next contest & therefore was eliminated.
Next up was George, also fighting in the Year 10 & 11 section of the event, but at U60Kg. The standard at this event is high & George came up against a couple of strong opponents, losing his first contest & therefore dropping into the repecharge, he then lost his next contest & therefore was eliminated.
So it was a day of experience gained & lessons learnt! Thanks to Nic for coaching the lads on the day & Virge for organising the logistics.
2024 Medal Tally: 1 Gold, 1 Silver & 1 Bronze.
First up was Freddie fighting in the Year 10 & 11 section of the event at U55Kg. Unfortunately, Freddie was carrying a shoulder injury & a combination of this & being in the younger year group, saw him lose his first contest & drop into the repecharge, where he then lost his next contest & therefore was eliminated.
Next up was George, also fighting in the Year 10 & 11 section of the event, but at U60Kg. The standard at this event is high & George came up against a couple of strong opponents, losing his first contest & therefore dropping into the repecharge, he then lost his next contest & therefore was eliminated.
So it was a day of experience gained & lessons learnt! Thanks to Nic for coaching the lads on the day & Virge for organising the logistics.
2024 Medal Tally: 1 Gold, 1 Silver & 1 Bronze.
2024 Kime-No-Kata course
On Sunday 25th February we hosted our first Kime-No-Kata course at South Brent JC, with Judoka joining us from both Devon & Cornwall.
We had 4 players on the course, two of whom had it accredited as a coach revalidation event, & all participants received a Kime-No-Kata Certificate of Attendance. All of the participants worked hard to learn the techniques involved, including the generally unfamiliar weapons handling requirements. Thank you everyone who attended, for your focus & enthusiasm to learn & develop your understanding & performance of what for most was a new kata to you. A big thank you to Bruce for assisting with both the delivery of the course & preparing the dojo. We have another 4 Kata courses running this year - so see the calendar above for dates & details if interested :) |
2024 February Kazoku Red, Yellow & Orange Belt Competition
On Sunday 11th February, two of our players made the short trip across the border to Liskeard for the first Kazoku Red, Yellow & Orange Belt Competition of the year.
As there were no other U16 U42kg players, Finn was put in a pool with two U12 U42kg players, unfortunately his recent enforced lack of mat time led to him losing both of his contests, although he pick up the Gold for the U16 U42kg category. Bertie had one other player in his U16 category, so they had a 'best of three' series of contests. In the first round Bertie lost out after being thrown twice for Wazari, but then bounced back in the second round with a quick Ippon win to set up a 'winner takes all' final contest. Unfortunately, he got caught again, this time for Ippon, & so had to settle for Silver. Thanks to Nic for coaching the lads on the day. Also participating at the event was Pete, who was one of the referees. 2024 Medal Tally: 1 Gold, 1 Silver & 1 Bronze. |
2024 Katame-No-Kata course
On Sunday 28th January we hosted a Katame-No-Kata course at South Brent JC, with Judoka joining us from Devon, Cornwall & Wiltshire.
We had 9 players on the course, seven of whom were also accredited with it as a coach revalidation event, & one was successfully assessed for their Level 1 Katame-No-Kata award. All of the participants on the course put in a shift, showing great focus & enthusiasm to learn & develop their understanding & performance of the kata, although I think there might be some sore knees tomorrow!!! A big thanks to Dave & Bruce for assisting with both the delivery of the course & preparing the dojo. We have another 5 courses running this year - see the calendar above for dates & details :) |
2024 January Dan Grading
On Sunday 28th January Mat & Felix headed off up to their first Dan Grading of 2024, in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, in search of more points towards their 1st Dans.
In the initial round of contests Felix won 1 & lost 2 & therefore didn't qualify for a line up, but had 10 points in the bag, where as Mat won his first 2 initial contests & therefore did qualify for a line up, along with 20 points in the bag. Mat's line up started well with two wins, but unfortunately he lost the last & therefore was stopped, although the 2 wins gave him another 20 points. So Mat ended the day with another 40 points to add to the 20 points he won last year, so that's only 40 more points to get :) Despite not qualifying for a line up himself, Felix was put into 4 other player's line ups, winning one of them & so bagging another 10 points. That gave him a tally of 20 points for the day, to add to the 20 points he picked up last year, so he's nearly halfway to needing a new belt :) On Saturday 27th January, Max & Felix headed up to Cardiff for the Welsh Regional Schools Qualifying event. Felix was up against tough opposition & lost both of his contests, although it proved to be a good warm up for the following day's Dan grading. Max had 4 contests of which he won 1 which put him in a 3 way tie for Bronze. This was decided by using the quickest time for each of the 3 players wins, which worked in Max's favour & so he bagged the club's first medal of the year. Well done to all three of you, getting the club's competitive year off to a great start :) |
2023 End of Year Awards
Our last session of the year was an opportunity to look back over the last 12 months & celebrate the many achievement's of our players in another successful year.
This year's award winners were:
Best Attendance at Training - Felix with 95%
Most Competitive Player - George with 12 wins
Most Medals - Bertie with 4 Gold & 1 Silver
Most Grades - Finn going up 4 Mon Grades
Rookies of the Year - Olivia & Fred for a great 1st year in the sport
Judoka of the Year - Felix for outstanding attitude, attendance, work ethic & example to the other players in the club
Other notable achievements this year were:
Freddie with our first medal at the British Schools Championships in Sheffield & George being selected for the West of England Squad for the National Team Championships
Matching last year's medal tally at the British Kata Championships with a Gold, Silver & Bronze, players achieving 18 Kata Awards in 6 different Kata - 10 at Level 1, 4 at Level 2 & 4 at Level 3, Pete being presented with his GB Kata badge & achieving his Senior Kata Examiner status which means that next year the club will be hosting courses for Nage-No-Kata, Katame-No-Kata, Gonosen-No-Kata, Kime-No-Kata, Itsutsu-No-Kata, Ju-No-Kata & Goshin-Jutsu
Mat & Felix ending the year with 20 points a piece towards their 1st Dans
No review of a year would be complete without recognising the people who make it all happens, & so thanks were recorded to the Judoka for all their hard work on the tatami, to their parents for enabling them train & compete & to the coaches & volunteers who enable the club to function.
So after a successful 2023, we are in great shape for 2024 - exciting times :)
This year's award winners were:
Best Attendance at Training - Felix with 95%
Most Competitive Player - George with 12 wins
Most Medals - Bertie with 4 Gold & 1 Silver
Most Grades - Finn going up 4 Mon Grades
Rookies of the Year - Olivia & Fred for a great 1st year in the sport
Judoka of the Year - Felix for outstanding attitude, attendance, work ethic & example to the other players in the club
Other notable achievements this year were:
Freddie with our first medal at the British Schools Championships in Sheffield & George being selected for the West of England Squad for the National Team Championships
Matching last year's medal tally at the British Kata Championships with a Gold, Silver & Bronze, players achieving 18 Kata Awards in 6 different Kata - 10 at Level 1, 4 at Level 2 & 4 at Level 3, Pete being presented with his GB Kata badge & achieving his Senior Kata Examiner status which means that next year the club will be hosting courses for Nage-No-Kata, Katame-No-Kata, Gonosen-No-Kata, Kime-No-Kata, Itsutsu-No-Kata, Ju-No-Kata & Goshin-Jutsu
Mat & Felix ending the year with 20 points a piece towards their 1st Dans
No review of a year would be complete without recognising the people who make it all happens, & so thanks were recorded to the Judoka for all their hard work on the tatami, to their parents for enabling them train & compete & to the coaches & volunteers who enable the club to function.
So after a successful 2023, we are in great shape for 2024 - exciting times :)
2023 Senior Players Christmas Meal
As the year draws to a close it was great to have such a well attended senior players Christmas meal, expertly hosted by Ollie, Dawn & Pierre at the Horse & Groom in Bittaford.
A very enjoyable evening was had by all, reviewing our many achievements of 2023, making plans & looking forward to 2024 & sharing Judo stories from years gone by - great food, great beer & great company = great evening :) |
DECEMBER 2023 CLUB GRADING
On 12th December we held a club gradings & the following players were promoted to their next grade:
However, in the first session of 2024 we will be looking at how to tie your obi properly!!! |
2023 NATIONAL KATA COURSE
Competitive Dan Gradins
In October & November Mat & Felix have both hit the road on the trail of points towards their Competitive 1st Dan, attending gradings in Bath, Kidderminster & Cardiff. They have both picked up invaluable contest experience, particularly in fighting players of all weights as there are no weight categories at gradings, & have finished the year on 20 points each. Well done to both of you, only 80 more to go :)
2023 GONOSEN-NO-KATA COURSE
On Saturday 4th November we put on a Gonosen-No-Kata course at Ivybridge JC.
We had 6 players on the course, three of whom were also accredited with it as a coach revalidation event. Once again, it was great to receive such positive feedback from all the course participants. We plan to run an increased range & number of Kata courses next year, so keep an eye out for the dates on the BJA calendar & WA Facebook page. |
2023 Welsh Open
On 28th October our lone wolf George headed up to Cardiff for the Welsh Open. Competing in the Cadet section of the competition at U55kg, George lost his first contest & so dropped into the Repechage. In his next fight he bounced back to win his first contest with a strangle & progress to the next round, unfortunately he then lost his next contest & was therefore eliminated. However, this was the highest level of competition that George has attempted & the experience gained will prove invaluable for his competitive plans for 2024.
2023 Kazoku Trophy Cup Competition
On Saturday 14th October a few of our players travelled down to Newquay in Cornwall for the Kazoku Trophy Cup competition.
First onto the tatami in the U12 Yellow Belt & Above section was Bertie, fighting in the U50kg category, he beat his two opponents by Ippon to take another Gold, to stay on top of the Club's 2023 medal table.
Next up was Felix, in the Senior U73kg category, who gave the the black belt & two other brown belts in his category a good run for their money, although ultimately ending up on the wrong side of the result. However, he finished off with win in his last contest to take the 4th place Bronze.
On the Sunday our lone wolf Max was in action in the U16 Yellow Belt & Above section, fighting at U55kg. In a combined weigh group, he won two & lost one to take the Gold in his weight group.
Well done to all three lads for giving 100%, it's all more experience in the bank, & to Nic for coaching on the day.
First onto the tatami in the U12 Yellow Belt & Above section was Bertie, fighting in the U50kg category, he beat his two opponents by Ippon to take another Gold, to stay on top of the Club's 2023 medal table.
Next up was Felix, in the Senior U73kg category, who gave the the black belt & two other brown belts in his category a good run for their money, although ultimately ending up on the wrong side of the result. However, he finished off with win in his last contest to take the 4th place Bronze.
On the Sunday our lone wolf Max was in action in the U16 Yellow Belt & Above section, fighting at U55kg. In a combined weigh group, he won two & lost one to take the Gold in his weight group.
Well done to all three lads for giving 100%, it's all more experience in the bank, & to Nic for coaching on the day.
2023 Royal Marines Open
On Sunday 8-10-23 Mat & Felix headed up to the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, Devon to compete in the 2nd RM Senior Open. First up was Felix in the Junior Men's section of the event. Having weighed in at 70kg, Felix was surprized to be in the 'Heavyweights' pool, which included an U100's player!!! After loosing his first two contests, Felix bounced back to win his third fight, finishing in 3rd place & taking a Bronze medal which was presented by 2012 Olympian Chris Sherrington RM - and what a superb medal it was :)
In the Senior section, Mat & Felix were both competing in the U73kg category, although drawn in separate pools. Unfortunately this category was stuffed full of RM's & Dan grades, so it was a tough day at the office for our lads. Felix fought with great spirit & despite loosing his three pool contests, picked up lots of experience & was adjusting to fighting at the senior level fight by fight. Mat lost his first couple of contests, but finished with a win in his third & final contest to finish third in his pool. As only the top two in each pool progressed to the cross-over knockout, Mat was also eliminated at the pool stage, but having not fought since before the COVID lockdown this event was all about blowing away the cobwebs & it certainly did that :)
This was a well organised & very well run event, which should be on all our Junior Men & Seniors annual calendar. In the U90's, 2012 U73's Olympian Danny Williams gave an impressive 'masterclass' to illustrate the difference in class between former full time athletes & recreational Judoka to win the U90's. Thanks to Pete for coaching the lads on the day & well done to both Felix & Mat for such spirited performances.
In the Senior section, Mat & Felix were both competing in the U73kg category, although drawn in separate pools. Unfortunately this category was stuffed full of RM's & Dan grades, so it was a tough day at the office for our lads. Felix fought with great spirit & despite loosing his three pool contests, picked up lots of experience & was adjusting to fighting at the senior level fight by fight. Mat lost his first couple of contests, but finished with a win in his third & final contest to finish third in his pool. As only the top two in each pool progressed to the cross-over knockout, Mat was also eliminated at the pool stage, but having not fought since before the COVID lockdown this event was all about blowing away the cobwebs & it certainly did that :)
This was a well organised & very well run event, which should be on all our Junior Men & Seniors annual calendar. In the U90's, 2012 U73's Olympian Danny Williams gave an impressive 'masterclass' to illustrate the difference in class between former full time athletes & recreational Judoka to win the U90's. Thanks to Pete for coaching the lads on the day & well done to both Felix & Mat for such spirited performances.
2023 Kingsley Red & Yellow Belt Competition
On Saturday 30-9-23 a group of junior players from the club headed up to Kingsley School in Bideford for what was for most of them their first competition.
In the Red Belt section our girls were first up, with both of them making their competitive debut. Lacey was in a pool of 4 & ended up finishing 3rd with 1 win & 2 loses. While Olivia was in a pool of 5 & finished 2nd with 3 wins & 1 loss. Next onto the tatami were the Red Belt Boys, with both of our players making their competitive debut. Charlie was in a pool of 4 & ended up finishing 3rd with 1 win & 2 losses. Fred was also in a pool of 4 & finished in 2nd place with 2 wins & 1 loss.
In the Yellow Belt section of the event we had Bertie representing us & he was in a pool of 5. Bertie won all of his fights to take the Gold to cap off a great day for the club..
Excellent effort from all our players & a superb introduction to competitive Judo for most of them, with lots of lessons learnt & experience gained - well done to you all :)
Finally a big thank you to Nic for preparing the players for this event & for coaching them on the day.
In the Red Belt section our girls were first up, with both of them making their competitive debut. Lacey was in a pool of 4 & ended up finishing 3rd with 1 win & 2 loses. While Olivia was in a pool of 5 & finished 2nd with 3 wins & 1 loss. Next onto the tatami were the Red Belt Boys, with both of our players making their competitive debut. Charlie was in a pool of 4 & ended up finishing 3rd with 1 win & 2 losses. Fred was also in a pool of 4 & finished in 2nd place with 2 wins & 1 loss.
In the Yellow Belt section of the event we had Bertie representing us & he was in a pool of 5. Bertie won all of his fights to take the Gold to cap off a great day for the club..
Excellent effort from all our players & a superb introduction to competitive Judo for most of them, with lots of lessons learnt & experience gained - well done to you all :)
Finally a big thank you to Nic for preparing the players for this event & for coaching them on the day.
2023 British Kata Championships
On Saturday 23rd September Bruce, Dave, Maddox & Pete headed up to Kidderminster for the British Kata Championships, with a last practice & familiarisation of the competition area at Samurai JC's dojo.
The event on the Sunday started with the Katame No Kata section, in which Dave & Maddox were competing. Despite producing a significantly improved performance than a year ago, due to the general improvement in the standard of kata on display they finished just outside the medal places in 5th place.
There was then a couple of hours wait while the Goshin Jitsu & Juno Kata sections took place, before Bruce & Pete took to the tatami as the third pair in the Kime No Kata section. Once again the defending champions from Shizentai JC put in a very impressive performance, & despite Bruce & Pete's performance being vastly improved on last year's, once again it was 2nd place & Silver.
This year the BJA Kata Commission decided to replace Gonosen-No-Kata with Itsutsu-No-Kata & so both of our pairs decided to have a go at this section of the event. Bruce & Pete were the 2nd pair on to the tatami in this section & produced their best performance on the day to take the Gold to become British Champions. Maddox & Dave were the 6th pair to take to the tatami & considering they have only been practicing this kata together for a few months, put in a great performance to take Bronze.
The afternoon session once again brought a surprise for Pete when he was asked to be one of the judges for the Junior Nage No Kata section!
All in all it was another great weekend meeting up with our friends in the GB Kata community, with our players contesting more kata, producing vastly improved performances & showing that as far as Kata goes we're heading in the right direction :)
Finally, a big thank you to Samurai JC for hosting the event & as usual making us feel so welcome, & to the Judges for enabling the event to go ahead & for their generous feedback on our performances :)
The event on the Sunday started with the Katame No Kata section, in which Dave & Maddox were competing. Despite producing a significantly improved performance than a year ago, due to the general improvement in the standard of kata on display they finished just outside the medal places in 5th place.
There was then a couple of hours wait while the Goshin Jitsu & Juno Kata sections took place, before Bruce & Pete took to the tatami as the third pair in the Kime No Kata section. Once again the defending champions from Shizentai JC put in a very impressive performance, & despite Bruce & Pete's performance being vastly improved on last year's, once again it was 2nd place & Silver.
This year the BJA Kata Commission decided to replace Gonosen-No-Kata with Itsutsu-No-Kata & so both of our pairs decided to have a go at this section of the event. Bruce & Pete were the 2nd pair on to the tatami in this section & produced their best performance on the day to take the Gold to become British Champions. Maddox & Dave were the 6th pair to take to the tatami & considering they have only been practicing this kata together for a few months, put in a great performance to take Bronze.
The afternoon session once again brought a surprise for Pete when he was asked to be one of the judges for the Junior Nage No Kata section!
All in all it was another great weekend meeting up with our friends in the GB Kata community, with our players contesting more kata, producing vastly improved performances & showing that as far as Kata goes we're heading in the right direction :)
Finally, a big thank you to Samurai JC for hosting the event & as usual making us feel so welcome, & to the Judges for enabling the event to go ahead & for their generous feedback on our performances :)
July 2023 Club Grading
During July a number of gradings have occurred, with the following players being promoted to their next grade:
Well done to all of you for successfully completing your grading, it looks like there will be a few more players wearing a different colour belt before the end of the year :)
- Charlie, Enea, Fred & Lacey - Novice to 1st Mon
- Olivia - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Bertie, Finn & Murtagh - 5th Mon to 6th Mon
- George - 9th Mon to 10th Mon
- Sam - Novice to 6th Kyu
- Holly - 3rd Mon to 5th Kyu
- Max - 3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu
- Felix - 2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu
Well done to all of you for successfully completing your grading, it looks like there will be a few more players wearing a different colour belt before the end of the year :)
2023 West of England OPEN Competition
On Sunday 23rd July Nic & our Three Musketeers headed up to Bath University to complete in the West of England Open Judo Competition.
First onto the tatami were the Minors, with Bertie making his debut at this level of competition in the U46kg category. Bertie lost his first contest to the eventual winner of this category, but then won his next contest to book his place in the semi-final, which he also won, but in a closely fought final he ended up taking the Silver. A great result for Bertie which shows he should now be competing at this level.
Next up were the Pre-Cadets, with George competing at U55kg in his last event at this age band. George won his first contest, then lost his second fight to the eventual winner of the category, but then bounced back to win his third contest to take a well deserved Bronze. In September George steps up to compete at the Cadet level & the joys of armlocks & strangles :)
Last ,but certainly not least, it was Freddie's turn to take to the mat in the Cadet section of the event. Unfortunately, there weren't any other U46kg Cadets for Freddie to fight & so he had a 'best of three' with the sole U50kg player. Freddie put up a spirited performance, but was outgunned by the heavier player loosing 2-0. However, Freddie did receive Gold for being the U46kg West of England Champion.
An excellent day for the club, with more than 10% of our players competing, which is a lot more than many clubs in the area :)
A big thank you to Nic for coaching the lads on the day, next stop for these guys is the English Closed Championships at the start of September in London.
First onto the tatami were the Minors, with Bertie making his debut at this level of competition in the U46kg category. Bertie lost his first contest to the eventual winner of this category, but then won his next contest to book his place in the semi-final, which he also won, but in a closely fought final he ended up taking the Silver. A great result for Bertie which shows he should now be competing at this level.
Next up were the Pre-Cadets, with George competing at U55kg in his last event at this age band. George won his first contest, then lost his second fight to the eventual winner of the category, but then bounced back to win his third contest to take a well deserved Bronze. In September George steps up to compete at the Cadet level & the joys of armlocks & strangles :)
Last ,but certainly not least, it was Freddie's turn to take to the mat in the Cadet section of the event. Unfortunately, there weren't any other U46kg Cadets for Freddie to fight & so he had a 'best of three' with the sole U50kg player. Freddie put up a spirited performance, but was outgunned by the heavier player loosing 2-0. However, Freddie did receive Gold for being the U46kg West of England Champion.
An excellent day for the club, with more than 10% of our players competing, which is a lot more than many clubs in the area :)
A big thank you to Nic for coaching the lads on the day, next stop for these guys is the English Closed Championships at the start of September in London.
2023 Kent International
On Saturday 24th June Freddie, George & their support team headed up to compete in the Kent International.
It was a tough day at the office for both lads, with Freddie just making U46kg, but then loosing both his contests. George won two, one Ippon throw & one throw into a hold, but also lost two, frustratingly both due to passivity. However, they both have plenty to take away & work on in preparation for their next competition. Thanks to Nic & Virge for supporting the lads at the event. |
2023 Worcester Orange & Under
Western Area Training Sessions
On Saturday 27-5-23 some of our competitive players headed to the Life Centre in Plymouth for the first of the relaunched Western Area (South) Training Sessions. These are a great opportunity to be coached by some of Devon & Cornwall's top coaches & to get in a load more randori to refine your techniques for the forthcoming competitions. Well done to all those who made the effort to attend :)
Western Area Development Day
On Sunday 7th May, a group from IJC headed up to Kingsley School in Bideford for this year's WA Development Day. The programme for the day included technical input on standing & groundwork techniques, along with the opportunity for a bit of Randori & Kata. Off the mat, there was a Strength & Conditioning session & an injury prevention session. A great day was had by all, with lots learnt. Well done to all of those who made the effort to attend :)
2023 Kazoku Senior Open & Green Belt & Under Competition
On Saturday 18th March a group of junior & senior players headed across the border & down to Newquay Sports Centre for the combined Kazoku Senior Open & Junior Green Belt & Under competition.
First up were Bertie & Max in the Junior part of the event. Bertie was competing in the Under 46Kg category & threw both of his higher graded opponents for Ippon to take the Gold medal to show that he's ready to move on to a higher level of competition.
Max was fighting in a combined Under 50Kg & 55Kg category. He beat both of the other U50Kg players by Ippon to take the Club's second Gold medal of the day & then threw one of the U55Kg players for Ippon, before being thrown for Ippon himself by the other U55Kg player.
In the Senior part of the event, first up was Felix fighting in the Under 73Kg Open category. In the first round Felix was drawn against a 1st Dan, who he threw for Ippon inside 30 seconds! Felix's second round opponent was another 1st Dan (the eventual Gold medallist), unfortunately this time it was Felix who was thrown for Ippon & so he dropped into the Repecharge to fight for Bronze. After a real battle, that nearly lasted the full 4 minutes, Felix was thrown & held to finish in a very respectable 5th place - a great effort against some tough & experienced opponents.
Next up was Maddox, making his IJC debut in a combined U81Kg & U90Kg category. In the first round Maddox was up against the eventual Gold medal winner who threw Maddox for Ippon. In the Repecharge Maddox bounced back, throwing & holding his opponent for Ippon, to book a place in the Bronze medal final. After an epic battle, the match went into golden score & after 30 seconds Maddox was thrown for Ippon to finish in a very creditable 5th place, but more importantly gain some quality mat time against some good opponents.
Last up & also making her debut for IJC was Cerys, who was fighting in a combine weight & grade category of Under 52Kg & Under 57Kg players. Cerys beat the other U52Kg player & one of the U57Kg players by Ippon, but lost to the other U57Kg player. However, far more important than the Gold medal she picked up for the winning the U52Kg category was the opportunity to get some contest time under her belt & dust away some cobwebs.
An excellent effort from all five players, coming home with 3 Golds & two 5th places & some more valuable contest experience.
A big thank you to Nic & Pete for coaching them on the day :)
First up were Bertie & Max in the Junior part of the event. Bertie was competing in the Under 46Kg category & threw both of his higher graded opponents for Ippon to take the Gold medal to show that he's ready to move on to a higher level of competition.
Max was fighting in a combined Under 50Kg & 55Kg category. He beat both of the other U50Kg players by Ippon to take the Club's second Gold medal of the day & then threw one of the U55Kg players for Ippon, before being thrown for Ippon himself by the other U55Kg player.
In the Senior part of the event, first up was Felix fighting in the Under 73Kg Open category. In the first round Felix was drawn against a 1st Dan, who he threw for Ippon inside 30 seconds! Felix's second round opponent was another 1st Dan (the eventual Gold medallist), unfortunately this time it was Felix who was thrown for Ippon & so he dropped into the Repecharge to fight for Bronze. After a real battle, that nearly lasted the full 4 minutes, Felix was thrown & held to finish in a very respectable 5th place - a great effort against some tough & experienced opponents.
Next up was Maddox, making his IJC debut in a combined U81Kg & U90Kg category. In the first round Maddox was up against the eventual Gold medal winner who threw Maddox for Ippon. In the Repecharge Maddox bounced back, throwing & holding his opponent for Ippon, to book a place in the Bronze medal final. After an epic battle, the match went into golden score & after 30 seconds Maddox was thrown for Ippon to finish in a very creditable 5th place, but more importantly gain some quality mat time against some good opponents.
Last up & also making her debut for IJC was Cerys, who was fighting in a combine weight & grade category of Under 52Kg & Under 57Kg players. Cerys beat the other U52Kg player & one of the U57Kg players by Ippon, but lost to the other U57Kg player. However, far more important than the Gold medal she picked up for the winning the U52Kg category was the opportunity to get some contest time under her belt & dust away some cobwebs.
An excellent effort from all five players, coming home with 3 Golds & two 5th places & some more valuable contest experience.
A big thank you to Nic & Pete for coaching them on the day :)
2023 British Schools Championships
On Friday 10th March our lone wolf Freddie headed up to Sheffield for the British Schools Championships the next day. Competing in the Year 8 & 9 section of the event at U46kg, Freddie got off to a great start throwing his first round opponent for Ippon. Unfortunately in his second round contest Freddie got thrown for Ippon himself by the eventual Silver medallist, so it was into the sudden death Repechage. His next contest was for the chance to fight for Bronze, & Freddie bounced back to winning ways with another big Ippon to progress to the medal match. In his Bronze medal final, Freddie was on a mission, taking just 7 seconds to dispatch his opponent with his third big Ippon of the day to claim Ivybridge JC's first medal at the British Schools Championships. Well done Freddie, a great result & just reward for all of your hard training. A big thank you to Nic for going up & coaching him on the day & to Virge for supporting them both.
2023 Kazoku Red & Yellow Belt Competition
On Sunday 26th February a group of players headed down to Porthtowen in Cornwall for the Kazoku Red & Yellow Belt competition.
The results from the day were:
Gold - Finn
Silver - William
Bronze - Euan, Murtagh & Isaac
Unfortunately Deagan had to withdraw due to injury after his first contest.
The lads all gave 100% & did IJC proud, with Deagan, Euan & Isaac earning their club badge for representing the club for the first time.
Thanks to Nic for preparing the players for this event & coaching them on the day, & to Pete for helping out with the refereeing.
There are plenty of events coming up, so speak to Nic or Pete about which one you should aim for.
The results from the day were:
Gold - Finn
Silver - William
Bronze - Euan, Murtagh & Isaac
Unfortunately Deagan had to withdraw due to injury after his first contest.
The lads all gave 100% & did IJC proud, with Deagan, Euan & Isaac earning their club badge for representing the club for the first time.
Thanks to Nic for preparing the players for this event & coaching them on the day, & to Pete for helping out with the refereeing.
There are plenty of events coming up, so speak to Nic or Pete about which one you should aim for.
2023 Welsh Regional Schools Qualifier
On Saturday 28th January some of our players headed up to the National Sports Centre in Cardiff for the Welsh qualifying competition for the British Schools Championships hoping for a top two finish to secure priority entry. First up in the Y8&9 section of the event at U46kg was Freddie, along with two other players. They had a double round robin in which Freddie beat one of the players twice & lost twice to the other one, taking the silver & 2nd place. Unfortunately George was injured in the warm up & couldn't compete at U50kg. Next up was Max in the Y10&11 section of the event competing at U50kg, as he was the only player at this weight, he automatically took Gold & first place. He then had 3 contests against the next nearest weight players, winning one of them. Last onto the mat was Felix in the Y12&13 section of the event competing at U73kg (just!). Felix had 3 contests, winning one of them with an Ippon throw, but didn't progress to the medal contests.
A big thank you to Nic for coaching on the day & wishing George a speedy recovery.
A big thank you to Nic for coaching on the day & wishing George a speedy recovery.
10th Anniversary & End of 2022 Prizegiving
Ivybridge Judo Club has now been in existence for 10 years & is going from strength to strength. 2022 has been all about re-establishing where we were prior to the pandemic forcing us into an 18 month pause in activity. Since we got back on the mat in September 2021, some of our junior players have resumed their competitive careers, travelling around the country & winning more contests than they lost. All of our junior players have graded at least once, with many now wearing a different coloured belt to the one they had a year ago. Some of the junior players have attended the Western Area training sessions & Summer Camp, with one of them becoming our first player to compete for the Western Area at the National Team Championships.
The club has become a venue for BJA Kata Courses, with Nage, Katame & Gonosen No Kata courses run this year & scheduled to run again next year. Some of the seniors competed at the British Kata Championships for the first time, brining back gold, silver & bronze medals. A number of the senior players have also achieved kata awards in Nage, Katame, Kime & Itsutsu No Kata. This year we have gained two new Level 1 Coaches, to help deliver our sessions, & a Kata Examiner, who is able to deliver courses & assess kata awards at the club. So things are looking great for 2023, bring it on :) |
2022 December Club Grading
During December the club held a grading where the following players were promoted:
Well done to all of you for successfully completing your grading, it looks like there will be a few more players wearing a different colour belt at some point in 2023!!!
- Theo, Euan, Deagan & Isaac - Novice to 1st Mon
- Bertie & Murtagh - 3rd Mon to 4th Mon
- George C - 7th Mon to 8th Mon
- Freddie - 8th Mon to 9th Mon
- Max - 10th Mon to 3rd Kyu
- Felix - 3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu
Well done to all of you for successfully completing your grading, it looks like there will be a few more players wearing a different colour belt at some point in 2023!!!
National Kata Course
It was an early start on Saturday 26th November as Bruce & Pete headed up to the Army School of Physical Training in Aldershot for the National Kata Course. This year the guest instructor was Yoshihiko Iura Sensei Kodokan 8th Dan, who is an internationally recognised kata expert. Day 1 focused on Nage-No-Kata & Day 2 focussed on Itsutsu-No-Kata & Katame-No-Kata. It was a very well attended event & a great opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable kata expert & both players took away plenty to work on over the coming months. Pete even found a tatami with his old regimental badge on it :)
Patchway Yellow & Red Belt Competition
On Sunday 27-11-22 some of our Red & Yellow belts headed up to Patchway JC in Bristol for their low grades competition.
All four boys fought really well, did some good Judo & picked up some great competition experience ready for 2023. Bert picked up a Gold & William a Silver in their respective categories, building on their previous contest experience. Then at their first competition Finn took Gold & Murtagh a Bronze. A great effort from all four & well done from everyone at the club, and a big thank you to Nic for coaching the lads on the day. |
GONOSEN NO Kata Course
On Saturday 19th November we hosted our first Gonosen-No-Kata course, & our third Kata course of 2022, at Ivybridge JC.
We again had 10 players on the course, seven of whom were also accredited with it as a coach revalidation event, three were successfully assessed for the Gonosen-No-Kata section of their Technical 3rd Dan & another was successfully assessed for the Kata section of their Technical 1st Dan. It was great to receive such positive feedback from the course participants. We plan to run at least one Nage NK, Katame NK & Gonosen NK next year so keep an eye out for the dates on the BJA calendar & WA Facebook page. |
NAGE NO Kata Course
On Saturday 29th October we hosted our first Nage-No-Kata course at Ivybridge JC.
We had 10 players on the course, four of whom were also accredited with it as a coach revalidation event, two were successfully assessed for the Nage-No-Kata section of their Technical 3rd Dan & another was successfully assessed for the Kata section of their Competitive 1st Dan. Once again it was very reassuring to receive great feedback from everyone on the course. Next up is our Gonosen-No-Kata course on 19th November. |
Kazoku Trophy Cup
On Sunday 2nd October Max & Felix, along with their coach Pierre, headed down to Newquay for the Kazoku Trophy Cup.
First onto the tatami was Felix who was competing in his first Cadet competition in the combined U66/73Kg category. In his first contest his opponent gave Felix the opportunity to practice his submission technique when he strangled him! However, in true Felix style he bounced back winning his second contest with an Ippon throw, before winning his final contest also by Ippon with a throw & a hold to finish in second place & take Silver.
Max was also competing in his first Cadet event at U50Kg. Unfortunately there was only one other player at this weight, so they had a best of three, which Max won 3-0 to take the Gold.
A great performance from both Max & Felix who haven't competed for over two & a half years, due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, but they both carried on where they left off. A huge thank you to Pierre who coached the lads on the day, sharing the benefit of his knowledge as a competitor & ex member of the England Squad.
First onto the tatami was Felix who was competing in his first Cadet competition in the combined U66/73Kg category. In his first contest his opponent gave Felix the opportunity to practice his submission technique when he strangled him! However, in true Felix style he bounced back winning his second contest with an Ippon throw, before winning his final contest also by Ippon with a throw & a hold to finish in second place & take Silver.
Max was also competing in his first Cadet event at U50Kg. Unfortunately there was only one other player at this weight, so they had a best of three, which Max won 3-0 to take the Gold.
A great performance from both Max & Felix who haven't competed for over two & a half years, due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, but they both carried on where they left off. A huge thank you to Pierre who coached the lads on the day, sharing the benefit of his knowledge as a competitor & ex member of the England Squad.
British Kata Championships
On Saturday 24th September Bruce, Dave, Maddox & Pete headed up to Kidderminster to make their final preparations for the British Kata Championships, with a last practice on the competition area in Samurai JC's dojo.
The championships started on the Sunday with the Katame No Kata section, with Dave & Maddox taking to the tatami as the first couple & they set an impressive standard. Third on the mat we’re Bruce & Pete who produced their best ever performance of this kata to put themselves in with a chance of a medal. After the Goshin Jitsu & Juno Kata sections, Bruce & Pete again took to the tatami as the second pair in the Kime No Kata section. Following a very impressive performance by the defending champions, Bruce & Pete produced another personal best performance on the day. The afternoon session brought a surprise for Pete when he was asked to be one of the judges for the Junior Adaptive Nage No Kata section! Once all the Junior sections had been completed, the results/medal presentations commenced. In the Nage No Kata section Dave & Maddox took a well deserved Bronze and Pete & Bruce took the Gold to become British Champions. In the Kime No Kata section Pete & Bruce took a well earned Silver. Another great weekend on the road & validation that Kata is thriving in the Club :) |
Dragons Academy Orange & Under Competition
On Saturday 3rd September we had three players head up to Cardiff to complete in the Dragons Academy Orange Belt & Under Competition.
Bert was first up & having won his first contest by Ippon, he unfortunately lost his second, however he then bounced back to win his next two fights by Ippon to take the Gold. Freddie was next up & after winning his first two contests he then lost his third, this sent him through to the cross-over section as the runner up of the pool. He then won his semi final by Ippon, to set up a rematch with the lad who had beaten him earlier in the day. This time Freddie put the record straight to win the final with another Ippon & take IJC's second Gold of the day. Last onto the tatami, but certainly not least, was George, a couple of Ippon wins & a close contest which he won in golden score, saw George take the Club's third Gold of the day. Well done to the three golden boys, to Coach Nic & supporter in chief Virge, you've all done the club proud :) |
KAZUKU U16 Competition
On Sunday 3rd July a couple of our players headed over to Newquay to compete in the Kazuku Under 16 Competition. At this event players from 8-15 years of age are grouped by weight. Bertie was the first up & won all three of his contests by Ippon to take the Gold in his group. Then Freddie took to that mat & won 3 & lost 1 to take Silver in his group.
Thanks to Nic for coaching the lads on what for him has been a busy weekend, with George in Walsall on Saturday, followed by another Cornish Adventure :) |
National Team Championships
On 2-7-22 George headed up to Walsall to represent the Western Area in the National Team Championships as part of the WA Pre-Cadet Team.
At the Pool stage they had matches against the London Area (Lost 6:1), Scotland (Lost 5:2) and Wales (Won 4:3). This meant that they finished 3rd in their pool & so didn't progress to the knockout stage to decide the medals. George gave an excellent account of himself & did himself, IJC & the WA proud. He proved a very difficult player to beat, clocking up over 8 minutes on the mat over his three contests - more than any other player in the team! So George becomes the first IJC player to earn his regional honours for the West of England, well done & congratulations young man. However, I suspect that he'll be the first of many :) |
WORCESTER JC Orange & Under Competition
On Saturday 18th June a squad of 3 IJC players headed up the road for Worcester JC's Orange Belt & Under Competition which was taking place the following day.
First onto the tatami on the Sunday was Bertie in the Red Belt section of the competition, who won two fights & lost one to take a well deserved Silver medal. Next up in the U42kg category was Freddie who beat all four of his opponents to take Gold. The final player to take to the mat was George C who also beat all (3) of his opponents to take the club's second Gold of the day. A special thank you to Nic for coaching the lads on the day :) Well done from everyone at the club, your hard work at training is really showing rewards & you're making great progress - keep it up!!! |
Samurai Green BELT & Under Competition
On Saturday 21st May George headed up the road to the Samurai JC Boys Green & Under in Kidderminster. George found himself in a group with 3 other orange belts & got off to a great start quickly countering his first opponent for Ippon. In his next contest George scored wazari with a combination he'd been working on recently & then secured a hold to complete the win. George's final contest was a very close affair & at the end of regulation time they couldn't be separated, so into golden score. After an epic six & a half minutes of action, George's opponent was awarded a wazari & so he endded the day with a well earnt Silver.
On Sunday 22nd May Aruna also headed up the road to the Samurai JC Girls Green & Under which was surprisingly also in Kidderminster!!!
Aruna's first couple of contests were against more experienced & higher graded players, which she battled hard against & gave a good account of herself, despite being on the wrong end of the result. However in her final contest Aruna managed to turn her opponent over & secure a hold to win by Ippon & claim the Bronze medal.
Well done to both players, you've both picked up some more valuable contest experience & now know what to work on for future events :)
On Sunday 22nd May Aruna also headed up the road to the Samurai JC Girls Green & Under which was surprisingly also in Kidderminster!!!
Aruna's first couple of contests were against more experienced & higher graded players, which she battled hard against & gave a good account of herself, despite being on the wrong end of the result. However in her final contest Aruna managed to turn her opponent over & secure a hold to win by Ippon & claim the Bronze medal.
Well done to both players, you've both picked up some more valuable contest experience & now know what to work on for future events :)
KATAME NO Kata Course
On Saturday 14th May we hosted our first Katame-No-Kata course at Ivybridge JC, with Judoka coming from Devon, Cornwall & The Isle of Wight!!!
We had 6 players on the course, four of whom were also accredited with it as a coach revalidation event, & one was successfully assessed for the Katame-No-Kata section of their Technical 3rd Dan. The very positive feedback from everyone on the course means we must be heading in the right direction, so look out for the date for our Nage-No-Kata course after the summer holidays. |
Kazoku Under 16 Open
On Sunday 8th May Freddie & George headed down into Cornwall for the Kazoku Under 16 Open at Newquay Sports Centre.
Unfortunately both lads ended up in the same weight category & had to fight each other first. It was an epic battle, which at the end of regulation time they could only be separated by a single wazari to George. Following their opener, both lads went on to win all of their remaining contests & take Gold & Silver respectively. Well done to both of your, you did the club proud, & a big thank you to Nic for coaching both lads on the day. |
NHC KIME NO Kata Course
On 13th March 2022 Pete & Bruce travelled up to Amersham to participate in a Northern Home Counties Kata course, run by Paul Jordan 6th Dan. The kata being studied was Kime No Kata (Forms of Decisive Technique). It was great to spend a day improving this kata under Paul's guidance, & would thoroughly recommend his kata courses. There is a weekly session to practice these kata at South Brent JC on a Thursday from 8.15 to 9.45pm.
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2022 ENGLISH OPEN
On Sunday 6th March Freddie, George & Aruna made the step up from local low grade events to compete in the Pre-Cadets section of the English Open in Thetford. A tough day at the office for all three of them left them knowing what the standard at this level is and what they need to work on. Thanks to Nic for coaching them on the day.
Also competing at the English Open in the senior section was Adam Vosper, who used to train at IJC & SBJC, but is now representing Bath Uni. Adam had a very successful day winning the silver in the U66kg category. It's been a busy couple of weeks for Adam who the previous weekend picked up a bronze in the individual & a silver in the team event at the BUCS championships in Walsall (see photo left). |
WESTERN AREA DEVELOPMENT TRAINING DAY - FEBRuary 2022
On 27th February Pete, Freddie, Aruna & Finn headed up to Kingsley School in Bideford for the second Western Area Development Training session. They had technical sessions led by current & former international coaches, plenty of randori minutes & a strength & conditioning session to finish the day. Another day of quality preparation.
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WESTERN AREA DEVELOPMENT TRAINING DAY - January 2022
2021 November Club Grading
During November the club held a series of gradings where the following players were promoted:
- Tristan (SBJC) & Murtagh (SBJC) - Novice to 1st Mon
- Finn, Eilidh, Jacob & Whin - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Aruna (SBJC) - Nov to 3rd Mon
- William H - 3rd Mon to 4th Mon
- George C - 5th Mon to 6th Mon
- Freddie - 6th Mon to 7th Mon
- Max - 7th Mon to 8th Mon
- George W - Nov to 6th Kyu
- Felix - 7th Mon to 4th Kyu
- Bruce (SBJC), Dave (SBJC) & Mat - 1st Kyu to 1st Dan
- Nic - 1st Dan to 2nd Dan (already served the 5 years time in grade requirement & so already promoted)
- Steve (SBJC) & Pete - 3rd Dan to 4th Dan
Western Area Bounce Back Day 3
Pete & Aruna had a great day at the Western Area’s third & final Bounce Back Training Day at Hutton Moor Leisure Centre in Weston-Super-Mare. The sessions today were run by GB Internationals Matthew Hucker & Natasha Maslen, & consisted of technical input & randori, both tachiwaza & newaza.
The Western Area Coaches are currently planning their programme for next year & we’ll be looking to take all of our competitive players along to as many of them as possible. |
Kingsley School Randori Competition
On Saturday 13th November 2021, ‘Team Costiff’ headed up to Kingsley School in Bideford for their Randori Event. First up in the Under 10’s section was Bert, in his first competitive Judo outing. Three randoris & three Ippons later & Bert had himself & IJC a gold medal.
Then it was George’s turn to take to the mat in the Under 12’s section. Not to be outdone by his brother, George won all four of his randoris by Ippon as well, to take gold too. So ‘Team Costiff’ & IJC’s tally for the day was two golds from two players, great work by Bert, George & Coach Nic - well done fellas. |
Samurai High Grades - Pierre achieves his 1st Dan
On Sunday 17th October 2021 Pierre Michelin, finally got to head off in search of the last 10 points he needed for his 1st Dan. The event was the Saumurai JC' High Grades competition, in Kidderminster.
In fact he won two contests at this event by Ippon, to collect another 20 points, giving him more than enough points for his black belt. Back at the dojo, in front of the junior players & their parents, Pierre was presented with his Black Belt by Head Coach Pete Whitfield & received warm congratulations from everyone on a job well done. Welcome to the Dan Grade Club - Pierre Michelin 1st Dan. |
NHC NAGE & KATAME NO Kata Course
On 19th September 2021 Pete, Bruce & Dave travelled up to Amersham to participate in a Northern Home Counties Kata course, run by Paul Jordan 6th Dan. The kata being studied were Nage No Kata (throwing techniques) & Katame No Kata (groundwork techniques). The three amigos had a very enjoyable day improving both of these kata under Paul's expert guidance, & would thoroughly recommend his kata courses. The plan is to practice these kata on a regular basis at South Brent JC's senior session on a Thursday from 8.15 to 9.45pm.
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2020 Lockdown Grading
During the spring lockdown, the BJA offered all Mon grades a free grading. The following players sent in video clips of them demonstrating the techniques & knowledge required, & were promoted to the following grades:
- Jacob - Novice to 1st Mon
- Eilidh - Novice to 1st Mon
- Bertie - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Rileigh - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- William N - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- George - 4th Mon to 5th Mon
- Freddie - 5th Mon to 6th Mon
- Max - 6th Mon to 7th Mon
- Felix - 6th Mon to 7th Mon
2020 DEVON MINI MONS
On Sunday 8th March our four musketeers travelled up to Kingsley School in Bideford to compete in their first event of the year.
In the Red Belt section, George won all four of his fights by Ippon to take the Gold, with a nomination for throw of the day.
Also competing in the Red Belt section, at her first competition, was Erika (SBJC) who won two of her contests to take the Silver - what a great debut :)
In the Yellow/Orange Belt section Max & Freddie found themselves in the same group & after 5+ minutes Freddie eventually won the inter-club match. Freddie then went on to win & lose his other two contests, which put him in a tie for first place, but his loss was against the player he'd lost to, so it was Silver for Freddie. Max beat the eventual winner, but lost his other contest, & so took a very well deserved Bronze.
Felix was next up, & made good use of the longer leg advantage he had over his shorter opponents, winning both of his contests to take another Gold for the IJC.
Also competing in the higher grade section of the event was Martha, who had a couple players wearing Welsh National Squad badges! However, she narrowly lost her first contest, before throwing her second & heavier opponent for Ippon - boom :)
Well done to all of you, it was great to hear the complimentary comments from the officials about your Judo, & thanks you to Nic & Pete for coaching the players on the the day.
In the Red Belt section, George won all four of his fights by Ippon to take the Gold, with a nomination for throw of the day.
Also competing in the Red Belt section, at her first competition, was Erika (SBJC) who won two of her contests to take the Silver - what a great debut :)
In the Yellow/Orange Belt section Max & Freddie found themselves in the same group & after 5+ minutes Freddie eventually won the inter-club match. Freddie then went on to win & lose his other two contests, which put him in a tie for first place, but his loss was against the player he'd lost to, so it was Silver for Freddie. Max beat the eventual winner, but lost his other contest, & so took a very well deserved Bronze.
Felix was next up, & made good use of the longer leg advantage he had over his shorter opponents, winning both of his contests to take another Gold for the IJC.
Also competing in the higher grade section of the event was Martha, who had a couple players wearing Welsh National Squad badges! However, she narrowly lost her first contest, before throwing her second & heavier opponent for Ippon - boom :)
Well done to all of you, it was great to hear the complimentary comments from the officials about your Judo, & thanks you to Nic & Pete for coaching the players on the the day.
2019 December Club Grading
On Tuesday 10th December the club held a mega grading where the following players were promoted:
- Bertie - Novice to 1st Mon
- Finn - Novice to 1st Mon
- Whin - Novice to 1st Mon
- Rileigh - Novice to 1st Mon
- William N - Novice to 1st Mon
- William R - Novice to 1st Mon
- Erika (SBJC) - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- William H - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- George - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- Freddie - 4th Mon to 5th Mon
- Max - 5th Mon to 6th Mon
- Felix - 5th Mon to 6th Mon
- Martha (SBJC) - 7th Mon to 8th Mon
- Nathan (SBJC) - 7th Mon to 8th Mon
- Edie - 7th Mon to 8th Mon
- Koldobika (DJC) - 2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu
- Mat (SBJC) - 2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu
2019 Drake Open
On Sunday 24th November the 'famous 4' made the short journey into Plymouth, to the Life Centre, for the Drake Open.
Freddie got better value for money, with most of his fights going into the second minute, although the outcome was the same - Ippons all the way to the Gold. George had some memorable contests, one in which he had to score 3 wizard's before the referee awarded him the win, & then an epic battle with a lad from Cornwall which he eventually lost in golden score to take a very well deserved Silver. Max fought hard & showed some nice Judo, learnt how it feel to be on the wrong end of a massive counter & also took a well earn Silver. Last up, as usual, was Felix. He had to work even harder than George, as in one contest he had to score 4 wazaris before he was awarded the win! Felix, like Freddie beat all his opponents to take the club's second Gold of the day. So the final medal tally for the day was 2 golds & 2 silvers, along with some great techniques, as usual 100% effort :) A big thanks to Pierre & Nic for coaching the lads on the day - that IJC badge is a worrying sight for the opposition !!! |
2019 Kazuko Open Competition
On Saturday 5th of October IJC's 'four musketeers' headed over the border on another raiding party. This time the venue was Truro College for the Kazoku Trophy Cup.
In the 'A' Band section of the competition, IJC was represented by 3 competitors. First onto the tatami was Freddie in the U30kg category, in his usual 'all action' style, he proceeded to swiftly dispatch his three opponents for Ippon as he charged towards an unbeaten 1st place. Next up were Max & George in the U34kg category, who both progressed from their pools to meet in the semi final. This time it was George who took the honours & advanced to the final, which he duly won to take another unbeaten 1st place for the club. Max also picked up a trophy for finishing in joint 3rd place. In the Pre Cadet section, the club was represented by Felix, who had a best of three with the other player at his weight. Felix won the first two of these to take IJC's third 1st place finish of the day. Also in action was the club's Assistant Coach Pierre, who fought in both the Cadet & Senior section. In the U81 kg Cadet category, Pierre won all three of his contests by Ippon to finish in first place. Then in the U73kg Seniors, Pierre beat the three other players by Ippon for his second first place finish of the day. More importantly for Pierre, he collected another 30 points towards his 1st Dan :) So all in all another great day on the road, well done lads & a big thank you to Nic who coached the squad to 3 first places & 1 third place. |
A new look for the autumn
2019 July Club Grading
On Tuesday 16th July the club held a grading where the following players were promoted:
- George - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Freddie - 3rd Mon to 4th Mon
- Max - 4th Mon to 5th Mon
- Felix - 4th Mon to 5th Mon
- Amar - 6th Kyu to 5th Kyu
- Youssef - 7th Mon to 4th Kyu
- Harry - 9th Mon to 3rd Kyu
2019 KazOkU Judo Championships
On Saturday 22nd June, four of our junior players headed across the River Tamar, to do battle with the warriors of Kerno!!! The event was held at Porthtowen Village Hall, near Newquay, & was for red & yellow belt players. IJC's coach for this event was Nic.
First up were George & Freddie, who unfortunately were drawn in the same group. Freddie comfortably won both of his contests to take the gold convincingly. George lost both of his to pick up a bronze, but picked up some more valuable competition experience. Max was next on the mat in a group of 2, so it was a best of three match. Max won his first with what Nic considered to be the throw of the day, then lost the second, to set up a winner takes all final contest. Max won the decider to take the gold. Last onto the mat was Felix, who won both of his contests to claim the gold medal in this group. Coach Nic said that all of the IJC players fought really well, tried out lots of different techniques & won with many of them. So an excellent performance by all, doing the club proud. After the competition had finished everyone headed for the beach to enjoy the warm sunny weather :) Finally a big thank you to the parents for taking the players to the event & special thank you to Nic for coaching this motley crew :) |
2019 June Club Grading
On Tuesday 18th June the club held a grading where the following players were promoted:
- George - Novice to 1st Mon
- Maddox (SBJC) - 10th Mon to 11th Mon
- Amar - 1st Mon to 6th Kyu
- Dave (SBJC) 2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu
2019 Drake JC's Birthday Bash
On Sunday 28th April a team of our 4 youngest Judoka, supported by their coaches Pierre & Maddox, travelled across Dartmoor to Tavistock to compete in Drake JC's Birthday Bash.
First up was our newest member George, who after only a few months on the mat, was keen to follow in his Dad's footsteps & have a go at a competition. Three wins later & George had his hands on his first gold medal :) Just think what will happen when he has 2 throws to use :) Next up were Freddy & Max, eager to try out some of the techniques they'd been working on over the winter. Freddy was on fire, two massive Ippons & a withdrawal (I think I might have withdrawn having seen those two throws) later & he'd also bagged a gold medal :) Max's first couple of fights were 'learning losses', but following some words of wisdom from his coach, he went out & finished in style with a lovely big Ippon to take a bronze medal :) Felix, who weighed in at 42kg, was classed as a heavyweight for this competition!!! This meant that he had to wait until the lightweight boys & all of the girls had competed, so it wasn't until later in the day that he took to the mat. Boom, Ippon in his first contest & Felix was up and running. However, the next two contests didn't go quite so well, but they say 'you learn more from your losses than your victories' AND 'the camera never lies'!!! By virtue of winning by Ippon, Felix took silver. So 2 golds, 1 silver & 1 bronze, not a bad day at the office, but nothing more than average!!! Well done lads & thanks to Pierre & Maddox. |
2018 December Club Grading
On Tuesday 11th December the club held a grading where the following players were promoted:
- Annabelle - Novice to 1st Mon
- Freddie - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- Holly - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- Max - 3rd Mon to 4th Mon
- Felix - 3rd Mon to 4th Mon
2018 Drake Rudolf Rumble
On Sunday 25th November, four of our junior Judoka headed down the A38 to Drake JC's Rudolf Rumble at the Life Centre in Plymouth.
Holly, Felix & Max can be seen in the photo with their medals from the day, also medalling was Freddie. Well done to all four of you for representing the club so well & thank you to Pierre for being mastoid to coach the our players :) |
2018 July Club Grading
On Tuesday 10th July the club held a grading where the following players were promoted:
- Freddie - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Holly - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Max - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- Felix - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- Youseff - 6th Mon to 7th Mon
- Pierre (SBJC) - 15th Mon to 16th Mon
- Dave (SBJC) 3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu
- Matt (SBJC) 3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu
- Ewan (SBJC) 15th Mon to 1st Kyu
- Cerys (SBJC) 2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu
2018 SBJC Low Grades Competition
On February 30th a squad of five IJC players made the short journey over to South Brent to compete in their Red & Yellow belt competition.
Coached by Pierre, they all did a great job, with Holly & Felix taking gold, Youssef & Max taking silver, and Freddie taking bronze. Thank you to SBJC for, as always, putting on a great event for players new to the competitive side of Judo :) |
2017 November Club Grading
On Tuesday 28th November the club held a grading where the following players were promoted:
- Freddie - Novice to 1st Mon
- Holly - Novice to 1st Mon
- Max - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Felix - 1st Mon to 2nd Mon
- Youseff - 5th Mon to 6th Mon
- Harry - 8th Mon to 9th Mon
- Pierre (SBJC) - 14th Mon to 15th Mon
- Olly (SBJC) - 4th Kyu to 3rd Kyu
- Dave (SBJC) 4th Kyu to 3rd Kyu
- Matt (SBJC) 4th Kyu to 3rd Kyu
- Bruce (SBJC) 3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu
2017 Devon Low Grades
On the 19th November, three of our youngest players headed over to the Quayside Leisure Centre in Kingsbridge to compete with other red & yellow belts in this development event.
Freddie, Max & Holly all fought really well & picked up some bling for their efforts. Well done to all three of you & thank you to Pierre for coaching you on the day :) |
2015 CORNISH OPEN
On Sunday 19th July the club had a lone ranger, in the form of Jonathan Westcott, who travelled down to Polkyth Leisure centre in St. Austell to take part on this year's Cornish Open.
Unfortunately there was only one other competitor in his weight category, however Jonathan won the first 2 contests in a best of 3 style of competition, and took a well deserved gold medal - well done :)
Unfortunately there was only one other competitor in his weight category, however Jonathan won the first 2 contests in a best of 3 style of competition, and took a well deserved gold medal - well done :)
2015 JULY GRADING
On Saturday 4th July one IJC player presented himself for assessment at a grading held at near by South Brent Judo Club.
- 3rd Mon to 5th Kyu - Jonnathan Westcott (IJC)
2015 SBJC Red Belt Rumble
On Sunday 21st June a couple of IJC players made their competitive debut at South Brent Judo Club's annual Red Belt Rumble.
2015 Devon Mini MOns
On Sunday 22nd March our dynamic duo headed off to Quayside Leisure Centre in Kingsbridge to do battle in the Under 16 section of the Devon Mini Mons. This is an event for Red, Yellow & Orange belts to gain contest experience.
Harry & Jonathan both fought really well & medalled as follows:
Well done to both of you, a great start to your competitive year :) :) |
2015 MARCH GRADING
2014 SBJC RUDOLF RUMBLE
On 13th December 2014 a number of IJC players made the short journey up the A38 to take part in a low grade event “The SBJC Rudolph Rumble”. The event was for red & yellow belt players under the age of 14, and this year there were competitors from Plymouth, Kingsley, Yate Star, Hoshi, WBB, Quayside and the host club South Brent.
The following IJC players took home a well deserved medal and some more valuable mat experience:
Once again, well done to you both, looking good to push on next year :) |
2014 OCTOBER GRADINGOn Saturday the 11th October a number of IJC players attended a grading at South Brent Judo Club, just up the A38.
The following successfully gained promotion:
Congratulations to them all from everyone at IJC. A special mention for Harry, becoming the IJC's first Junior Yellow Belt. |
2014 Cornish Junior OpenOn Sunday 20th July it was a short trip across the border to Polkyth Leisure Centre in St.Austell, Cornwall for the Cornish Junior Open.
Ivybridge Judo Club was represented by Toby Morgan who had a great day to win his second Gold medal in 2 events. In the process of winning his weight category he beat a number of higher graded players, including the current Western Area champion! Well done Toby & roll on the next event :) :) |
2014 SBJC Red Belt RumbleOn Sunday 6th July it was the South Brent Judo Club's Red Belt Rumble, and the following Ivybridge Judo Club players medalled:
Well done to the three of you who all fought hard, produced some great throws & did the club proud. A special mention to Toby Morgan who won the club's first Gold Medal :) Finally a big thank you to everyone at SBJC for an excellent event! |
2014 June grading
On Saturday 21st June the following players were successful at a grading held at South Brent Judo Club:
Well done to all 3 who passed their respective gradings with flying colours!
- Jonathan Westcott - Novice to 1st Mon
- Toby Morgan - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
- Harry Parris - 2nd Mon to 3rd Mon
Well done to all 3 who passed their respective gradings with flying colours!
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2014 February Grading
On Saturday 22nd February a number of the club's junior & senior players made the short journey over to South Brent JC for a Mon & Kyu Grading. After an hour of preparation, they were ready to go, & all were successful in gaining promotion to their next grade - well done everyone!
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2014 devon closed championships
For the first time the club was able to enter players in the Devon County Championships, held at the Quayside Leisure Centre, Kingsbridge on Sunday 9-2-14.
In the Under 12 Red Belt section of the event, Toby Morgan fought well picking up more valuable experience, enthusiastically supported by his Dad :) In the Under 16 Red/Yellow/Orange Belt section, Harry Parris also fought hard to pick up a Bronze. Very well done to both lads who continue to go from strength to strength with their Judo, and are getting the name of Ivybridge Judo Club known at the local competitions, it won't be long before the club has a few more players competing at this type of event. |
2014 patchway green belt & under competition
The first event of the year was Patchway Judo Club's Green Belt & Under Competition, in Bristol on 26th January.
Ivybridge JC's top medalist from last year was the club's only competitor at this event, however Toby Morgan started 2014 in the same way he finished 2013 - with a big Ippon throw :) Unfortunately, a bang on the head forced Toby to withdraw from his second contest, & he had a trip to the local hospital as a precaution. Fortunately he was fine, & was able to return to the venue to pick up his bronze medal. Well done Toby, next up the Devon Championships next month! |
2013 End of year awards
Following the last competition of the year, it was time for the last training session of 2013 and the first Ivybridge Judo Club end of year awards. This year it was decided to have just 2 awards, and they were presented for:
The final act of the year was to thank those who'd made the last year possible, with gifts for the coaches: Steve, Pete & Adam. |
2013 cornish christmas bash
The last competition of the year was just over the border in Cornwall, so a couple of the club's players travelled down to Polkyth Leisure Centre in St. Austell to pick up some more competition experience.
In the morning, Toby Morgan was competing in the U12 year olds section of the event, in the Red Belts U34kg category. After loosing his opening contest, Toby bounced back to win his next 2 contests to take a very well deserved silver medal. Then in the afternoon, Harry Parris was competing in the U16 year olds section of the event, in the Red Belts U42kg category. Having weighed in at U38kg, Harry was always going to be fighting an uphill battle, but he fought hard & ended up with a well earned Bronze. Both lads did IJC proud & picked up some good contest experience ready for next year. |
2013 october grading
On Saturday 12th October a number of the club's junior & senior players popped over to South Brent JC for a Mon & kyu Grading. After an hour of preparation, they were ready to go, & all were successful in gaining promotion to their next grade - well done everyone!
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2013 devon low grades competition
On Sunday 29th September 2013 a couple of Ivybridge Judo Club's players made the short journey over to Quayside Leisure Centre in Knigsbridge for the Devon Low Grades competition. Toby Morgan fought well to come second in his pool & advance to the knockout phase, where he picked up a Bronze. In doing so he became the clubs most medalled player to date. Both players enjoyed the competition, picking up a lot of experience & are looking forward to their next competition. |
Ivybridge Judo Club gets sport england grant
On 13-6-13 Ivybridge Judo Club received a letter from Sport England informing us that we had been successful in our application for a Small Grants Programme award to purchase our own mats! This is fantastic news as it ensures the independent future of the club, & will give us an 8m x 8m mat area to grow our membership, which inturn will enable the club to go from strength to strength :)
Ivybridge Judo Club would like to thank South Brent Judo Club for the kind loan of some of their mats to enable IJC to get up & running.
2013 SBJC: red belt rumble
On Saturday 8th June 2013 another Ivybridge Judo Club player started his competitive career at South Brent Judo Club's Red belt Rumble. Toby Morgan was competing in the middleweight category. And as is often the case, you learn alot in your first couple of contests, but Toby came back strongly from his first two defeats to win his third fight to take a bronze. Thanks to Adam for coaching him, & to his Dad for the support!!! |
2013 Devon Mini mons competition
On Sunday 24th March 2013 a part of Ivybridge Judo Club's history was made! The occasion was the Devon Mini Mons Competition which took place in the Quayside Leisure Centre, Kingsbridge.
Ivybridge had one player at the event in the Under 12 section for Novice to 4th Mons. Harry Kerry who was competing at U50kg found himself in a pool of 4 players. Harry got off to a great start winning his first contest with a huge Ippon throw, but was then unlucky to get caught in his second contest - where he was looking the better player. Following the withdrawal of one of the other players, due to injury, Harry finished in a very credible 2nd place, & in the process took IJC's first ever medal (Silver). Well done to Harry, & thanks to Geoff for coaching him matside. |
Beginners Classes starting in april.
Take up the exciting Olympic Sport & Martial Art of Judo. You'll be able to work your way through the grades/belts & compete in competitions if you want to. We have club Judo suits, in a range of sizes to suit all ages. So if you’re interested contact Pete Whitfield by text on 07599111815, or by e-mail at [email protected]. And your first session is FREE.
Tuesday: - 7.15 - 8.15 pm Age 8 - 13 £3.00 per session
- 8.15 - 9.15 pm Age 14+ £3.00 per session
Tuesday: - 7.15 - 8.15 pm Age 8 - 13 £3.00 per session
- 8.15 - 9.15 pm Age 14+ £3.00 per session