DAVE BOULDING
40 years in Judo
Dave Boulding 6th Dan has been teaching at the Young Judo Club based at the Swale Martial Arts Club East Street Sittingbourne since 1971, that is 37 years of giving his spare time without pay to the young people of Sittingbourne. Dave actually started Judo at the London Judo Society in 1968, he moved to Sittingbourne in 1971 with wife Lynn on arrival his first port of call was the Young Judo Club which was run and founded by the Clarke Family. The club is now in its 51st year and Dave became a valuable asset of the club within months of his arrival he was helping Mrs Margret Clarke 4th Dan teaching and eventually was given his own class. Margret was well respected in the area she taught at Westland’s, Rowena (SCC) and Highsted from 1963 till 1980 and Dave picked up on a lot of teaching methods. Dave unlike a lot of Junior Judo Coaches was no just content in teaching he want to learn more about all aspects of Judo, he was a keen competitor in his younger days winning many local tournaments and was famed for his one armed shoulder throw “Ippon Seoi Nage”. To keep his knowledge up to scratch he would attend regular grading in many different organisations eventually reaching the dizzy heights of 6th Dan Red & White Belt on top of this he obtained his Class 3 Coaching badge, Class A referees award and obtained the International Budo Federations highest award “Teacher General”. Put all this together and you would think that is enough for anyone individual NOT SO for Dave he managed the IBF England Judo Team for many years, was Senior Coach on the annual residential Summer Camp for Juniors, became a Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu and won a World Masters Silver in Sombo Wrestling NOW THAT IS A WOW FACTOR.
Dave retired from the Post Office as an Electrician and now works at Westland’s School as a Caretaker where he occasionally teaches Judo I wonder how many of the staff realise the little unassuming Caretaker is on of Britain’s most revered Judo Coaches.
Dave along with the Clarke Family have been a beacon to Judo players and this has proved itself within the Young Judo Club, over the YJC has trained thousands of Judo Black Belts and top competitors Martin Clarke 8th Dan was a reserve for the 1980 Olympics and World Masters Judo Champion 2001 many of the Club members competed for GB, many have made the BJA National squad. On the coaching front the YJC led the way by being the first to introduce mandatory CRB Checks, Coach Insurance and Child protection Policy, it is the only club in Swale with a permanent Dojo and its Coaches are qualified with both the International Budo Federation and the British Judo Association.
For more information on the Young Judo Club contact 01795 437124, www.youngjudoclub.co.uk, sombogb @ blueyonder.co.uk