Open Junior Judo Competition

Swallows Leisure Centre

Sittingbourne Kent

Sunday November 3^rd 2002

Once again the Young Judo Club organised a very successful Judo tournament. The YJC has become a byword for well-attended and well-organised events. Over the last few years tournament organiser Keith Costa has become the mainstay of the Young Judo Club, although Martin Clarke 8^th Dan is still the Senior Coach it is Keith who runs the club and coaches a successful competition squad. The Young Judo Club was formed in 1957 by Margret and Nobby Clarke and has been at the forefront of British Judo as well as being one of the oldest in the country.

This latest competition broke some new ground, for the first time the Club introduced age bands as well as weight categories in the 16 and under divisions, this was a bold step as the expense on medals quadrupled but there was no need to worry as nearly 400 people were in attendance. The reason we tried age bands, something that most tournaments do not have, was that we were seeing some major concerns in that a child of 8 years could be fighting a 15-year-old adolescent. This was wrong and also put a lot of younger children of competing. The competition as was mentioned was a great success and encouraged a lot more into competitive Judo.

The YJC was very successful in the medal tally this was to be expected as Keith Costa runs a policy of trying keep children in age bands when teaching. The medal tally was 9 gold / 6 silver / 5 bronze / 3~ 4ths / 3~ 5ths and 26 all within the first 5. Full list can be seen below.

Junior Judo events like most Junior sporting events always seem to have a lot of people strutting about being self important and all of them seem to know the rules better then the referee but it is beneath them to referee themselves. Yet two of the countries most Senior Judoka both in their fifties we there giving up their time for the benefit of other’s. They were Dave Boulding and Trevor Davies both started Judo in the 60’s, both hold the coveted Red & White Belt 6^th Dan.

Any one who wants to do Judo at one of the UK’s leading and oldest Judo club should contact Keith Costa KeithCosta@YoungJudoClub.co.uk tel: 01795 426784.

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