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Young Judo Club 50 years old in 2007 NEEDS YOUR HELP The Young Judo Club was founded in 1957 by John (Nobby) Clarke 6th Dan and Margret (Oma) Clarke 4th Dan. The Club’s first Dojo was in Pear Tree Ally, Milton Regis near Sittingbourne. Since 1957 there has been a Young judo Club in Bexley, Bromley, Sidcup, Tenterden, Herne Bay, Ashford, New Romney, Faversham, Folkestone, Edenbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Selling, Newington, Rodmersham, Teynham, Sheppey, Northfleet, Bredgar a member emigrated to Australia and started a YJC. In its hey day there were about 4000 members in the YJC. Things have changed since then and judo is no longer as popular as it used to be, clubs have closed because of lack of interest and club politics, to date we Young Judo Clubs in Sittingbourne, Bromley, Bexley and Bredgar. Next year is our 50th Birthday and to celebrate that we are holding a YJC 50th Anniversary Championships in April 2007 at the Swallows Leisure Centre. This will not be the usual Judo Competition but will be based on 1957 Judo rules. In 1957 children did not do Judo or there were very few, they certainly did not do competitions, the same applied to women. That is why the YJC was founded so Nobby and Margret children Martin & Norman could do Judo. The children competition will be done under modern day rules while the Men will fight under 1957 rules, also in those days most comps were not in weights but in grades. So the men will fight Yellow & Orange Belts, Green & Blue Belts, Brown Belts, Black Belt 1st Dan, 2nd Dan, 3rd Dan and above 3rd Dan plus a special Open event for Judoka born in the 50’s and before. The problem is although we have a brief memory of the rules at that time we do not have a rule book, if any reader has a copy of the rules in 1957 we would like to hear from you. Another project was to write a history of the club over those fifty years but because there have been so many people involved it would be in possible to remember all their names. I have decided to reproduce a booklet, which will have 1 page per year of newspaper articles. Like most people in sport I have kept scrapbooks but most of the articles are not dated so I need the help of your readers who may have been involved with the YJC during its 50-year history. I am looking for articles from the following years 1958/59, 1960/61/63/66/67/68, 1970/71, 1992/95/96/98. 2000/03. If anyone can help we would very grateful I can contacted: Martin Clarke, 118 East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent. ME10 4RX Youngjudoclub @ Yahoo.co.uk, somboGB @ blueyonder.co.uk 01795 437124 07074 200150 www Sittingbourne org |
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