For the last 10 years there has been a slow decline in people wanting to do Judo and for those who deny that they need to take a good look around themselves but just recently within my own association the IBF I have seen a steady increase in membership on the Judo front and I expect other organisations are seeing the same trend. At recent competition in Faversham we saw over 80 competitors and early on in the Year at the Swallows we saw over 100 yet our next problem is OFFICIALS especially referees. Todays adult Judoka just doesn’t want to give up their time to referee or attend referee courses and of course no referees no competitions. 25 years ago Judoka craved to be referees, they had pride in wearing a Blazer, Grey Trousers/Skirt sporting a Referees Badge but to day with everything being so casual in dress and attitude this attire is frowned upon. This is the general attitude of Judoka have spoken to. Another important issue are the rules themselves Judoka of all ages tell me they are to difficult to understand let alone administer.

So what we can we do well first we have to accept the fact Judoka do not like formal attire when officiating if that is the case let them wear T Shirts as for the rules it seems pointless trying to alter them I tried this the past with points scoring Judo.  As most of our competitions are low-level not European or World events we should adapt them to suit us. First what we must decide is what is the important thing about a Judo Contest apart from Health and Safety is how to score:

Do we really need to know the minutia of the rules? What we need is for Judoka to enjoy their sport and to attract referees using the above is a gentle way to involve them in officiating

Here is a brief history of Veteran Sambo Player Stephen Sweetlove he will be Refereeing at the Presidents Cup in September 

Stephen Sweetlove MBE is a former physical training and self-defence instructor with the British Police Service. He won the British sambo championships from 1985 to 1990 and again in 1992, 1996 and 1998. Stephen has represented Great Britain at two FIAS World and two FIAS European championships. He has competed at tournaments throughout the Soviet Union including winning medals in 1986 and 1987 at the famous Anatoly Kharlampiev Memorial tournament held in Moscow and in the same years winning bronze medals at the international tournaments held in Kaliningrad. Stephen has also been silver world medallist at the FIAS masters championships. Since his retirement from competition Stephen has coached seven British champions five of whom went on to represent GB at World, European and international level and he was instrumental in the coaching of Tracy Farmer to become FIAS world champion in 1992. Stephen is now concentrating on becoming an international FIAS referee.

 

Mick Poole the famous Genrikh Shullts/Henrik Schultz Steve Sweetlove Russia 1986

Genrikh took Mick and I under his wing when we toured Russia in 1986 at this time Genrikh was refereeing at all the international tournaments, he was still a very good coach and was very well respected by the sporting community. He would give Mick and I advice all the time, although he could not speak a word of English...however we understood what he was saying because he used the common language of sport.
Genrikh Shults was 6-times Champion of the Soviet Union in Sambo (1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961). Shults was also a captain of the first Soviet National Judo team. In 1962 he won the bronze medal in European Judo Team Championships (Essen) in class O80, and in 1963 he won the gold medal in the European Judo Team Championships (Geneva) in U80 class.

Photo of British team in Washington USA for the USA Open 1986. Mick Poole and I won medals.

Receiving Bronze medal at Kaliningrad international 1997, the late Brenda Jones is also in the photo..

British team in the USSR for the FIAS international with contestants from USSR, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Mongolia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Poland. L to r - Mick Poole, Stephen Sweetlove, Paul Wright, Bob Blaydon and Chris Kefford. Bronze medals for accept Bob Blayden. 

Russian team visiting Ashford Police Training Centre. The photo includes a former world champion, a future world champion, the late Brenda Jones and the late Brian Eustace.

Photo of me winning my first fight at the 1992 World Championships Herne Bay organised by Martin Clarke and the BSF

Sittingbourne held its annual Carnival the longest and hottest day, I say Sittingbourne Carnival it should be called the High street Carnival, as East Street and Snipeshill seems to have been annexed from the festivities. I used to enjoy the Carnival and the Young Judo Club entered floats on several occasion, it would pass our Swale Martial Arts Club in East Street and Hundreds of people would watch the Bands floats etc., we would then have a party in the Club others would go to the carnival Dance normally at the Town Hall.  This year it was only by chance that I heard about the Carnival and was told it would not go through East Street again so no party for us and does anyone know whether there was a Carnival Dance?  Because now the Town Hall is to close its main Function Hall and put a Gym in its place where will they go in the future? The Town Hall used to be the celebrated venue for wedding, 21^st etc. I can remember the fanfare when it was built, a venue for all the Towns People! So now you hire the massive sports hall, I wonder how many will want a wedding there?  The Swallows is great for Sports and Sambo/judo events but wedding and parties I do not think so.

JOHN CLARKE HERO OF THE DAY

One of the problems with the Carnival on a Hot Day is that our young adults are inclined to drink to access and with late night drinking the inevitable happens yes Punch Ups. Now I cannot say to much as a young I had my fair few Pub brawls but today it the extreme violence the want to nearly kill your opponent. Even now I use a sporting term opponent not enemy.

On Saturday at about Midnight a fight spilled out of the Snooker club with about 20 young men involved, my son John was sitting in Witherspoons with his girl friend when he saw a young man knocked to the ground with a man kicking him in the head while he was semi conscious on the floor with no one intervening. John said, “ When they started to jump on his head I thought enough is enough” he pushed through the mealy and shields the man telling the yobs he has had enough. While this was happening his girl friend got knocked to the ground, the Landlady of the Pub came to give First Aid and for her troubles she was knocked out, John had to carry her to safety eventually they all dispersed and the Police told John if he had not stepped in the lad could have been killed.

John who is the National Coach for the British Sambo Team done the right thing BUT he could have been knifed or beaten to death by these cowardly hooligans. The things that saved him was that he did not going fist flying, he kept calm and talked people down. John said afterwards "It was my Sambo training that kept me calm and in control" Well done John Dad’s proud of you