Walderslade

19th May 2007

As a direct result of my inability to grow old gracefully I found my myself at the High Wycombe Judo centre standing on the scales in my underpants watching the chrome balance decree my weight to be 83 kilos. Once again I questioned my sanity. What was I doing putting myself through this self inflicted torture again? After all, it was only two weeks earlier that had I fought that fearsome Russian at the London Budokwai and narrowly escaped a polonium 210 overdose! But I suppose that that was the real reason. If I am going to achieve my goal and win my black belt before old age seizes all my joints then I am going to have to loose my fear of competition. And so, with Eddie's blessing, I entered myself for the High Wycombe Masters Competition for the elderly and bewildered, with expressed purpose to toughen myself up for future gradings.

And so there I was on a Saturday morning on the 19th of May pulling on my white pyjamas and preparing for combat. I very quickly realised that this was a friendly competition without animosity nor seriousness. Not that the players themselves were cavalier about their contests and they all fought to win their bouts. But above all, win or loose, I felt that everyone was there to have fun and enjoy their day.

And with no kids to get through the first bouts began at 11:00 am.

The standard of the competitors was incredibly high with skilful judo and spectacular ippons. I very quickly realised that these 'masters' contests were no easy option. The average competitor was a third dan with twenty-odd years of experience behind them. In fact, there were quite a few fourth and fifth dans and two red and white belts, one of whom who was a seventh dan!

My first bout began at about 3:00pm. I was in the 45 to 49 year age group and fighting in under 90's. I fought two bouts against two very tough men. To be honest, they were the strongest men I have ever come up against and if it wasn't for the fact that I had once been a competitive powerlifter I believe that I would have very quickly been over-whelmed. But although I could match their strength I could not match their judo and it is fair to say that I was constantly on the back foot defending against massive drop seoi-nages and such-what. I managed to crash them out, but only just and I never managed to even get an attack started. And with my lack of experience and a few shidos I was very quickly put out of the competition.

But all was not lost. When the contest was over I was asked to take part in a national grading. This was a surprise to me but I decided to enter. When the grading was over I had won two bouts and was put a up notch to 1st kyu.

All in all a fair result and the end of good day.

5th May 2007

In May we were very proud to find out that Steve Stacy had been appointed as a full-time judo coach for the BJA, working within thier Enjoy Judo scheme. Steve takes up his new full-time post in May and will be coaching judo in various schools in the Ashford and mid-Kent areas. Through the scheme it is hoped to introduce more children to judo during the school day, open more after school judo clubs as well as direct children to existing local judo clubs. This is an exciting opportunity and a real career change for Steve who gained his Level 2 Coaching Award last year and we wish him all the very best for the future.