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The first ever Birmingham
Schools Judo Championships saw 81 excited competitors take to
the mat on Tuesday May 25 th at Bishop Challoner College.
The players represented
10 secondary schools, 8 of which fell within the Birmingham City
Council Educational boundaries. The much-anticipated event featured
68 boys and 12 girls.
For many participants
the event was their first taste of competitive judo. They have
found their way into the sport and received first-class coaching
through a host of diverse and accessible schemes which run in
the city.
In addition to The School
Sport Partnerships and The Catholic Partnership, The Premier League
4 Sport has a strong and visible presence. Aston
Villa Football Club have established a satellite sports
club at four schools which delivers the Olympic disciplines of
judo, volleyball, table tennis and badminton.
Phil Homer, of the Bishop
Challoner, Baverstock and Colmers School Sports Partnerships,
served as competition manager.
“The event attracted
players from all backgrounds, colours, races and sizes and ages,”
he said.
“There were two players
with a severe visual impairment, and their skills and guile was
extremely impressive.”
Volunteer referees were
on hand to office the event and provide another youthful edge
to proceedings.
“We received great support
from the BJA who arranged for some fantastic volunteer referees
to officiate. They drove across the country to attend and that
was much appreciated.”
“There referees helped
to provided a fantastic introduction for the players into the
regime and protocol of judo.
After the success of
the sport’s first Birmingham School Championships the competition
organiser is now looking to the future.
“Looking to the future
we want to develop a clear structure that is linked into all the
initiatives within judo that are proactive and supported locally,”
said Homer.
“We aim to maximise
the club structure and use this network to support and promote
the competition to improve the attendance and organisation and
running of the competition.
“There were two schools
that couldn’t make the date so the numbers could be a lot higher
at the next event which will now become a regular fixture on the
judo calendar in Birmingham.”
The British Judo Association’s
Children & Young People Development Manager, Daniel Griffin,
said: “This events definitely demonstrates that judo competitions
can be delivered at school level across a variety of ages and
abilities. We are currently writing the BJA’s school’s competition
framework for general release to the Competition Manager network
by early 2011.”
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