For all those who missed the exciting column in Matside Magazine from Euan Burton, 2010 World and European bronze medallist, read it here:

Once again I am collecting my thoughts for you abroad on another international camp. This time I am writing from my room in Nymburk , Czech Republic where 20 members of the GB team are based for the next 10 days. The training camp is one of several EJU ‘Going for Gold’ camps held across Europe with the purpose of giving European nations the best possible preparations and randori.

The aim of this EJU initiative is to increase the medal tally for European nations, and therefore for the EJU, at the very highest levels of international competition. In a nutshell it is to push for even greater success for Europe at the World Championships and ultimately the Olympic Games.

For the GB players out here this camp marks the beginning of the final phase of training into the European Championships in April. Those continental championships are a massive event themselves but of course are also another important marker on our road towards London .

While we are training here another marker on that journey towards the Olympics will be passed. It will more than likely go relatively unnoticed by the players who are focussed on their training but it is a marker that I hope the British Judo community will take real notice of.

On the 15 th March we will reach 500 days to go until the Olympic Games. 500 days. It sounds like a long time. Almost an eternity away. But cast your mind back to the media attention of the ‘2 years to go’ celebrations. They seem like yesterday to me and they were 230 days ago. The time is ticking away rapidly for all involved.

By the time we arrive in Paris for this year’s World Championships it will be less than a year. And the reality is that it will hurtle in from then. Before you know it you will be glued to 2 weeks of the most immense sporting action that the greatest athletes on the face of the planet can provide.

Of course the athletes are preparing. You would expect nothing else. For them it is a once in a lifetime chance to compete in the biggest sporting event in the world right in their own backyard. For some it will be an unbelievable beginning to a journey in top flight judo. For the older, and somewhat greyer, amongst us it may well provide the perfect ending to a career. It would be a foolish athlete who wasn’t fully prepared for that.

But how about the rest of our judo community? Absolutely it is a once in a lifetime chance for the athletes. It is also a unique opportunity for everyone involved in judo in Great Britain and just like the athletes we should all be attempting to be fully prepared to take advantage of that.

How are your club going to make the most of the fact that Iliadis, Sobirov, Zantaraya, Anai, Decosse, Ueno and Matsumoto will be ‘just down the road’ at the Excell centre in the summer of 2012?

These superstars of judo may well appear again on our shores but mark my words they will NEVER compete at another Olympic Games in Great Britain .

And what about British judo history? Our sport has had a great many wonderful champions but still no-one who has stood above the rest on the top step of an Olympic podium. The BOA announced this week that GB will be permitted all 14 home nations spots. If all 14 are filled that is 14 chances for history to be made. If that happens will you be ready to make it a truly special event for all your club members, young and old?

I’m sure some of you have already decided to be there in person as volunteers and helpers. The process of selecting volunteers for the games is well underway. These ‘Games Makers’ as they have been dubbed will make a genuine and lasting contribution to how visiting athletes, officials and supporters will remember our Games. You will perform an integral role in the welcome given to all athletes including those belonging to TeamGB and you should be proud that you will play your part in what I’m sure will be a remarkable Games.

Perhaps you have signed up for the tickets that will, by the time this article goes to print, be on sale. If you have it might be an idea to think about what effect you as a spectator or group of spectators can have on the atmosphere inside the venue. Maybe start contacting the other clubs in your area and pool together those of you who are going to make the journey to South East London next July. I know from my experiences in both the bundesligue in Germany and at events in Japan that the small things can make a big difference.

In Japan the University judo fans all have chants designed and rehearsed for those moments when their heroes take to the tatami at the big events. Anyone who has watched the introduction to the ‘Inoue’ Fighting Films dvd will have heard the Tokai chant building up ‘Kosei…Kosei…Kosei!.Kosei!.Kosei!’

It isn’t exactly complicated but it is inspiring and effective. Just like the great mans judo.

In Germany too there is often someone in the supporting ranks who is designated to act as the conductor of the noise. They are quite literally the Cheer Leader. I’m not saying that I would expect anyone to turn up to the Excell with miniskirts and pompoms at the ready. But there’s a thought!!

If you aren’t going to be making the trip to London there is still a huge amount that you can do and that you can be making plans for. It could be organising for a big screen in your local club to gather people together for the judo events, Olympic judo themed parties at homes across the country, I really don’t know and I’m certain that you will all have some ideas that are far better and more inventive than mine. I am after all just a judoka who’s been landed on my head too many times. But whatever the idea it’s time to start thinking about it now. Don’t leave it to the last minute and be left wondering where the time went to.

Then there is life after the Games. The word legacy is being mentioned all the time in relation to London . Have you started thinking about the members you don’t even have yet? There is no event like the Olympics which is more likely to encourage youngsters into our sport. Are you ready to make the most of the influx when it happens?

Of course more members will appear if the athletes of TeamGB have a winning games. That is why we are in a different country every other week, why we are here in the Czech Republic now. That is absolutely what we are preparing for.

As well as a responsibility to ourselves we now have the added pressure of carrying the hopes and dreams of the GB judo public on our shoulders. We will be responsible for inspiring the next generation of children to take up our wonderful sport. But after that the responsibility will be with the coaches, clubs, parents, staff and volunteers. Just like the responsibility of the athletes it is a huge one and could determine the health of our sport in the years to come.

Whatever your part this is going to be OUR GAMES. It is each and every one of our jobs to embrace them and make the most of them for ourselves, for those around us and for the sport we all love. Let’s not let that chance fall away for the want of a little planning. In the words of many a sports psychologist: Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

But let’s not leave on a negative note. Let’s sign off with a 2 word summery of all that has been said above.

Like the scouts said…

Be Prepared.

See you all again soon

Yours in judo

Euan

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