Who’s afraid of the big bad Te Guruma?
How scandalous, those nasty people grasping legs and actually doing great big throws.
The International Judo Federation have tried some more rule changes! To be exact they have forbidden the Leg grasping style of Waza almost entirely. On occasions they are allowed, at times when the referee will have great difficulty in recognising the criteria required for a throw to be scored.
After bringing in the Golden Score to put the result back more into the hands of the Judoka; they have given total control of who wins right back into the hands of the referees.
I always said the golden score was such a brilliant idea that they would find an excuse to alter, or get rid of it; they just can not leave a good thing alone. The Golden Score as it was first presented favoured the skilful, extremely fit and determined Judoka. So they cut the time down to suit the less fit!
They took out the Shido which was a good idea. Unfortunately they also took out the Koka which means many more golden scores go to full time?
The leg grab type Waza are as old as the hills, they have always been there for everyone to use. The old Masters knew them well and used the techniques with great success.
The great strength of Judo and that which has made it the most effective fighting system in the world has been its ability to absorb other styles and techniques.
Over the years it has been this ever changing aspect of the sport that has so totally claimed my interest. Actually, I believe that there are very few totally new techniques; most forms of fighting use a range of techniques that are quite similar. It is the way you put them together and make use of the result that wins the medals.
I suspect that some Countries, with lots of influence, can not cope with them; so they have been taken out of contest Judo. Or is it that we, like many other sports, are being controlled by people who are not Judoka and have their sights aimed in the wrong direction for the Sport; Media, Money, do you think?
Much more of this and, in Britain, the poor old under 12’s will have to just stand there and look at each other. They have already had their contests made to favour the strongest child.
I have always trained my children so that the weaker one can, with skill, defeat the more powerful opponent. These teachings continued to be effective into adulthood; with some happy results for me and mine.
This system has worked well for many years, until the new under 12 year rule changes came into being.
I tell my young Judoka, from a very early age. “You lose because you are not good enough and you must train hard to do something about it.
The new rules for under 12 years and no leg grabs etc. These changes have decimated my club’s numbers; I have lost a large number of promising children in the last two years. It was always obvious to me that dividing the small number we have in this Country into three sections would shrink and weaken the bottom of the pyramid. I did warn our governing body that it would decimate the membership; when they stopped under eight year old children fighting in tournaments. Unlike most other countries who have vast numbers of very young juniors practicing.
Now we have competitions being cancelled one after another, due to lack of entries. Our pyramid is upside down; at one time we had hundreds of juniors in the light weight groups with a slight tapering towards the top weights.
Far from making Judo more interesting these changes have taken the excitement out of the sport.
It is time our powers that be admitted that splitting the juniors has been a disaster. We should go back to the old under 16 year system for juniors. Let them develop slowly through the ranks gaining experience at each level; as they grow older in our real world. These new ideas may be a colossal success in Russia; but they don’t work here. I am not sure they use them either.
Another problem has also been that referees have not controlled the contest correctly. They have let Judoka attack with Kata Guruma, Tomoenage and Sume Gaeshi, often done just to negate their opponent’s efforts. The other competitor will then attempt a perfectly good drop Seoi Nage, which their opponent will negate by stepping off, if they are quick enough; the result is an immediate penalty.
Coaches will know that a good drop Seoi Nage contains a series of complicated rotations, three to be exact; often these will give the opponent time to evade the throw. Why are they more than happy to penalise a drop Seoi Nage but not the Sutemi Waza that are obviously done negatively?
The extra costs of practicing Judo which keep hitting us are going to ruin the sport in this Country, eventually. The new official back packs, expensive Judogi and all the rest of the changes being made. It makes you wonder what is behind it all.
Already Judoka are the most difficult of all Martial Arts people from which to get money. At our senior sessions you have to turn the members upside down to shake the money out of their pockets. At my age this is no mean feat.
Coaches of other martial arts I know, just stand at the door having notes thrust at them as the pupils come in.
The excitement of the Olympics creates many of these dopey ideas, I am sure. I have been to five Olympics and I am not sure they do many sports the good that people think. A load of hysterical excitement with people losing their self control leaves me cold I am afraid. You want to control others? The coolest head, not the most excitable, is always the one that wins.
Casual spectators will only watch what they like to see, I doubt if many of them know why they favour one sport above another.
It would be better to make the major Judo events more accessible for those who practice Judo and have a lasting interest; at least they are a captive audience. You know, the spectators are there already. Have you ever tried to get in to an Olympic, World or European Championship without buying a ticket in advance?
It is the clubs that create the interest in the first place. I have always tried to involve my children’s parents. They can watch their pride and joy train as beginners up to whatever level they may achieve.
I have seen parents watch their little relative with rapturous interest as they fling their arms about each other. They then swing their tiny legs back and forward in randori hoping their opponent will trip over or faint.
It is interesting to see those parents gradually learning about the sport; many gain a wide knowledge of Judo and another spectator is born.
Travelling to competitions is expensive but the new interest can also make them many friends. Few children can drive, so without the proud Mum or Dad they have little chance of realising their dreams. Do children dream these days? I imagine their dream world is probably a cacophony of bleep bleeps.
Bless them; I should not be so scornful of these little intellectuals. After all, think what they have done for me. I have travelled the world with my Judoka pushing (gently encouraging) them on to higher levels of achievement.
You are not a coach if you can’t produce some one to exceed your own ability. However, it is a moment of mixed emotions when you succeed, it certainly is for me.
For the first time ever I am finding it quite difficult to keep my numbers up. I have thought about it at great lengths and there is no doubt all these new rule are responsible.
Unfortunately it is the talented ones who are first to go because at a young age they can play anything. If a child has the guts to walk onto a Tatami and fight he will be able to face almost anything that life throws at him, or her; certainly of a sporting nature. Team games are easy for a Judoka, if things look a bit dangerous, you pass the ball to your mate; then it is his problem. In Judo you are stuck with it and to survive, you must come up with a solution.
Good Luck to you all in your endeavours.