Don's View


August 2002

 

My Thoughts 2

 

Many profound thoughts have crossed my mind since my last outburst. However few are suitable for exhibition on this site. While I think of it, my thanks to Adam Divall for keeping this excellent site up to date. I know many of you must get the impression from me that it is all my own work but, I assure you, it is Adam's. I have great difficulty working out which buttons to press.

 

In my last effort, I wrote about the disastrous effect the no contests for under 8-year olds rule had on the membership of the B.J.A. We are still the only Association who do not let this age group fight with the continued disastrous consequences.

 

Those involved in these decisions should visit a Club and see what is going on and how we coaches keep the B.J.A. going and have done so, with little help, for many years. They are happy to skim off the results of our efforts for the National Squads. It is time someone took the time to find out how they are produced. Come and see the raw material we start with and realise that everything cannot be written down, cut and dried. In fact, they must try to understand the infinite variations we face each day.

 

My Intermediate Class would open their eyes, from the Leprechauns and Gnomes one end to the Dinosaurian types at the other. That is where the important membership they are supposed to represent is to be found.

 

The Tatami in my Dojo is 90 feet by 25 feet and for Judo only; over the years I have resisted any attempts to increase our membership with other Martial Arts. In fact, no other sport or persuasion has ever put their trotters on our Tatami.

 

The lower age band in the Junior National Championships, what a good idea it was to include this age band. It gave them something they could look forward to in their foreseeable future. Remember children's forward view is rather limited, so something must happen fairly regularly to keep them interested.

 

I see there is a move to do away with this group, not because there is anything wrong with it but because it gives us too greater numbers and the organisers can't cope. The obvious solution seems to have evaded them, run one or more of the groups on Sunday with the girls. Their day usually finishes just after lunch. Lets hope, in the interest of junior Judo, someone has the sense to negate the intention to drop this group.

 

I bet you are saying to yourselves' why does he not write to the B.J.A'. I have on many occasions but never get a reply; in fact if I had a pound for every letter I have written, I would be a lot heavier!

 

Quite apart from all this I am naturally quite pleased with the way our year has been progressing. The European Championships gave me my sixth European Champion in the shape of Georgina Singleton and Silver by Karen Roberts. They both peaked at the right time, always a difficult feat, and I believe these medals put Britain in 4th place in the Women's section and 7th overall.

 

It was, as always, a very tough tournament with the best in Europe in attendance. I mention this because if you read the report on the internet you could get the impression it was some sort of Mini Mon, they happened to be running in Slovenia.

 

You could easily have missed the half column inch in the national papers, buried somewhere amongst the millions of words written about us losing at football. This is strange because my girls had enormous coverage in several foreign papers.

 

The World of Judo covered the Event well with interviews and pictures. The pictures are a great idea because even my Gnomes can understand them.

 

The Veterans World Championship brought us some more medals. I like this event because it keeps involved, a wealth of talent who otherwise may not bother. I just hope it does not become too professional, I believe it would spoil the Spirit of the event.

 

Lynn Tilley won a couple of Gold medals, her weight group and the Open in her age band. This reminds me of her first major tournament and top class medal. Lynn won the Europeans at Genoa in 1974, so you see my lady's section has a great and long pedigree. Lynn also, at around that time, won her weight group and the Open weight at the British open. I think it is the only time a middleweight has won both? I have no doubt many of you will put me right, if someone else has done it too.

 

The Commonwealth Games, held this year at Manchester, is in my opinion a most important tournament. After all, the event brings fighters in from over two fifths of the World. I have always considered it of high importance but in the past officialdom has not shared my view.

 

The run up to the games was a nightmare because no one seemed to know if we would get accreditation for coaches. Even the Judoka were having difficulty finding out, so much differing information was flying about.

 

I did get accreditation but as it did not allow me to go anywhere, it was useless not even allowing me into the warm up area. So it was back to creeping about dodging the dozens of officials bent on making it difficult for me to keep contact with my Judoka.

 

I always wonder about the set up we have in this Country. It is like getting Schumacher to drive in the warm up and win pole position and sticking me in the car for the race.

 

I had two Judoka fighting, Georgina Singleton under 52 Kgs and Karen Roberts under 63 Kgs, you will know by now, they both won Gold. All the work and discipline paid off, always a great feeling for a Coach when it comes together.

 

The occasion was rather spoiled because all Club badges were ripped off and this concerned me because our sponsor will not be very happy.

 

It quite amused me that the during the entire Games Nationalism was encouraged with everyone running around with their National Flag when they won. However, as always, Judo had to be different. When the Australian, who won a gold medal, put his National flag around his shoulders to stand on the winner's Diaz, it was pulled of in a most pre-emptory manner.

 

Then there was the occasion when an excited Female Judoka who had just won a medal rushed to see her Father. She climbed up to hug her Dad and was dragged down by an official. Still, you know what they say, a little power!

 

I think the B.J.A. or whoever nominates the advisors for these occasions should pick someone who has a full knowledge of what is required by our Sport.

 

On a lighter note I must tell you of the latest invention to stop Pinewood winning overall trophies. We attended an event recently and won the most medals by far, but only came third even though we were 26 points ahead of the next club. The organizer divided the points by the number entered. I usually put many of my lesser lights in these events for experience even though they have little chance of a medal.

 

I suppose I should only put my best half dozen who will give a maximum return in future. Mind you some of you who run tournaments will realise how much money your events would lose. Don't worry, I will not do that because the experience gained by my Dwarf section far outweighs my desire to win a gong.

 

Now for a bit of a rest, we only have four contests during August, with many of the Judoka away the classes are easy. I wish you all an enjoyable and relaxing holiday, to prepare you for the new bash in September.

 

All the Best to Everyone,

 

Don Werner