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Long Eaton Judo Club coach
Dave Hawkins looks back on Long Eaton Judo Club’s 50 years and
pays tribute to those who have made the club such a fantastic
environment to practice our Olympic sport:
Founded in 1961, it all
begun when a group of local people attended a judo beginners course
at Derby Road School in Long Eaton. Initially there were eight,
they all seemed to enjoy themselves so one of the group, Stuart
Arundel, who suggested they all put in half a crown a week to
purchase their own matted area and before they knew it had purchased
one at a cost of £40, this an achievement in itself where it was
kept and used in the Canteen of Chambers, a local box packaging
company in Toton. This small beginning was the start of the Long
Eaton Judo Club. They then appointed a Secretary, Stuart Arundel,
who also enrolled himself on a coaching course. A further beginner’s
course was set up by the newly created club with the help of local
people who were already involved in the sport. This course attracted
a gentleman named Ray Hawkins who went on to becomee one of THE
most influential members of our club.
It soon became apparent
that practicing judo in a canteen and getting changed behind dusty
machinery was far from ideal so this was when Frank Kirk from
the Long Eaton Boys Club was contacted with a view to renting
buildings they owned. They kindly agreed and rented to the club
part of a building on Kirkfields, Off Cross Street in Long Eaton,
this being our present day site. This was the start of a very
long and happy relationship between Long Eaton Judo Club and The
Boys Club which remains to this day.
The club was starting to
get well established, with some judokas really moving up the grades,
with Ray achieving his Dan grade in 1969, also at this time Ray
had taken over as secretary and was now the club coach. It soon
became apparent that having a permanent mat area would greatly
benefit the members so the committee once again approached the
Boys Club for help who kindly provided the piece of land next
to the club for lease, the only problem was there was no building
on it!. This eventually came in the form a wooden bungalow sourced
from Ilkeston, and kindly transported for free by local builder
Ralph Marks.
On September 11 th 1971
the wooden bungalow was erected and Long Eaton Judo club moved
into its new premises. This was only made possible by the hard
work and dedication of the clubs members, this date is very memorable
to Ray as his wife and founder member Mary Hawkins was giving
birth to their daughter, Jane who you all know as the bossy one
in the office.
In 1981 work began to double
the size of the premises once more, this by adding a further purpose
built building on adjoining land which in turn became the new
mat area. Members old and new devoted many hours to achieve this,
but Ray would often be seen working late and tirelessly on his
own. One year later the expansion was complete. The club ran happily
in its new home for many years with the club having a strong junior
and senior section winning medals all over the country.
The opportunity to expand
arose again with next door becoming vacant this provided another
mat area. The buildings were only temporarily linked but when
funds became available building work began to make them as one,
this providing one large mat area and improved changing. This
is how most of you will remember the judo club.
Unfortunately the clubs
premises were getting old with water starting to seep in more
places than one and damp was rising. This didn’t affect the judo,
the club was bursting at the seams with members, and we continued
to compete around the country winning medals both nationally and
internationally. Members were getting selected for Great Britain
and the club experience several trips into Europe.
The club still had the
big ambitions to expand and dreamt of a purpose built judo centre.
We were applying for every grant available and raising money at
every opportunity.
Several applications were
put in for large grants both by the club and the Boys Club of
our behalf but met with several declines. Through sheer hard work,
commitment and determination shone through and we were awarded
with Lottery Funding of £457k. This took everyone by complete
amazement, not that the club didn’t deserve it, it did, but this
gave us the opportunity not to just improve on our old building
but to build the judo centre of our wildest dreams that you see
today.
Although the judo club
has had many inspirational members over its 50 years the backbone
of the club is still there today in Ray Hawkins, although Ray
is not an original founder member he is certainly the longest
serving club member and still involved as the Chairman today.
I would like to take this
opportunity to thank each and everyone who has been involved in
the running of the Long Eaton Judo Club, without this help the
club simply would not be here tonight celebrating 50 years and
I Thank You. With an extra special thank you to all members of
the boys club for their solid support and generosity over the
years, we couldn’t have done it without you.
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