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The new TOCS (Technical
Officials for Clubs and Schools) programme pilot launched in November
at three schools across London, including Ernest Bevin College,
The Royal Docks Community School and Bromley College.
The TOCS award has been
created to encourage a generation of young technical officials
into the sport and is designed for young people to get involved
in officiating at the entry level of time keeper/scorer.
Anyone between the ages
of 10-18 years can qualify as a TOC, with those 14 years and over
also gaining the full timekeepers qualification. Those aged between
10 -14 years who pass the course will hold a TOC award and on
turning 14, these TOCS’ will be invited to join the general judo
pool of Technical Officials. All the TOCS will be assigned mentors
who will be present at the events they are invited to officiate
a, so there is a support system in place for them.
This is a great opportunity
for the London Area enabling them to be able to start to build
their young officials database and to give the opportunity to
deploy the TOCS at local events. One of the main aims of the London
pilot is to support at least two of the TOCS’ to officiate at
the London Youth Games on June 18 th 2011. London Area Development
Manager Karen French has played a big part in getting the course
deliveries into the schools and said, “The TOCS are able to support
their school club and Coach with running much needed competition.
This hopefully will give them the opportunity to step onto the
correct Officiating pathway outside of the school and in their
local Judo Community and Area”.
All three of the London
school pilots took place in a Dojo, allowing the participants
to gain a practical experience of how the time keeper’s role works
and what the competition set up looks like. The sessions involved
hands on theory in the morning allowing the participants to be
able to practice the refereeing signals and basic “on the clock”
skills. The afternoon was set up like a mock competition with
the participants getting plenty of opportunities to have a go
on the clocks and to fight in the contests. Each course was set
up around local competition dates, ensuring that the TOCS have
competitive opportunities available to them to practice their
skills after the course.
Technical Official Craig
Ringer, who co-delivered the courses said, “it was great seeing
12 to 18 year olds working together as a team which is what being
a technical official is all about.” Craig will also be mentoring
the TOCS’ as they go on to time-keep in competitions.
The first competitions
took place on the 18 th November at The Royal Docks Community
School and Ernest Bevin College on Saturday 20 th November; this
will be the first opportunity for the TOCS to practice their new
skills in a protected environment.
On the 18th November,
The Royal Docks Community School played host to West Ham United’s
Premier League 4 Sport judo competition and saw around 50 young
people from local schools compete. Those that completed the course
were all invited to have a go on the clocks at the event, in between
competing themselves. Two scoreboards ran on the day- one as the
real contest scoreboard and one as a ‘shadow’ scoreboard. This
enabled as many of the budding young time keepers to practise
their new skills as possible and they were all supported through
the event by experienced Technical Official Craig Ringer. The
competition was a great success and served to whet the appetite
of the next generation of young officials in the sport.
On the 20th November
it was Ernest Bevin’s turn to hold a competition at their purpose
built dojo facility. Five young officials who participated in
the course put their names forward to run the clocks on the two
mats during the competition. Craig Ringer was again present to
mentor the young officials through the day and it was a very positive
experience for all those involved. The budding young time keepers
went home happy, but very tired after their first day of competition,
many of them realising that the job is not as easy as it looks
and it was commented that it was surprising how much concentration
is needed when running the clocks.
Bromley College will
be organising a low level competition before the Christmas break
so the potential TOCS will get the chance to practise the skills
from the course.
Commenting on the success
of the pilot, Jess Fack, Children and Young People Volunteer Officer
said, “It was great to see the young officials really taking to
the challenge of running the clocks. The London Area has embraced
the programme and I am looking forward to seeing the TOCS being
invited to further competitions across the city.”
A number of those who
have showed great promise in the courses and first competitions
will be invited to officiate at the London Youth Games Feeder
Event early on in the New Year.
Once the pilot phase
of the award is completed in London, TOCS will be piloted in clubs
starting in Nottingham in the New Year.
If you would like any
further information on the course please contact Jess Fack on
jess.fack@britishjudo.org.uk
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