With the 2012 London
Olympics on the horizon, the British Judo Association has been
presented with the perfect opportunity to achieve great strides
in developing the sport across a number of new and exciting
domains.
In both the Further Education
and Higher Education sectors, Judo has until now been overwhelmingly
under-represented. Given that approximately 3 million learners,
predominately between the ages of 16 - 19, are studying in a Further
Education Institution, and with o ver
40% of young people in the UK now continuing their studies onto
University, it’s no surprise that the BJA is attempting to inspire
the next generation of Judokas from these diversely populated
market sectors.
British Judo can justifiably
boast a competitive club scene, with the number of Club Marked
clubs growing on a monthly basis, increasing both the quality
of delivery on the mat and the environments in which our sport
takes place. Demand is also increasing rapidly within primary
and secondary schools, as the BJA endeavours to widen the market
and ensure that all Judo is offered through a World class community
delivery system.
Aligned with both these
principal objectives, deriving from the BJA’s recent interventions,
the Further Education and Higher Education sectors have also been
identified as key areas within which to develop the sport. As
it is, the shortfall of judo provision in both FE and HE, present
two huge gaps in the judo pathway, discouraging young people to
continue participating in the sport as they progress with their
studies.
Conclusively, it is
fair to say that this is an extremely exciting time for the sport,
with immense potential for establishing Judo as one of the country’s
most favourable sports.
London
Inter-University Invitation Championships
On Saturday November
28th, Middlesex University host the inaugural London Inter-University
Invitation Championships at their serene Trent Park Campus.
With only one official
tournament on the annual academic calendar in which university
judo clubs can compete, the pre-requisite for further competition
couldn’t be more apparent.
The London Inter-University
Invitation Championships proposes to assemble some of the UK’s
finest university judokas.
For further information
on judo in London Universities, please contact BJA Development
Officer Luke Farrugia on luke.farrugia@britishjudo.org.uk
©
David Finch
Gemma Gibbons, pictured
in white at the 2008 GB World Cup,
won bronze in the 2009 World University Games
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