Review of 2023 – Looking Back

Updated on January 23, 2024

So what a whirlwind 2023 was.

We started the year with 70 players in the club and ended the year with nearly 100 players, we have grown into a force on the competition circuit with some players selected to represent England.

Each player has grown in confidence and graded through the ranks, the players’ improvement has been there to see every session and I’m very proud of them all for what they have achieved.

We started the year with some great results in local competitions, taking 27 players and coming away with 21 medals, giving the players plenty of experience and confidence to hit the regional competitions.

Next up we travelled a little further to Nottingham where we took 15 players and they all medalled fantastic achievements, and from there on full steam ahead with competitions with very similar results all round ending the year at another local competition taking 34 players and coming away with 28 medallists.

We ended the year with 11 BJC National Champions, 4 AJA National Champions and 3 BJA National Champions. 2 of those players had won gold at all 3 associations making them the undisputed champions in their categories.

Some of those more experienced players took on the next level and competed at National and even International Tournaments,

The club took their Judo overseas to Ireland (I know, I know… not quite international) where 5 players took to the mat and came home with 2 golds and 2 bronze medals.

Then we set off to Holland where we took 4 players and came back with 2 bronze medals from a very tough competition but what an experience for the kids.

Our final trip was to France with Team England where we had 3 players called up and the coach had his first call up to help lead the team.

Unfortunately no medals but we had one player have a 5th place finish just outside the medals in their toughest competition to date. WHAT A YEAR!!

To finish the year off we had our first Dan Grade promotions, Will, Jeevan and Amber… Well done to those guys as that’s a milestone they will always remember and look back with pride and joy.

To sum up 2023, I would say hectic but what a journey and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m super proud of all our players if they compete or not, I’m just so proud of the way they conduct themselves on and off the mat, they all show the true values of Judo: