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Initially Les Nicholass started in partnership with George Corderey and his wife Dianne: Karl Simon
who had been in Judo with other Clubs, as an instructor for many years joined us and we were able to start with a few
members and over the first year the club grew even though we were borrowing and importing Judo Mats which had to be transported
to and from the Club every Friday evening. This proved unsatisfactory and George and Dianne left the partnership.
Les has carried on with Karl as Judo Sensei and, with the help of friends initially used borrowed mats until the Foundation
for Sports and the Arts came up with a grant enabling us to purchase a set of 50 full size Judo mats which we have enjoyed
the use of since. A constant worry however is that the mats wear out and eventually we will have to consider
purchasing replacements. Any ideas for raising funds to assist in this would be welcome.
Club instructors
and coaches have always been recruited from within the membership as they became old enough and proficient enough to be considered
for the job. We have also been very lucky with other coaches that have joined us and stayed for varying amounts of time
according to their family committments and work ethic. The help of Steven Smith, who has been with the Club since he
started Judo has been invaluable, Daniel Root who also started his Judo career with the Club about 10 years ago now helps
Karl as second Instructor and Ryan Petchey who is the latest coach to join Karl also started his Judo career with the Club. Paul
Whent and Richard Brand help us when they can but both are committed to full time employment or studies and cannot get here
very often.
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| Karl Simon and Les Nicholass |
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Our Constitution.
Some organizations have a formal charter; many do not. Our organization has a written Constitution which covered
all our aims, aspirations and goals when we opened the Club, at the Colchester Arena Sports and Leisure Centre on 20th March
1998. From the outset we intended to form a true Martial Arts Society i.e. Budo Kwai. We started as we mean
to carry on by teaching Judo to Children, that is Juniors from the age of five years. We also invited other Martial
Arts to join us and we welcomed the Fushi Cho Kan Aikido Club from Witham to use our Dojo and, from day one they have enjoyed
their participation, in our Dojo of The Spirit of Divine Harmony until the present time. We are
a very happy club where children meet with friends every Friday evening and practice Judo with each other. Many, long lasting
friendships have been started within the Judo Club that continue into their life outside the Sport of Judo. These
friendships continue into adulthood as there is a common bond formed through their initial iInterest and activity in the Sport.
Our Instructors Daniel, Steven and Ryan all began their Judo experience within the Club and now continue, week by week, to
pass their knowledge and skill on to the rest of the members. Karl Simon our Sensei did in fact start his Judo career here
in Colchester at the tender age of 7years and has continued to pass on his valued experience to generations of Colchester
children. Why Judo
Whenever the sport of Judo is mentioned, people think of Martial Arts and
tend to imagine that it is full of punching and kicking. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Art of Judo teaches a
Judo player to use their oponent's strength, balance and impetus against themselves. Once the skill is
acquired the confidence of a player is improved so that they will use this confidence in their everyday life. Concentration
and belief in oneself and ones abilities is improved beyond measure. It is found that there is a great levelling within a
Club so that all ages and abilities and disabilities can be catered for. The Art and Sport of Judo is, self defensive
rather than aggressive and therefore, not, usually, used outside the Judo Hall. One of the important attributes
of Judo aside from other similar Martial Arts is that we teach, initially and primarily, the art of falling without harming
oneself before teaching any of the methods of throwing an opponent. This initial ability, once learned, is a vital help
in the performance of any other sport.
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History of Our Club
As stated we opened on 20th March 1998, getting off to a shaky start. That evening was an open night to which other
Martial Artists were invited in the Disciplines of Aikido, Ju Jitsu, and Ken Do. Three individual Clubs were
initially formed within the Arena Budo Kwai and Fushi Cho Kan Aikido joined with the Arena Judo Club but the other disciplines
could not agree on the nights of practice and they did not carry on. It has always been our aim to include other
disciplines and we have had moderate success in bringing others in over the last thirteen years, one in particular
is Eric Amada the Goru of the Modern Arnis Club that presently practices within the Arena Sports Centre but not under the
auspices of the Arena Budo Kwai. Eric Gillet still continues with Fushi Cho Kan the Aikido Dojo with the able help of
many of his players. Any other disciplines that wish to consider coming in with us are welcome and should contact
us (see the contact page) One thing that we have always enjoyed is the support of all of the parents of the Judo
Players. Without them we could not function and,for instance would not be able to lay the mats in time for the Judo
night practice. Since her children joined the judo Club, Sheryl Root helped with the smooth running of the
Club on a Friday night, collecting fees from the parents and looking after their needs with regard to Judo Suits etc. Sheryl's
home commitments and her work ethic have now meant that she cannot attend regularly, she will of course be coming to the Club
when and if she finds the time. As will be seen on the bulletin page, both Sheryl and Gill have now had to give up their
services to the Club but as Daniel Root and Ryan Petchey are instructing, you will see goth Sheryl and Gill from time to time.
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