SA AGM Sunday 22nd April at 10.30. All A registered clubs have been sent information about the zoom format meeting and clubs were invited to submit proposals to the AGM. The same information has also been posted on the website and the SA Facebook pages.
Events. The Southern Area will be hosting the following for the events on behalf of the British judo association: British Minors 17 September and the British Masters 22 October both at Surrey Sports Park, Guildford. Key events for 2023 have already been planned. You can check events on the SA calendar on the website, and also click on the link to the BJA calendar.
Gradings. There will be monthly gradings held in various venues around the Area. The online booking system is now in use for gradings.
Financial support for SA activities and members.
The SAC agreed the following opportunities to subsidise developments at Area level and for individual members.
Training of Technical Officials and Referees.
The Area has 31 Technical Officials and 59 Referees to cover all the events and gradings in the year. A third of this total are referees of Club grade so they can only work at low level club /mini mon events. Some of the Area to National A/B referees are listed but do not referee, so the active number is nearer 30 and we have shortage of referees for gradings and L2+ events.
Due to the national shortage of TOs and Referees, these volunteers also work at events in other Areas and at national events; for the IJF A and IJF B referees there are also international commitments.
We have enough Timekeepers but there is a shortage of Contest Recorders and Senior Recorders. Technical Officials do not have to pay to progress through their award levels. Referees have to pay for each of the 6 levels of BJA awards (plus the 2 Continental and International qualifications).
The Area will continue to fund training courses for the first stages of qualification for TO and Referee awards. For Referee awards: the Area will reimburse successful candidates with 50% of the exam fees for passing the 6 levels of BJA award from Club to Senior National.
Training of Coaches.
The Area has a total of 434 Coaches: L1:139, L2:215, L3:76, L4:2, L5:2.
L1 Coaches cannot take sessions by themselves so it is essential that clubs develop coaches to L2 or higher in order for clubs to be sustainable. Coaches pay for each step of their 5 award levels. The SAC appreciates that there a number of professional Coaches, but the majority are volunteers and, like Referees, they have to pay to progress through the award levels. The Area will reimburse successful candidates with 50% of the exam fee for passing the Level 1-3 Awards.
PLEASE NOTE: the 50% subsidies will be in place for this financial year, with a review for financial years 2023 – 2024.
Thank You Bonus for Clubs who provide TOs and Referees.
There are the 76 ‘A’ registered clubs as at May 2022; we have TOs and Referees from 33 clubs. The actual numbers are not 100% accurate as a number of them of not have a club listed or have given 3 or 4 clubs as their club. The SAC agreed that a grant will be given to those clubs who encourage members to become TOs or Referees.
Grants for individual SA members
Grants will be available to support players and officials in their journey to achieve / continue attainment of high-level success. Grant application forms and guidelines are posted in the documents section of the website.
More information will be given out at the AGM on Sunday 22 May
Marion Woodard
Chair, Southern Area Judo
