One Reason I Love Judo

One Reason I Love Judo

I was pretty disturbed by the recent dialogue on Kong about old guys staying on the mat and the fact that Uni Judo Club supports Masters Comps.

The guys waxing lyrical behind the shield of the ‘anonymous’ tag about older Judoka being a waste of time reminded me how for many people in NZ Judo is just a sport. 

Luckily I know its not. For thirty years now I have been rolling round in pajamas. Over this time one of the things that I have loved about Judo is being around the limping, arthritic fingered, busted nosed, cauliflower eared guys that just love doing Judo.  The guys that just can’t imagine not being on the mat and having a wrestle at least a couple of times a week.  The guys that know the thrill of the fight and stay on even after common sense dictates they should be becoming fat administrators. 

New Zealand is littered with guys who love the sport and continue to roll into their 30s/40s/50s/60s/70/s. Love him or hate him you have to respect Donald Fairley’s gameness.  Pat Toner, Graeme Spinks, Jason King, Tim Slyfield, Rob Levy, David Mair and lots of others that I apologise for not naming just keep on going. Sure as they get older they might fight with younger, weaker players but they are still active learning, working on technique and most importantly teaching others. 

It was pretty obvious that ‘anonymous’ doesn’t have cauliflower ears. The comments demonstrated that they just didn’t ‘get’ the thrill of the fight that is part of Judo or understand the mentoring role of the battered old players that stay on the mat well past their prime.

The point is that Judo is taught in increments. Someone gets the drop on you. Throws you or forces a submission on the mat.  You study their technique talk to them and learn.  Over years and years you build your ‘mat craft’ from fighting a variety of players.

Fighters learn by fighting.  You can read lots of books and go on coaching courses but unless you are constantly fighting and testing your skills really you are ‘pissing in the wind’.  The old players that have done the apprenticeship of being tournament players, travelling and fighting lots of other people are the guys in any club that take young players aside (after rolling with them) and share their knowledge not because they are inflating their own sagging egos at a seminar but because; just by being on the mat they are forging a bond with the young player based on a shared love of Judo.

Want strong clubs. Keep the older players active and sharing their knowledge with the young ones.  In my time I’ve learnt more from post randori discussions than I ever learnt at Judo seminars. I’ve learnt about techniques both by being taught and by breaking my own techniques down so they can be explained simply.

My best day in Judo was turning up at Budokwai in London. Ray Stevens was at the reception and said “You here for Judo”. I replied “Yeah – How did you know? “By the way you walk”

I took a moment and though about my ugly, rolling waddle.  It was the result of having the shit kicked out of me a University Judo Club for 20 years.  But I realised it was actually something to be proud of.  It told a guy I had never met before that I had done my share of Judo.

The guys I’ve been talking about continue to walk the walk and we should be encouraging them because they are the backbone of Judo culture – whether they have their NZJF coaching qualification or not. 

                                                        Ben Stallworthy [much much young days]

PS – See I don’t need the ‘anonymous’ tag.