Special Needs

Go to Page 1 of 2003 Festival of Judo Pictures

Judo Manual

This manual has been put together by the members of the British Judo Association Disability Commission and Members from the Welsh Judo Association.

This project has been going on in areas/clubs for many years in the UK, with individuals in classes in local clubs. In 1986 the Welsh Judo Association appointed a liaison officer to promote this project throughout Wales. Through research in Holland, the Welsh Integrated Sports Plan for Judo was formed, with clubs set up in all parts of Wales for students with special needs.

The British Judo Association have now formed a commission, to introduce this project nationally throughout the UK, which will include courses on disability awareness training, and give the opportunity for more people with disabilities to participate in the sport of judo.

Although the majority of students with special needs participating at present have a learning disability, there are many other students participating who have physical or multiple disabilities. This is what makes this project so unique in the sport of judo.

Course Run for Disability Awareness Coaching & Officials in August.

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This was one of four that have been Run at Clacton this year. In readiness for the Clacton International planed to include Special Needs every year from 2002 held ever October.

What do we mean by “disability”?

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Disability can take many forms – some young people suffer from major physical disabilities, such as being blind, deaf or suffering from a disabling illness. Some are

Mentally disabled and others suffer from disabilities which one cannot immediately recognise, but which are Justas much a handicap – asthma, epilepsy and diabetes for example. Even if your premises are unsuitable for one type of disability, that by no means rules out the others.

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“How do we grade our Judoka”

We need to adopt a system for all our special needs judoka, who if attending a club or area will be instantly recognisable as having special needs. For example If we gave normal colour belts to our judoka and they visited and attended a judo club in another area, would the coach or judoka at that club recognise they have special needs? We now come into a major safety difficulty for this student through no fault of anyone. I would like to see a structured system in the UK, which gives instant recognition to coaches/officials and judoka. One idea is to have a 3 colour band belt which is used in some European countries linked with a grading structure for all disabilities.There are many more topics to be considered in this project during its progression, so working together of all coaches and officials is most important to the success.