|
South Wales Police has
donated £500 to Imperial Judo Club in Swansea.
The west Wales club have
a long-running association with South Wales Police and will use
the money to train more coaches and to deliver first aid training.
Imperial Judo, who were
formed in 1983 by then-senior coach Jeff Jones, have over 200
members who practice the sport in the club’s training locations
of Manselton and Gorseinon.
Head coach Phil Craven
said: “We have close ties with the South Wales Police as over
the years we have had quite a number of officers training with
us.
“Some of them have been
of a high rank while we also have quite a few officers’ children
coming through the club.”
The donation will enable
the club to fast-track the development of emerging coaches as
they aim to add to their decorated coaching roster.
Imperial Judo’s current
setup consists of former Welsh Squad members Phil Craven and Dafydd
Thomas, both 2nd Dan’s, as well as 1 st Dan’s Chris and Tom Jones.
“The funds will go towards
at least one crash mat and also to help us train more coaching
staff,” said Craven.
“ The money was to be used
initially for new crash mats, but we now have to use some of the
funding for first aid training as it is now due for the clubs
appointed personnel.”
Manselton police support
officers Neil Prosser and Angharad Woodward visited the club recently
to see the players and coaches in action.
Officer Prosser said: "We
are pleased to have been able to help out, and the sport is a
good way of giving youngsters in the area something to do, as
well as keeping fit."
Phil Craven believes officers
can integrate many judo techniques to their daily work.
“The main benefits for
any individual who deals with criminal or violent offenders are
self discipline, fitness and the ability to control a situation
either by ‘verbal’ judo or by employing certain restraining techniques
which do no real harm to the offender,” he said.
“The beauty of judo to
me is that you get people from all walks of life on the tatami
at one time or another and I think that it makes the police more
approachable, more human if you like, and less like a stern
figure of authority if people can see that they enjoy judo like
everyone else on the mat. Especially to some children who see
the force as something to be slightly afraid of.
“I have had reformed convicts,
superintendents, inspectors, sergeants and normal officers train
with each other at some time or another with no undercurrent of
animosity, it is just judo.”
The British Judo Association
is the National Governing Body for the Olympic Sport of judo in
Great Britain.
Imperial Judo Club train
at St Michaels Church Hall, Manor Road, Manselton on a Monday.
Juniors train at 18:30 – 19:30 with seniors following at 19:30
– 20:45. At Penyrheol Leisure Centre, Gorseinon, graded juniors
and seniors train on a Wednesday at 18:30 – 20:30. On a Saturday
Dragon’s (6 – 11 years) train at 10:00 – 11:00 while juniors (12
+) and seniors follow at 11:00 – 12:30.
Media Contact:
Mark Pickering
British Judo
(t) 01509 631674
(e) mark.pickering@britishjudo.org.uk
|