In a landmark step for judo in Great Britain, British Judo, supported by the Home Nations, has officially launched our new Coach Register aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the sport and ensuring a high standard of coaching across Great Britain.

This initiative is a key part of British Judo’s broader strategy to protect the sport and those involved, aligning with our “3 Steps Safe” program designed to maintain standards for coaching, safeguarding, and club management.

Protecting the Integrity of the Sport

The Coach Register is more than a simple directory; it is a tool to enhance the safety, professionalism, and overall experience for members across all levels of the sport.

With 95% of coaches surveyed back in April backing this initiative, the register is expected to bolster trust in judo coaching by ensuring that only certified and qualified coaches are actively working in clubs or delivering Judo in the community. By providing transparency about a coach’s qualifications and coaching status, the register ensures that everyone from parents to judoka can have confidence in the quality and safety of their instruction.

What the Coach Register Includes
The register is designed to be comprehensive, displaying essential information about each coach, including:

• Coach’s name
• Coaching level
• Club affiliation
• Status of key qualifications:
  o DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service)
  o First Aid Certification
  o Safeguarding Training
  o Membership and Revalidation Status

Crucially, the system is built to ensure that coaches remain up-to-date with their qualifications. If a coach’s certification lapses for more than one month—whether it’s their DBS check, First Aid, Safeguarding, or revalidation—they will be removed from the register until the issue is resolved. This system guarantees that only fully qualified individuals are coaching athletes.

3 Steps Safe Initiative

This new register ties directly into British Judo’s broader 3 Steps Safe initiative. The program aims to ensure that every aspect of judo delivery is safe and up to standard. This includes safeguarding policies, effective first aid procedures, and ensuring that coaches are appropriately trained and certified. The goal is to create a safe and nurturing environment for members to develop, regardless of their level or age.

By incorporating the register into the 3 Steps Safe initiative, British Judo is taking tangible steps to ensure a consistent standard of safety and quality across all its clubs and affiliates.

While the Coach Register already covers a significant number of judo coaches across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, it is important to note that not all Scottish coaches are included yet. British Judo is actively working with JudoScotland to incorporate Scottish coaches into the register with a JudoScotland Coach Finder to follow. However, there are plans in place to make this system fully inclusive in the near future, creating a UK-wide standard for judo coaching.

The introduction of the register is a vital step towards maintaining the sport’s integrity, and with overwhelming support from the coaching community, it is set to become a cornerstone of British Judo’s safety and development efforts.

If you notice that your Coaching status is incorrect on the Register, please contact data@britishjudo.org.uk

Click here to access the Register