Background and History

In September 2000, the club membership had doubled its 1999 membership to 25. It grew to 73 by the end of 2001, and at November 2002 was 86. In 2004 we boast over 110 members.

We now offer 5 sessions per week (1 for Under 10 years with 30 members), 2 for Juniors up to 14 years, and 2 for Seniors).  In 2003 the club ran its first “Come & Try” Course for senior adults including parents of current members. We still have a number of active parents who now compete in tournaments.

The aim has been to separate classes into skill and age groups enabling a better service to be provided to all Club members.  Budokan members regularly visit other clubs, and similarly we have regular visitors from a number of clubs in Sydney. 

During 2001, we were visited by 14 students from a Japanese (Saitama) Judo Club and in 2003 were visited by 2 clubs from New Caledonia and 1997 World Champion medallist Anja von Rekowski stayed with us for 2 months. A club visit from New Caledonia is planned for 2004. With new training partners, members will be further challenged and diversify their technical base and competitiveness. Budokan looks forward to working closely with its sister club, Budokan Sumo Club, and also with Tumbletime Gymnastics and Makotokan Aikido Club, for mutual growth and development.

Budokan and Tôkon Judo Club New Calédonia
get together to learn some new techniques from each other

The Coaches

With over 60 years of Judo between them and promoted to 4^th Dan during 2001, Rob and Kerrye Katz were competitors of some merit in their younger days.  Rob medalled at most Nationals between 1982 and 1992 with numerous National Team representations and has trained extensively in Europe and Japan, the longest period being 7 months in 1982.  Kerrye’s outstanding record includes 11 National titles, and representation at 5 World Championships and the 1988 Olympic Games.  Her best performances are 2^nd in Pacific Rim and 7^th in the Open at 1987 Worlds. They both have extensive coaching backgrounds - between them, since 1984 they have coached clubs in 3 States and State teams in both NSW and Victoria; in all, 8 Junior teams, 4 Young Womens teams, 4 Womens teams, and 4 Mens teams. At National level, Kerrye coached Womens teams to 1995 Pacific Rim, 1997 Worlds, 2001 East Asian Games, and Junior Women to 2002 Oceania.  Similarly, Rob has coached the National Women’s Team to the 1987 Worlds, 1988 Oceania and 1988 Olympic Games, and the Men’s team to the 1997 and 2001 Worlds and is Men’s Coach for 2004 Pacific Rim.  They declined invitations to be Shadow Coaches for the 2000 Olympics because they were both working for SOCOG and SPOC as Judo Competition management staff for the Olympics and Paralympics.  Rob worked for SOCOG/SPOC for 13 months as the Judo Sport Services Manager, responsible for delivery of the Draw, the results systems, and the competition management systems. He was awarded the IJF Medal of Merit in Bronze for his performance.  In 2002 he was selected by the OJU to attend the IJF Organisational Seminar in Cairo, Egypt. He was approached to work for the organising committee for the running of the 2002 Commonwealth Games Judo competition in Manchester, England, as well as by ATHOC for the 2004 Olympic Games Judo Competition, but declined on both occasions preferring to concentrate on family and development of the club. Rob is an engineer/contract manager by profession, is currently National Coach, was until recently Vice-President of the JFA NSW Board of Management and Chairman of the Sport & Technical Sub-Committee, was on the JFA Inc/EventsCorp Bid Committee for the 2005 World Championships, and is President of Budokan Judo Club.  Kerrye worked for SOCOG/SPOC for 3 months as Field of Play Supervisor responsible for the flow of athletes (and all related checking processes) from the Warm-Up mat to the competition area (and back), is a Sport Science and PE/Outdoor Education graduate who runs her own fitness consultancy business, Progressive Fitness from their Gym at home.  She is a National Coach, JFA NSW NCAS Co-ordinator, member of the JFA Inc. Sport Science Advisory Committee, and Treasurer of Budokan. Rob and Kerrye share the role of Coaching Coordinators of Budokan. They have 2 boys, Nathan 9 (Brown Belt) and Joshua 6 (Orange Belt).

Rob and Kerrye are currently assisted by Budokan Assistant Coach, Dale Keogh, Life Vice-President of the club, recently promoted to 6^th Dan, and Level 2 NCAS Coach, who has also been a National representative and a State and National Coach, as well as Guido Scholtz, 1^st Kyu and on Wednesdays, Erik Zapletal, 1^st Kyu. The Club is fortunate to have a number of other high profile senior members who, from time to time, also assist in the coaching of its members.

Club Achievements and Development       

Budokan Judo Club Inc has been managed in a professional manner with its method of operation closely aligned with common business practices.  However, the main aim is to provide a disciplined but caring and educational environment on which to build a large Judo community. Highlights include:

• Since 2002 its athletes participated at every level of the competitive spectrum from every MONSter (U/10s) and RSL event, to State Selections, NSW International Open, National Titles, Oceania Championships, Commonwealth Games, US Open, Canada Cup, QINGDAO Tournament in China, Fukuoka International Women’s Ch/ship, KRA Korean Open, Jigoro Kano Cup, Junior World Championships, Senior World Championships, and the Olympic Games. We have a high profile at both State and National level, our coaches regularly teach at coaching clinics and our athletes participate in all available clinics, camps and competitions.

• In 2001, Budokan replaced its 160sqm mat area by obtaining sponsorship enabling purchase of new mats from the Olympic Games legacy,

• Budokan has a merchandising strategy selling new and used Judo suits, club T-shirts, Judo Bags, Mugs, and key rings incorporating Budokan’s popular Judo-Dinosaur logo, and Judo videos, and books

• We run a Judo video and book rental library for its members, and lend out 2^nd hand Judo suits

• We work with the local media (The "Hills News" paper) to increase the club’s profile and achievements, and have an active Newsletter distributed to a growing email population in Australia and overseas (of 350) via an internet link to our website (http://www.budokan-judo-club.com/).

• Since 2002, we have established the club on the JFA calendar by hosting a Mons (U/10yrs) competition

• We have a 9 person Club Committee which has implemented many initiatives through good communication and planning

• Our 7 Sub-Committees continue to achieve significant results from technical development, to building improvements, and marketing.

• The club remains one of only a few in NSW which has been incorporated and other clubs have sought our assistance to achieve the same status.

• We continually improve our member services with high quality communications, merchandising, more training sessions, more exposure to other clubs, and a more comprehensive Club Information Kit which continues to be highly regarded by all new members and parents.

• We have procured a gas heater for our parents and spectators, a set of accurate scales for the athletes, a competition scoreboard, some crash mats, a BBQ, and a TV and video player for the club’s use. With the assistance of one of our sponsors, in a shared arrangement with the Showground Society, we re-roofed the hall, providing better sealing, insulation, and effective ventilation.

• In 2002, we sponsored 15 of our elite junior and senior athletes of between $50 and $150 each (totaling $1200) to support travel and accommodation costs to national and international competitions. This sponsorship is now increased to cover 20 athletes for a total of $2400 by mid 2004.

• We have secured income to the club via arrangements with Makotokan Aikido club, and have attracted a number of sponsors enabling continuous improvement in all our activities and to the hall. We have expanded to the point that the relationship with Tumbletime will cease in September 2004 allowing us greater freedom to use the training hall and improve the level of safety and aesthetic appeal of the club for its members.

Part of our success is the emphasis on FUN for juniors

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More information on:
Our achievements
Our current activities
Our Organisation & Structure
Our Coaches and Competitors

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