IBF/BCSA Newsletter

IBF/BCSA January Newsletter 2010

2009 I am sorry to say was not a good year for those involved in Martial Arts and Combat Disciplines, membership down, participation in competition and courses down. Why? I believe it is many factors:
1) Youngsters no longer want to do physical activities; they want to interact with watching TV Sport or using computers and Game Boy etc
2) adults are frightened to get hurt just in case they lose time of work
3) The state the country is in has left all of us feeling depressed and short of money
4) More and more regulations governing those who want to coach Cub Mark, UKCC etc

The IBF/BSF events certainly took a down turn, the IBF Multi Nations we could only manage a Mini Bus to Germany normally we have a large Coach, Summer Camp number were down, we could only muster 3 entries for the World Masters Sombo in Lithuania and 2 for the World Sombo in Greece. Interestingly enough IBF/BCSA Junior membership has increased a fraction bucking the National trend but our Senior Membership has dropped.

So what to do Firstly not to give up see below the list of events we have on offer, some of the competitions may have to go into smaller halls as few participants mean less revenue. Also we must look how to attract more adults. John Clarke 5th Dan Chairman IBF Judo Technical Commission has suggested to extend the Non Competitive (Theory) Grade system to the under 30 years! This would be a big step as the IBF has always believed that Contest should be the primary aspect for young Judoka but at the same time we must move with the times. All Martial Arts organisation rely on adults to teach youngsters if we lose the adults we lose the kids, so I think it will be a good idea to drop the Non Competitive Dan Grade age to 18 but it must never become an easy option maybe the commission can look at increasing the syllabus for non competitive grades i.e. 2 Kata’s for 1st Dan. I do not want to see NC Dan Grades being classified as sub standard to C Dan grades; NC Grades should be a different route to the understanding of Judo as a Philosophy for Life. Most martial Arts do not expect Shiai to be part of the Grading Syllabus so what I am proposing is not out of the ordinary.

IBF clubs need to be more versatile include other disciplines into your programme if you are primarily a Judo club try the occasional lesson of Sombo or Kurash or Jiu Jitsu or Pankration, this will give your students an added interest and make you different to the other club down the road, we are all trying to attract a very limited group who want to participate in what we do.

The first event of the year is a Sombo Training session this is suitable for all Jacket Wrestlers and even non Jacket wrestlers, if you have not got any Sombo kit just wear a Judo Jacket and a pair of shorts. So if you do Sombo, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Free Style, Kurash, Belt Wrestling come and have a try, LET ME KNOW WELL IN ADVANCE IF YOU CAN COME

If you are interested in the First Aid Course please book in as soon as possible as we only have 16 places and there has been a great deal of interest, this course can be used in the work place

My latest venture is Pankration the first Combat Form to be used in the Ancient Olympics, the best way I can explain the competition is as a mixture of Semi Contact Karate and Judo/Sombo. I have the European President from Greece as the Coach at the course. Try and get there once again book well in advance as space is limited.

It has taken me many years to get Sport CombatSombo insured in this country and one of the conditions is that only people who have attended a course under my supervision will be insured to teach i.e. allowed to teach. So I have organised this Teachers Training Course in both Sombo and Sport CombatSombo.

With all that training under your belt you can not miss out on the British Sombo Open, this year we have gone for a smaller venue but we expect the fights to be just as good. We will be looking for players to enter the Worlds in Uzbekistan November, plus the World masters and Keith Costa wants to take some juniors to a big Tournament in Lithuania in December.

The Big Judo event of the year for us is the IBF Multi Nations in Hastings; this event should attract Judoka from England, Scotland, N Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France and provisionally Ukraine, Italy and Russia. This event is for IBF members only and we allow 6 per country so you want to have a go just enter; this event was the stepping stone for many top international Judoka. I have arranged a special deal with Haven Holidays for accommodation. I am looking for somebody to represent the IBF in Wales if you are that person get in touch.

Last but not least is our Annual Summer Camp, this year we will having Top Jiu Jitsu Master Tom Starling 7th Dan on the course along with all our regular Coaches, Pankration will be on the agenda as well. Once again I am offering a reduced rate for those who book in by April and on top of this I am making a special price for those youngsters 12 to 16 as long as they book in by April.

IBF/BCSA needs your support so lets have some enthusiasm and NEVER SAY DIE

I Hope we all have a very Prosperous 2010

Martin Clarke 8th Dan Sambo GrandMaster
IBF/BCSA President


EVENTS IN 2010

January 31st Sombo Training
February 21st Sombo Training
February 28th First Aid Course
March 14th Pankration Course
March 7th Open Judo Championship (Venue to be decided)
March 28th Teachers Certificate Sport Combat & Sombo Course
April 11th British Open Sombo
April 18th Sport CombatSombo
April 18th Pankration Championship (Venue to be decided)
May 15th IBF Multi Nation Judo Championships Hastings
June 20th Freestyle Sombo Tournament