Kingsley Judo Fun Day Trip
A few months ago whilst at the South Brent Rumble, Andy and I got to talking with Simon Ward, for those of you who don't know, Simon is the Head Coach of Kingsley School Judo Club in Bideford and additionally Western Area and England Coach, KSJC is a very well run and well supported club meaning that there are lots of players of differing ages and grades.
Simon asked if we would be keen to join them for a day of training? ideal i thought but how would we all get there?
Since that conversation we have twice now arranged trips away using local community group mini buses, we obviously have to cover the fuel and a small wear and tear hire charge but its very reasonable and has enabled us already to visit Bath University and now Kingsley School, in the future we hope to utilise it to some of the further away competitions but i digress...
We all met at the LifeCentre at 8.45, I arrived first followed by Bogdan with his new stripes shaved into his head followed by Ethan and then everyone else arrived. This trip had proved so popular that we had had to lay on two mini buses, Bus one driven by myself with Ros as trip manager and Bus two driven by Andy and Jess trip managing.
Setting off just after 9 we headed north via the Tamar bridge and made good time arriving into Bideford at around 10.50. This was my first time at KSJC though i have known Simon and Stephen for a number of years i had never had the opportunity to visit before, One thing i did like was the KSJC dojo, whilst I'm very grateful to the LifeCentre and Tavi College for the facilities they provide, a clubs own dojo is something very personal and this one was no different, permanent mat area, walls with pictures of players past and present and crucially a trophy cabinet!
Obviously it was very hot and the dojo windows were all opened and Simon ran a very interactive session breaking down the skills and movement for an ippon seoi nage, the whole thing was very similar to a P4P session which none of our players had experienced previously(with the exception of Jack)and it went down very well with all the players mixing and working hard together whilst us Bus drivers had our tac break.
After a hard working session we made our way over to the playing fields where we all relaxed with a game of rounders and so of football(Allan is a very good goalkeeper! and had brought his own gloves!)
Food was Barbecued to perfection by Andy McMurray and our own Kieran Murphy, Giant Sausages and quarter pounders were the order of the day and very delicious if i do say so myself(Reuben had 3!)
Soon enough it was time to be on our merry way, having made new friends and trained hard, after a slight detour to pick up Georgia's water bottle, we headed home with all the boys in Bus one asleep and all the girls awake!
We thoroughly enjoyed the day and I'm hoping this will now become at least an annual event,
Yours in Judo
Ross
