Drake Judo Club & FLO Judo Club merger for SENIOR Judo
Drake Judo Club and FLO Judo Club are able to formally announce that they have agreed a merger in respect of Senior Judo.
So what does this mean?
From the first week in September, Senior Judo at the LifeCentre on a Tuesday evening will cease and Senior Judo will be re-launched on a Monday night at our dojo at the FLO Martial Arts Centre. Our new session has been christened ''Monday Night Dynamite'' and we will be encouraging all players of every ability to join us every week for Judo and a social drink afterwards..
We will also be offering Senior and Youth Judo on a Thursday night from the FLO Martial Arts Centre.
The FLO Martial Arts Centre is one of the best destinations in terms of facilities and training in the UK. Its facilities including a large sprung mat area which makes landings a lot softer than the usual mat surface. It also has a cage and gym facilities and a lounge for relaxing whilst everyone else is working hard!
This story in the Herald gives a very good overview (including that the gym is for everyone):
Of course one of the biggest aspects from this whole agreement is that Drake now boasts two new members and coaches of the highest quality. They are:
Kylie Adams 3rd Dan and UKCC Level 2 Coach has joined Drake in a new coaching position as 'Ladies Coach'.
Kylie began her Judo career at the age of 8 in Cornwall and through hard work and determination has managed to achieve consistent National rankings over the last 10 years. She has won many different championships all over the UK and abroad. She is a two time former British Champion and a European Championship medallist. She also represented GBR at the 2012 Olympic Test Event in London and as a competitive 3rd Dan, she is one of the most highly ranked females in the area. Kylie has a big passion to promote Ladies and Girls Judo around the area and this is her main focus here at Drake Judo Club. Kylie is also an Examiner.
Mark Adams 4th Dan and UKCC Level 2 Coach has joined Drake in a new coaching position as 'Deputy Head Coach'.
Mark started his Judo career almost 20 years ago as a junior with Plympton St Maurice club. Since then he has gone on to be one of the most successful players from the Western Area, having won championships all over the UK as both a Junior and a Senior. He is a former British Number 1 ranked player and a former British Champion and has fought at many European and World events as a Master culminating in a Bronze Medal at the World Championships. Mark has also trained in Japan in some of the world’s top dojo’s. Mark is also a competitive 4th Dan Black Belt and an examiner.
Both Mark and Kylie both trained in Japan at the Kodokan, Tokai university and Tsukuba university.
DJC Head Coach, Mike Nugent, said ''This is a really fantastic development. I've known Mark and Kylie almost since they started Judo and know just how good they are in terms of competing and coaching. They will be a huge asset to our club''.
DJC Chairman, Ross Taylor, said ''We have been discussing this for a while and it is important that our Seniors have their own identity, hence the unique logo and the sole Dojo at FLO for Plymouth. It's no secret that Mark personally became my training partner some years ago and Kylie has been a good friend of mine for a number of years, but make no mistake, this has not come about as a result of pre-existing friendships, this has happened because DJC wants to offer the most comprehensive Judo coaching and facilities in our area. This is a view shared by both Mark and Kylie and the FLO Martial Arts Centre is the envy of many visiting players who have trained there and to be able to offer Senior players such a venue and coaching is very satisfying. Obviously there is the wonderful benefit that we get two players who are on the Masters circuit who will be representing us at the European, Commonwealth and World Championships''
