2004 IBF Newsletter
January
Dear Members
Can I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year. With the government and the EU putting more and more legislation in our way you sometimes wonder if it is worth running a small club, for those of us who have our own Dojo the soaring cost of Rates, Insurance, Water, Gas and Electricity has become a burden some do not want to carry anymore. Over the last year many full time Dojo’s have sold up but there is some good news it is rumoured the Tax as much as you can Chancellor Gordon Brown may be abolishing rates on Amateur Club premises if this is true it is marvellous news. At the end of the day all these increases are passed on to the members.
I know I can be very boring when it comes to the subject of insurance but it is important and more then ever not to let your membership/insurance lapse, remember if you have a car the minute the insurance is out of date you are not covered the same applies to Sports Insurance. Can I give you an example a Coach of good standing recently had a spurious claim made against them by a former student using a Ambulance Chaser Solicitor, the claim is that the student injured themselves during a grading. I will not go into the details of the incident but will enlighten you on how the Insurance Company behaved. The incident was reported to me several years ago I in turn informed the Insurance Company. When the Coach told me a solicitor had sent her letter accusing them of negligence because of this incident, which happened years ago, I said not to worry, as the insurance company would deal with it. This was not the case first the insurance company tried to shirk their responsibility stating that they were not informed of the incident at the time this was untrue, they then trawled through there files to find the original Coach application form it turns out that the insurance was due on e.g. March 1st 1999 the coach signed it on March 3rd 1999 by the time it had reached HQ and then sent on to them they received it March 10th 1999, the incident happened on March 2nd 1999. The IBF/BCSA had been with this company for years the coach has always paid their insurance but NO it was out of date. The IBF/BCSA will be helping this coach in any forthcoming legal battle but this is a one off. Remember get your membership in on time keep records and inform HQ of any incident in writing. Membership/Coach & Club Registration is only valid when the cheque is cleared through the bank.
I am pleased to say that we changed Insurance Brokers a couple of years ago to Norfolk & Suffolk our agent is Graeme Jolly, he is very helpful and his company are there to assist their clients not just fleece them of their money, if you get insurance queries why not give him a ring. In the past our insurance would only cover Martial Arts well now we can cover other things such as weightlifting, fitness, aerobics, dance, gymnastics etc. I am also it the process of trying to negotiate insurance cover for those coaches who wish to give private lessons.
IBF/BCSA Survey.
You all know I try to listen to what the membership want so I can direct the IBF/BCSA in the right direction that is why I sent out to all our coaches a Survey form and the response 3 replies! Those who bothered to reply wanted more courses, last year we cancelled 80% of courses and one of them was free of charge, so what do you want? If you do not tell me I will not know.
Dan Gradings.
As you all know I supervise all Dan gradings most of the time I do them myself or on occasions I appoint someone. There seem to be a misconception in the Martial Arts World that an association must give you a Black Belt after a certain time, well in the case of the IBF/BCSA this is not true you have to earn it, it is not yours by right. Another misconception is that because I have been a top competitor I do not put much store in Kata or Theory WRONG any Martial Art in the IBF that requires Theory and Kata will tested to the highest standard. The highest honour any IBF/BCSA can get is to earn their Black Belt at St Mary’s Bay Summer Camp ask those who have done it WHY?
IBF Multi Nation Judo Championships Germany
This year Germany will be hosting this prestigious event in the fairy tale town of Hamlin it was hoped to take 70 people to this event but yet again apathy on behalf of the membership has been disastrous. Two months ago I asked all the Judo clubs to see who wanted to come to this event explaining that although the event was in May to get accommodation for 70 people you needed to book well in advance, yet only 30 people have booked in. Well I have booked the Youth Hostel but I will be putting a £25 late booking fee for those who have not bothered to send in a deposit, hopefully all places will be gone by the end of February. I would like to remind all members that to compete in this event you have to travel with the official team.
Mike Ilott 6th Dan
Mike died recently in a Car accident he was Chairman of the British Judo Council MAC. He was I believe 55 years old and had studied Judo since his childhood; I was very friendly with him from the age of 15 years till 27 years. In that time we competed against each other on numerous occasions and competed together as part of the BJC National Team travelling all over Europe together, he also won several IBF international competitions plus medals in Sombo wrestling and was a frequent visitor to St Mary’s Bay Summer Camp. Mike would compete as a Heavyweight or Light heavy, he was an extremely talented competitor but also a superb Kata man. At the age of 27 I decided that I wanted to try for the Olympic Games to do this I had to join the BJA, Mike decide to stay with the BJC eventually aspiring to the very top position in that organisation, this to me was very much poacher turned gamekeeper. In his youth Mike was very much the rebel, he used to refer to the BJC ec as the over the hill mob, on many occasions I have seen him throw his Black Belt on the ground in disgust. Mike will be sorely missed he was very talented and Experienced Judoka, he also could be a very funny man his singing and joke telling were legendary a true JUDO CHARACTER.
Since writing this I attended his funeral with my wife Valerie that was held in Faringdon, Nr Oxford. Although it was a long way to travel it was worth the effort
Especially as I found out so much more about him, not only was he a dedicated Judoka, he was also a Town Councillor, Governor of two Schools, active member of his local church, Chairman of the Leisure Services Committee, he worked for a University in a Senior position disposing of Nuclear waste. When I said he would be missed that was somewhat of an understatement.
With over 300 people attending the funeral there was of faces I knew from the past, some I have not seen for 25 years. I commented to wife “Don’t they look old” her reply was “have you looked in the mirror lately” funny I thought I had not aged!!!!!
For those of you who were about in the 60’s & 70’s you may recognise some of them Steve Addy, The Mole, Billy Nichols, Tim Leader, Ray Barnes, Bob White (who looked good for some who was in their mid 70’s) John Vine, Spam, Len Mower. Ray and Len are now both 6th Dans and well worth it. While at the funeral they were playing an old tape of Judo Kata’s with Mike, Mole, Bob, Len and Bill Wood 8th Dan all being featured I hope to get a copy of this not just for nostalgia but also because the Kata were performed extremely well. The BJC spent a lot of time on improving their Kata as I mentioned early I also believe in Kata but I am more flexible in its performance believing that the moves are not caste in stone.
On behalf of the IBF/BCSA I would like to extend our sympathies to his family and the BJC (MAC)
Summer Camp 2004
Last year’s Summer Camp was a real success; the full report is in the various Martial Arts mags or on www.budo-ibf.co.uk, because of the restrictions of accommodation we have limited the course to 30 juniors and 30 seniors. The limited entry proved very popular. Those thinking of taking Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Karate, CombatSombo Dan grade
would be well advised to attend this week as the grading is done over the full week. There are only 3 people in the IBF who can grade to Judo Dan Grade Martin Clarke 8th Dan President and with the President permission Trevor Davies 6th Dan, Dave Boulding 6th Dan.
I am pleased to announce the promotion to 3rd Dan Judo for services to Judo to Mr Colin Ogburn. Colin has been involved with Judo for 30 years and has achieved remarkable success as a Coach and Referee, well done Colin.
Criminal Records Bureaux
I am in the process of joining the CRB so every coach, instructor, referee will be required to fill in a form, which will be submitted, to the CRB. With regard to Coach/Instructors registration I will require a passport photographs, forms correctly filled in. The insurance will not be valid until cheques have cleared at the bank, incorrectly filled in forms will be returned. If a coach/Instructor is considered unsuitable because of a CRB check or because they have not renewed their membership/insurance their members will be informed. The IBF/BCSA has a duty of care to its members and in this BLAME CULTURE SOCIETY the IBF/BCSA must cover all eventualities.
Martin Clarke 8th
IBF/BCSA President