Consistent surveys from the Australian Sports Commission indicate that it is Club coaches who have the greatest influence over whether a member chooses to stay with a club or move to another sport – and the lesson has been heard loud in clear in Far North Queensland.
Already the second biggest Judo club in Queensland, the Coral Coast Judo Club in Mossman has committed to training up coaches as a key to growth and sustainability.
As Queensland’s most northerly club, Coral Coast Judo grapples with a range of challenges related to distance and isolation, and ensuring there are enough accredited coaches to deliver a full range of classes is one of them. The solution is encouraging young students to not only develop their judo, but to take up their roles as mentors and leaders.
A recent visit to Coral Coast by National Participation Manager, Shane Alvisio, saw him deliver a CAF Coaching Course to 11 members who were either renewing their coach accreditation or making their start on a coaching journey.
The coaches were reminded that leading a club didn’t end on the mat, sparking discussion of Club marketing and member retention strategies. Safety was also a focus, with enthusiastic participation on sharing games, warm-up activities, beginner breakfall ideas, and common injuries that occur in the dojo from poorly executed techniques.
As well as encouraging clubs to grow from within, Judo Australia is keen to encourage unaffiliated Clubs to join the state and National organisations, giving more judoka the opportunity to engage with the wider community.
While in Far North Queensland, Shane took the opportunity to visit the Malanda Judo Club on the Atherton Tablelands, inland from Cairns. Club Coach, and Atherton policeman Winfried Weiss, has been teaching in the small town for many years, and is looking to re-register with Judo Queensland.
Regional judoka tend to travel considerable distances to training and competitions, and this is particularly true of more isolated towns in far north Queensland. For Malanda – population 2000 – locals come from surrounding towns for school, work, and sport. Malanda Judo Club has a permanent mat area and a welcoming dojo with a long Judo history.
Neighbouring town Millaa Millaa is also about to benefit from a new Judo club! Setting up in the vast and historic RSL Hall, a happy crop of beginners is now training with Coach Elizabeth Doggett-Ford.
Coach Doggett-Ford, who has been active in clubs around Queensland while moving around with policeman husband Karl Ford, is holding classes in the RSL Hall, and keen to welcome judoka from across the Tablelands.
Formalising coaching accreditation and Club strategy with Shane, Coach Ford welcomed him onto the mat at Millaa Millaa with a group of brand new members, then took him home for a home-cooked farm dinner!
The Millaa Millaa visit brings to 30 the number of Australian Judo Clubs Shane has visited so far this year under our PlayWell initiatives to strengthen Coaching and club connection. With coaching workshops, courses, and Club visits to Clubs across ACT, NSW, VIC, WA and QLD, Shane’s next area of focus is Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
