Judo Australia and Judo WA have undertaken a joint mission at clubs throughout Western Australia to demonstrate the network of support available to Club Coaches.
“It is easy for Club Coaches to feel alone in their attempts to build numbers in their own clubs and their own communities,” explains Shane Alvisio, JA’s National Participation Manager, who spent three weeks in March visiting Judo clubs around Western Australia.
Shane visited more 10 clubs, met many other coaches conducting a CAF course, and even attended State Training and the State Championships as part of Judo WA-sponsored tour of the state.
“Our goal here was to bring people together to demonstrate they have a network of support available to them – both formally, through Judo WA and JA, and informally from their fellow coaches.”
“Many Club Coaches are dealing with similar issues and the National Roadshow is to reassure coaches that it’s not just them, or their business. Many coaches are feeling the same pressures, and experience the same restrictions. Yet we also share the enjoyment of having great club members and receiving good feedback from our members and from each other,” Shane explains.
The Roadshows introduce Coaches to new ways of navigating issues, new services, and opportunities and approaches they may not have considered before. These include Insurance and the protections available, Sports Integrity and services available to keep judo safe and inclusive for everyone, the difference between Para Judo and Adaptive Judo, the Sporting Schools program conducted nationwide to bring Judo into schools, and the importance of ensuring your judoka enjoy the full protections of membership of a state, national and international Judo organisation.
Also addressed are the most fundamental issues Club coaches lay our foundations upon – ensuring training is safe and fun, the dojo is kept clean and hygienic, and the Club is welcoming to all potential players.
“Talking about the business of building a good Judo club is something we do a lot of in my CAF courses,” he explains. “But it’s not just me – it’s four hours of some very experienced coaches and those who are just starting their coaching journey exchanging ideas, techniques, business strategies. Your network, your support system has to be built on talking to each other, on co-operation, because we all have something to learn from someone else.”
Shane’s time in WA culminated in the opportunity to watch the WA State Tiles on March 29. He was impressed by the venue, the tournament setup and the more than 200 entries.
“I got to watch some great judo and meet some great coaches from around that state – a great day!”
Shane wants to thank all of the local clubs that hosted him, everyone who came to say hello, and offer a special thanks to the Read family – Jacob Read, CEO of JudoWA, who co-ordinated the epic visit, and Simon and Nancy Read, who hosted Shane through.
Who can you spot in the photos?
