Investing in upskilling coaches: Sydney and Townsville coaches take up Mentor scholarships

Townsville Judo Club's Boyd McMahon presents an Interclub friendship plaque to Coach Mentor, Warren Rosser of UNSW Judo Club.

Two scholarships of $1000 each have been awarded to bring two coaches to Sydney this month to spend a week shadowing Warren Rosser, head coach at Australia’s largest club, University of New South Wales Judo Club.

Under Judo Australia’s Mentor program, funded by ASC’s PlayWell Strategy, Club Mentor scholarships were awarded to Gorden Ly, of Bushido Judo Club in southwestern Sydney, and Boyd McMahon of Townsville Judo Club in North Queensland.

Booking a week each with Warren in early August, the experience allowed each of the coaches to review all aspects of Club development and operation across financial management, membership growth, and club administration.  They also had spent many hours directly working with students -  classes at UNSW span more then 34 kids classes each week, along with specialist classes for teens, girls and women, adults and elite competitors. 

The scholarship assisted Boyd, based in Townsville, in paying for accommodation and flights needed to get him to Sydney.

Gorden Ly from Bushido Judo Club, southwestern Sydney.

Gorden, able to attend from home, chose to direct the funding towards equipment to ensure the activities and skills learned at the UNSW junior program can be established at his local club.

Both were inspired to expand the opportunities they can offer judoka in their home clubs. While judo knowledge and coaching certifications are critical, knowing how to run a club is a skill set that can always be expanded.

“The PlayWell funding offers us a unique opportunity to assist local Judo Club coaches – the most important part of our Judo Australia network,”  explained Shane Alvisio, Judo Australia’s National Participation Manager. 

“Learning from each other is the best way forward for everyone.”

Gorden Ly from Bushido was grateful for the experience. “The opportunity to be mentored by Warren Rosser, who is a respected and experienced leader in the judo community, is something I consider both a privilege and a crucial stepping stone in my development as a coach and club administrator,” he said.

At Townsville Judo Club, the benefits will be seen quickly, Boyd McMahon explained.

Boyd works with tiny judoka attending one of 34 kids judo classes hosted by UNSW Judo Club each week.

 “I took advantage of the Mentor experience because now that I have retired from work, I have the time to put back into judo.  Learning from the successful kids judo program at UNSW can only be of benefit for me as a coach and our local Townsville Judo Club.”

The Club Coach Mentor Program has two more scholarships to award to coaches keen to spend a week with Warren in Sydney: apply now. 

A second Mentor Program, targeting tournament organisation, will aim to expand capability in staging local, state and national judo events.

“We want to upskill more people in the tournament organising space because if we have more people educated about how to host a tournament – big or small – that will mean better tournaments, and hopefully, more of them,” Shane Alvisio explained.

If you’re excited to organise tournaments, contact Shane now on salvisio@ausjudo.com.au, or watch this space – there’s  big news to come.