Blog Archives

Stay safe on the mats

Posted on October 15, 2021

It is fantastic to see so many returning and new faces on the mat – last night was our biggest session for some time. We are very happy to welcome you to the Club.

It is easy to forget as life returns to normal that the coronavirus is still in circulation – 45,066 cases were logged on Thursday, over 7,000 people are in hospital with Covid and sadly the death toll is running at between 800 – 1,000 per week. Obviously the vaccine has significantly reduced the risk of infection and hospitalisation, but it is not 100% effective.

The virus is largely airborne, as we enter the autumn/winter season it will become more transmissible and with us all spending more time indoors, the risk of infection will rise.

We will endeavour to keep doors / windows open for as long as practical in the hall to ensure a steady supply of fresh air.

Please continue to follow best practice on hand hygiene – hand sanitiser is available in the hall.

Whilst Government requirements and restrictions have been lifted, and parents are welcome to stay and watch, mask wearing and distancing is still recommended.

The club has a Test and Trace QR code – this is displayed on the board when you enter the hall, you can check in using the Covid-19 app.

If you should return a positive test result or are showing symptoms associated with Covid, please do not attend training sessions. This advice applies to all illnesses – it is general good practice, both for yourself and to protect other people in such a close contact sport as judo.

Latest guidance on coronavirus can be found on the Gov.UK website.

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Will adults be able to return to training in June?

Posted on May 25, 2021

Under the Government’s plan to exit coronavirus restrictions, it was envisaged that all restrictions in England would be lifted on 21st June, meaning that adults could return to full contact training from that date. (Currently adults could train indoors, with no contact other than people from their family group. At the moment, we have chosen to work just with under 18s who are allowed full contact).

Each stage of the lifting of restrictions is dependent on:

  • the vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
  • evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated
  • infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS
  • UK Government assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern

You will be aware of course that a new variant has emerged, which appears to be even more transmissible than the variant that drove huge hospital admissions over the winter months. The latest evidence is that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccinations continue to offer good protection against the latest variant, but that there is a rise in infection showing amongst the younger age groups who may not have received the vaccination as yet. This will be driven in part by the relaxing of restrictions, as well as the new variant.

So, will adults be able to return to training towards the end of June?

For a definitive answer, we will need to wait for an announcement, probably in week commencing 14th June; but we are cautiously optimistic.

We envisage however that registering attendance via the Club’s QR code and submitting a Covid declaration will remain a requirement for the foreseeable future. It is possible that regional restrictions or increased testing may be applied to manage local outbreaks – we understand extra testing capacity has been created in north Hampshire recently, linked to the latest variant. (Portsmouth City Council yesterday sounded the alarm about an increase in local cases, although it is still a long way short of the figures seen earlier in the year).

In the meantime, please continue to practise Hands – Face – Space

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The excitement is building!

Posted on April 24, 2021

Hopefully you have all seen the news about classes restarting next week!

We can’t wait!

Don’t forget to familiarise yourself with the steps we all need to follow to keep ourselves safe and compliant with the plan agreed between British Judo and the Government to enable Judo to restart.

You all need to check to make sure your licence is in date to return to Judo – have you seen the new offers from British Judo to help us all return to the mat?

Like us, you are probably checking to make sure your judogi still fits… Don’t worry if it doesn’t! As always, we will jackets available to borrow – we do ask please, that you take them home to wash afterwards and return the next session, rather than just returning to the box. Alternatively we are happy for sweatshirts, school PE kit to be worn as we return to the mat. We will build up an order for new kits over the next few weeks.

Can’t wait to see you all on Tuesday!

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Taking steps to keep us all safe as we return to Judo

Posted on April 21, 2021

Covid has been a fact of life now for over a year, and even as we look forward to a return to Judo, the harsh fact is it hasn’t gone away.

We all have a role to play in keeping each other safe. By following a few simple steps, we can reduce the risk of infection and having to close down.

These steps are based on the Return to Judo plan submitted by the BJA to Department of Culture Media and Sport, and take into account the regulations in Contact Combat Sport Section Phase 1 for Adults and Phase 2 for Under 18’s (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-grassroots-sports-guidance-for-safe-provision-including-team-sport-contact-combat-sport-and-organised-sport-events).

Club and Coaches

  • As a club, we will notify the BJA of our intention to reopen, ensuring our insurance cover is reactivated.
  • All coaches have been busy making sure qualifications and DBS are up to date.

Players

  • Please make sure your licence is up to date! No licence = no judo. In the current circumstances, we are sure you can understand why. Various extensions were granted by the BJA last year during the first lockdown period, you can check your current status via the Dojo online system.

At the Club

  • All players and coaches need to complete a Covid declaration before each session – these can either be on paper and submitted on the night, or can be completed online.
  • A one way system will be in operation – please enter from the playground and exit the hall to the car park.
  • All players aged 16+, coaches and parents who are staying at the Club (see below) are required to scan Club’s QR code with NHS Covid app.
  • A list of attendees will be supplied to the school.
  • Whilst usually parents are welcome and encouraged to stay, in line with current Government guidance for both indoor and outdoor sports, spectators are only allowed if actively supervising their child – so only the very young, new beginners or those who may have support needs on the night please. Spectators need to remain a 2m distance from other spectators, and 3m from the edge of the mat.
  • Face coverings should be worn off the mat, in line with current Government guidance.
  • Sanitiser will be available
  • Staff toilets only will be accessible.
  • Players should be prepared to administer their own basic first aid – plasters, strapping etc. to minimise contact with coaches. First Aid supplies will be available, but players may wish to bring their own.
  • A waste bin will be available, but ideally rubbish should be taken home with you.
  • In order to facilitate antiviral cleaning of mats between sessions, reduced session times will be in place.

Please remember that the Club is currently only open for players aged under 18. We hope to restart adult sessions from June in line with the BJA roadmap.

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Seeking your views on outdoor training going forward

Posted on September 9, 2020

As you will have seen from an earlier Facebook post, we have cancelled the Tuesday sessions in Drayton Park. We have made this decision based on the lack of attendance the last few weeks.

We are now seeking your views on Thursday sessions – is there interest in keeping these sessions going? If so we would look at starting at 6pm, as it is getting darker earlier.

Alternatively, we could look at a session over the weekend if that would be of interest.

Or would you rather wait until we can get back on the mats? Hopefully after the October half term.

Please let us know your views.

This has been an incredibly difficult period for everyone, and a 6 month break from our sport has been unprecedented. We appreciate the support from those who have attended the sessions and welcome your feedback on our suggestions above.

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No return until at least October

Posted on July 28, 2020

British Judo’s Return to Judo plan has been signed off by the appropriate agencies, meaning that Phase 1 of a return to judo could commence as of 25th July.

As previously noted, this is in the school holidays so we were cautiously looking at a return on 8th September.

We have since received the following message from the school,

I am writing to advise you that we are not currently inviting any after school or evening lettings to use our premises in September.  The Headteacher and Academy Trust have not taken this decision lightly but with so many of our children coming back in September we need time to ensure all our processes and procedures are in place and working before we allow additional groups to use our spaces. 

I completely understand that this is very disappointing news for you. However, we will be constantly reviewing the guidance and aim to open our spaces after October half term. 

On the positive side, hopefully this means that by the time we go back we will be a phase or two further down the Return to Judo plan – please take time to read this and see what the requirements will be for you as a player or parent. These requirements should be enforced by any other club you may visit in the meantime.

Outdoor training sessions will continue, using Drayton Park and Hilsea Lines. Latest guidance indicates that group sizes for organised activities can now be up to 30 (including coaches, players, spectators) but must remain contact free and appropriately spaced.

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Still no clear date for recommencement of indoor training

Posted on July 17, 2020

We still have no clear idea as to when we can resume indoor training.

The Government has given the go ahead for indoor training from 25 July, however despite repeated attempts to solicit a response from the school, we do not know if we can recommence any type of indoor activity when school reopens on Thursday 3 September.

We are provisionally working towards a possible return on Tuesday 8 September, however this is as always dependent on

  1. Approval from school
  2. Classes being financially viable with any social distancing requirements that remain

We will keep on endeavouring to get a response from the school. Please check back over the summer for latest updates.

In the meantime, outdoor sessions will continue to be held. Thank you to those who have attended, and parents who have joined in!

There are a lot of you who we haven’t seen – please do contact us if you wish to join in a session to make sure we comply with coach/player group size restrictions.

In the meantime, have a good, safe and healthy summer, and we hope to see you in September.

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A step closer to a return to Judo

Posted on July 12, 2020

It’s been an exciting week for Judo!

The country’s elite athletes were able to commence outdoor training as a group.

The government announced that indoor sports facilities could reopen from 25 July.

The BJA issued the following statement:

We welcome the Government’s announcement today concerning the opening of indoor sporting facilities.

This is a very important step on the journey to returning to the sport we love. We await the full, detailed guidelines from the Government that will enable us to update our existing plans. Once we have this we will communicate with clubs and members to start the process of a safe return to judo.   Please note this announcement does not mark a return to full-contact judo, but will allow clubs to re-open and start that process. Once our guidelines are finalised, clubs will need to complete and return the Club Declaration Form to British Judo before opening for indoor sessions. For all documentation regarding a return to judo, head over to our Covid-19 Information Microsite by clicking here.

As 25 July falls in the school holidays, any return to indoor sessions for us will not be until September at the earliest.

Any return then will be dependent on

  • The school giving permission for external groups to use the hall
  • Class sizes with any social distancing requirements being financially viable in view of hall hire costs.

In the meantime, outdoor training sessions will continue every Tuesday and Thursday evening, weather permitting.

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A safe return to Judo

Posted on June 29, 2020

As you may be aware, British Judo hosted a webinar over the weekend in conjunction with the launch of their guidance as to what a Safe Return to Judo could look like.

We are processing this document to see what it means for us, one take away point already is that on return to the dojo all players must have a current licence/membership. This should be a given anyway, but players will be asked to confirm and this will be checked. Players will be asked to confirm they are Covid free on return to the dojo.

As already mentioned, any initial return to the dojo is almost certainly going to be non-contact, with contact only allowed between members of the same household.

At present, we do not have a date from Government as to when our sport/martial art can recommence.

If and when this is announced, any return will be further dependent on the school giving us permission to return AND class sizes being financially viable with any social distancing requirements that remain in place. Distancing requirements for indoor sports are likely to be higher than they are for more mundane activities such as shopping, due to impracticalities of wearing a mask when training, and more powerful exhalation of air during exercise.

We are cautiously working towards a return in September, but this is definitely not a fixed date.

In the mean time, outdoor training sessions will continue as previously advertised. When the use of outdoor gyms is sanctioned again, we will consider a change of venue, but until then all details remain the same.

To mitigate the impacts of us on reduced class sizes, please support us via Portsmouth Lottery and Easyfundraising!

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