2009 …. What a year it’s been!

What a fantastic year 2009 has been for Bradford Jitsu. Arguably our best ever year since starting 7 years ago!

To round the year off we thought it best to mark the festive period with a summary of our keep successes and above all to say thank you so much for the hard work and dedication put in by everyone who made it such a great year. Particularly to all those who train hard to work through their grades and show real passion and determination to end the year in a better place than when they started.

This year alone we have:

• JANUARY - Setup and opened Beckfoot Jitsu Club which has brought a some fantastic rising stars into our clubs ranging from Young Samurais to even the Adults, tempting some people back to the martial art having been out of action for several years
  
• APRIL – Baildon Jitsu Club won the overall shield and retained the national title for Judo for the 4th year running
  
• APRIL – Saw our longest ever camp over the Easter weekend which was so successful we will repeat it again in 2010
  
• AUGUST – A small group of people went out to the United States to participate in the International Event held in Spartanburg, South Carolina. As well as being fantastic training, we also won the demonstration competition and now hold the International junior title for three years until the next time in Plymouth. Not only that but Sensei Rob Ashcroft got his Black Belt.
  
• SEPTEMBER – Sensei Graham Williams joins the team as lead instructor for Netherleigh and Rossefield Jitsu Club
  
• OCTOBER - Setup and opened Thornton Jitsu Club. A huge success from day one, again whilst late on a Friday, this club has attracted Young Samurais, Juniors and Adults all of who are showing real promise !
  
• OCTOBER – Against all odds, we fought really hard to retain the overall shield and therefore the National Champions title for Junior Atemi Jitsu for the 4th year running.
  
• NOVEMBER – Sensei Raj Soren flew to South Africa to run his first international grading
  
• NOVEMBER – The demonstration team, fuelled by their success in the States took their demo and showcased it at the first round of auditions for Britain’s Got Talent in Manchester. The results of which are unknown but fingers crossed we should find out in the early part of 2010
  
• NOVEMBER – Sensei Phil Jeminson joins the team as lead instructor for Lady Lane Jitsu Club
  
• DECEMBER – To celebrate the year end we held our BIGGEST ever awards evening at Beckfoot School, at which everyone surpassed themselves by bringing a Monmouth variety of food, not to mention the Dance moves.
  
• DECEMBER – Whilst we can’t take credit for this one, it is still definitely worth its own mention, Rachel Smith one of our lead instructors, gave birth to a lovely healthy baby girl called Olivia. Massive Congratulations to Rachel and her partner Richard !

If that wasn’t enough, we have seen so many new grades and progress this year, in particular Suraj Soren who together with Tom Claridge now holds the Senior Primary grade at a Junior Level as demonstrated by his black badge. What’s extra special about this is there have only ever been three awarded at a Junior Level and now there are only two practicing Juniors at this level both are at Baildon Jitsu Club.

Let’s not also forget that Chandni Soren her Hackama and therefore joined Tom and Suraj as part of our Junior Instructor team in Bradford Jitsu and is only one in a handful of practicing juniors to hold such a grade in the UK!

2009 Awards

As mentioned, we ended 2009 with our BIGGEST ever awards evening, the results of which are:

Best new comer	Bradley Wilson	Beckfoot
Most Dedicated	Tommy & Mark Rankin	ARC
Most Improved	Ned  Hawker	Baildon
Most passionate	Rob and Andres	Baildon
Most enthusiastic	Jack Gough & Hannah Swift	Baildon
Best grading	Oscar Hickson	Baildon
Senior Primary	Suraj Soren	Baildon
Parent Ambassador	Andrew Rankin	ARC
Most determined	Oscar Allen	Beckfoot
Promoter of the year	Joe Allen	Beckfoot
	Victor	Baildon
Young Samurai graduates	Ned	Baildon
	Connor	Baildon
	Oliver	Baildon
USA team	Suraj Soren	Baildon
	Chandni Soren	Baildon
	Lukhi Soren	Baildon
	Oscar Hickson	Baildon
	Lewis Day	Baildon
	Liam Day	Baildon
Young Samurai Instructors	Jade Claridge	Baildon
	Chandni Soren	Baildon
Assistant Instructors	Tom Claridge	Baildon
	Suraj Soren	Baildon
	Chandni Soren	Baildon
	Oscar Hickson	Baildon
	Lewis Day	Baildon
	Jade Claridge	Baildon
	Gavin Naughton	ARC
Most Press up's	Farhaan & Bakthyaar Fareed	ARC
Special awards	Graham Williams	Netherleigh & Rossefield

In summary 2009 has been our biggest and most jam packed year. It has seen Bradford Jitsu grow in strength and numbers and the successes this year are testament to the skill and talent our clubs have.

It’s at times like this that you can look back and see that all the hard work has paid off and ,unofficially of course, you are the best set of junior clubs in the Jitsu Foundation!

Have a FANTASTIC New Year and see you in 2010!!!

Grading Results

Well done to everyone who took part in the grading on Saturday, you all worked really hard and whilst some results are perhaps not what you were wanting you all did your best.

The results are .....

• Yellow: Joshua Rhodes,Ravi Mistry, Jimmi Mistry,Toby Holden
• Yellow 1: Emily Holden, Jake Degary
• Orange: Ned Hawker
• Orange 2: Liam Day, Bradley Wilson
• Green: Harry Watford, Daniel Netherwood, Zainab Ellahi
• Green 1: Tommy Rankin
• Green 2: Umar Hussain

Once again well done to all that took part. The next grading will be early in the new year for all those who were not quite ready to grade this time round and those invited back after Saturday.

Festive Season Club Times

With the festive season fast approaching our clubs and instructors will be taking a short break until the new year.
Details regarding the closing date and first session in 2010 for each club can be found below.
Titus Salt
Last 2009: 17th Dec
First 2010: 5th Jan
Bradford Grammar
Last 2009: 19th Dec
First 2010: 9th Jan
Beckfoot
Last 2009: 12th Dec
First 2010: 9th Jan
Cafe West
Last 2009: 18th Dec
First 2010: 8th Jan
Arc Centre
Last 2009: 18th Dec
First 2010: 8th Jan
Thornton
Last 2009: 18th Dec
First 2010: 8th Jan
Netherleigh and Rossefield
Last 2009: As per school term
First 2010: As per school term
Lady Lane
Last 2009: As per school term
First 2010: As per school term
For those celebrating, have a fantastic Christmas and Happy New Year, from all the team at Bradford Jitsu.

Jitsu Grading in South Africa

I had a great time running a grading in Pretoria South Africa. I was only there for the weekend of 22nd / 23rd Nov but the trip was well worth the 35 hours travelling there and back. Davis and Christiaan the instructors there were fantastic hosts. The first day it rained like it does in England. It was supposed to be their summer but it was one of the coldest in 30 years. Trust my luck but it warmed up by the time was ready to get back on the plane.

They train 2 times a week and they have a higher grade session on a Sunday which is normally the orange belt, light blue and the two instructors. They have great atmosphere at the club and I am confident that the club will grow from strength to strength.

Davis Cook the 1st Dan calls in once a week to the club but has to travel 70 miles round trip from Johannesburg to Pretoria . He has passed this club over to his brown belt Christiaan Steyn who is doing well since he only got his brown belt at Jitsu International. I am very impressed with their enthusiasm and dedication for jitsu. Davis even came to the Senior Atemis last week just for the weekend to get some extra training in.

Good news they all passed their grading

The general level of Jitsu was very good.
Break fall was of a good standard.

I was a surprised to know that it s normal for the women at the club to carry knives as a deterrent.

There is a light blue belt here that is looking to grade in May 2010.

The hospitality was great so who ever grades them next will be well looked after.

I have encouraged them to start a junior club there. I have also invited them over to Bradford to visit our jitsu clubs as well as our junior competitions. They are also planning to come over for jitsu international in 2012 which will be in the UK.

Ian Purnell is looking to visit them in May 2010 to help them develop their jitsu infrastrucre and training programmes.
I wish him the best of luck . I am planning to take my family to visit South Africa in 2011.

I have asked Davis and Christiaan to twin their club with Bradford Jitsu.

Check out their website.
http://jitsu-sa.org/

Samurairaj
www.bradfordjitsu.org.uk

Bradford Jitsu Shop

Did you know that the Bradford Jitsu shop is up and running?

If you haven’t already done so, you can buy the latest Hoodies and T-Shirts with the new 2009 club design.

For full details of what’s available and how to order visit

http://www.clubshoponline.co.uk/bradfordjitsu/

Awards Evening 2009

Reminder – Don’t forget to buy your ticket for the 2009 Awards Evening on Fri 11th Dec @ Beckfoot School.

Check out the events section on the Bradford Jitsu Fan Page for more details and to RSVP.

If you know someone else who may not have access to this message please pass it on.

Thank You.

Bradford Jitsu Audition for Britains Got Talent

Following their recent success at the Jitsu International held in Spartenburg, South Carolina, the Bradford Jitsu team attended their first audition for Britain's Got Talent on Saturday (28th Dec)

Whilst the judges and presenters weren’t there in person, the experience wasn’t vastly different to that which you see on the TV.

Nerves and excitement ran high in the group whilst we waited for our time slot, sat in a huge holding area with all kinds of other people, some which we’re sure we’ll see again on the TV :)

Unfortunately though, cameras and mobiles weren’t allowed in the holding area but we did take a few pictures whilst we waited to get our ticket numbers.

 

Click the picture to access the small album

We had chosen that morning not to put on our Black outfits as we wanted to make sure people saw the group for what they are, rather than simply an act. Thankfully, it was a great choice as following the success of Diversity last year, nearly everyone was in black and if not black, luminous outfits, presumably to stand out from everyone else. Looking around, nobody else was in white and no sooner has we entered the holding room, someone was over to ask us whether we would mind doing some filming.

The filming wasn’t anything special, but who knows where it will lead. All we had to do was stand in a make shift corridor and look nervous like we were just about to audition. It took a few minutes, not surprising due to the fact that a group of kids with their heads filled with thought of being on TV were far from nervous and full of smiles, laughter and energy.

Once our call came, we wheeled our 40 mats on five different trolleys in the reception area and after a little bit of thought, the crew decided to change our room, rather than try and get the mats up stairs in the lift.

We had a little wait, whilst the previous auditions finished and as it grew close, the group got more and more nervous. Parent and kids alike we constantly checking their belts, making sure they had gone to the toilet, repeated reminders to smile, you know the usual fuss we make make to try and pass the time when we’re waiting for something to happen.

Then, in we went …. mats laid out with military precision, a polite few comments to the single judge, CD in the player and then places…..

No sooner had it started, it was all over, caught on camera by a loan man in the corner. Sadly, our military precision in regard to the mats, didn’t stretch as far as putting them away :S

Before we left, the judge commented that it was a great interpretation of the music and a brilliant display. Sadly, he’s not the one to make a decision and once the tape has been reviewed we should find out in January/February next year.

 

All that remains therefore is to say a huge thank you and big well done to Suraj, Chandni, Oscar, Lewis and Lukhi, not forgetting of course to everyone else who has played a part in shaping the demo to where it is now.

 

If you haven’t seen the demo before, you can view a shaky version on YouTube, shot from a digital camera whilst the team did the display in the States.

 

Baildon Jitsu Club Best in Britain for the 4th year running

Juniors from Baildon Jitsu Club returned triumphant on Saturday 31^st October 2009 by becoming National Champions for the 4th year running in weapons defence. This took place at Walsall Judo Centre. These juniors normally train at Titus Salt School in Baildon & Bradford Grammar School. They had to compete against a number of other clubs from all over the UK.

Every child that competed fought with a lot of skill and conviction. There were 26 team members, many of which came away with a trophy. Those who missed out on winning were awarded a medal of attendance. Children ranged from the age of 6 to 17. The parents and instructor were all very proud of them. We also took a second team from the ARC Centre in Canterbury and members from Café West Jitsu club in Allerton also took part.

Instructors Raj Soren, Robert Ashcroft and Emma Shaw, Rachel Smith & Graham Williams were very proud of their teams. Club manager Jyoti Soren and all the children’s parents were proud of their outstanding result especially since they were won the International demonstration competition in USA in August 09.

Here are some comments from some of the parents who attended:-

“I was so proud of my son winning a trophy, for the first time in his life”

“There was such great team spirit and admiration for each other”

“The competition was run in a very professional manner”

“There was a safe and fun environment for all who attended”

The club would like to thank all the parents and family members for their support as well as the schools.

Grading Results

• Jade Claridge – Dark Blue Belt
• Lewis Day – Dark Blue Belt
• Suraj Soren – Senior Primary Award

Trophies

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Tom Claridge Ben Martin Oscar Hickson Antoinette Adams Bradley Wilson Bartek Kromer	Suraj Soren Oscar Allen Lukhi Soren Liam Day Hrithik Patel Mateous Pozniak	Ibraheem Ellahi Daniel Netherwood Hassan Ellahi Lewis Day Chandni Soren

Special awards:   Zainab Ellahi, Madya Ellahi, Omar Butt,

Open- Competition –Small

• Chandni Soren- Silver
• Oscar Hickson- Bronze  

Open –Competition- Large

• Suraj Soren- Gold        

Ambassador award

• Rochelle Day

ARC Jitsu Club Canterbury, Bradford

In addition, the Arc Jitsu Club also competed alongside their friends from Baildon, with the following results.

Silver

• Umar Hussain
• Tommy Rankin

Special awards:

• Kamran Saleem

Attendee medals

Jade Claridge, Harry Whatford, Mason Baille, Daud Hussain, Mark Rankin, Yakshina Mistry,

 

Overall National Team Shield

Baildon Jitsu Club

 

Interested in finding out more about joining a winning Jitsu team ring 077621 20209/ 01274 496234. www.bradfordjitsu.org.uk.