Meet the Team at Rochdale Judo Club

Coaching Team

Behind every successful club is a dedicated coaching team and Rochdale Judo Club is no exception – the senior and junior sections are headed up by Warren Schofield (6th Dan) Dave Duffy (6th Dan)  respectively – Warren sat on the British Judo Association’s National coaching commission for many years and Dave is at the forefront of modern day coaching being formerly employed full time as the BJA’s National Coaching Manager and he is instrumental in the development and implementation of the BJA’s UK Coaching certificate qualifications. John Slattery Ex-BJA International is a relatively new addition to the senior coaching team and is proving to be invaluable to RJC. The junior section too has quality in depth with Eddie Thomas retired Headmaster and full-time schools coach Mick Armstrong heading up the junior coaching team.

Here are some of the people that help make RJC one of the finest Judo Clubs around:

Maurice Clarke 4th Dan & Life President of RJC:

Maurice is Rochdale Judo Clubs longest serving coach, got his first grade awarded to him by GUNJI KOIZUMI 8TH DAN The father of British Judo. Maurice is still very much involved in the day to day running of the club and just recently was awarded UNSUNG HERO at the local sports awards in 2011.

Maurice Clarke

Warren Schofield 6th Dan:

Warren Schofield is the clubs most highly graded member – a reward for years of dedication to the sport. Warren is a well known and respected figure in British judo. He has 50 years experience and has won numerous British Master titles.Warren has trained with and competed against some of the biggest names in British Judo.

Just recently the award for Unsung Hero – given to the person who has made an impact over a number of years on people, club, and school or within the community – went to Rochdale Judo Club’s Warren Schofield. Warren has been involved with Rochdale Judo Club as a competitor and coach for 50 years. Over more than 5 decades, Warren has coached literally the art of judo and as a former British Judo Association regional coach; he has also trained hundreds of those to become coaches themselves. Warren is active in teaching beginners on a Wednesday evening with the intentions of feeding them into a Monday and Thursday in preparation for competitions

Warren Schofield

Dave Duffy 6th Dan:

Dave formally worked full time for the British Judo Association as their Area Development Officer (North West) but still likes to volunteer at the Club whenever his work commitments allow. Dave doubles up his Coaching role with that of Club Secretary.

Dave Duffy

 

John Slattery 4th Dan:

Former GB International John leads the competitive arm of the Senior section on a Monday andThursday evenings. Keen, enthuisiastic and experienced, John brings many attributes to his sessions. John also is an active member of RJC committee

John Slattery

Mick Armstrong 2nd Dan:

Mick works full time in schools throughout the North West Area. A true ‘man with a van’ Mick is always ready to unload his mats and nurture the next class that just might include the next future Olympic champion. Mick also gives his free time to coaching the kids at the club on Tuesday evening he also help out with the beginners on a wednesday evening. Mick also sits on the Committee

Mick Armstrong

Gary Williams 2nd Dan:

Gary is the latest addition to the Clubs Coaching team and having gained his BJA Instructors Award in 2012 he is already having a marked impact on sessions at the Club and looking towards taking a UKCC Level 2 course in 2013.

Gary Williams

Eddie Thomas 2nd Dan

Eddies welcome and timely return to work with Dave on Friday nights has been a breath of fresh air. Dave and Eddie formed a Coaching partnership many years ago which proved highly successful but work committments and Eddie’s retirement brought a regrettable end to that.

Dave enthused; it is fantastic to be working with Eddie again he has a magnificent approach and as a former school headmaster he has a brilliant manner with the Children we Coach and of course too the parents.

Eddie has restored the player of the week trophy the pair used to present and this is proving to be a popular addition among the players – Eddie also gives  his time to teaching kids with Mick on a Tuesday evening…welcome back Eddie.

Eddie Thomas (We have shrunk his head until he gives us a decent size (recent) photo!

Claire Jopson, Committee member

Claire joined the Committee in 2012 in the invaluable role of Club Welfare Officer. Within the junior sections it is important that players can approach someone other than a Coach if they are feeling uncomfortable or insecure, Claire is the approachable and attentive parent of a junior member that fulfils this role well.

Claire Jopson

A little History of Rochdale Judo Club

The club was established in 1950 and has blossomed over the intervening years to become one of the North West area’s premier Judo centres. The clubs policy of ever striving to improve the training and facilities it offers its members, saw a progression of venues in the early years – above a garage, in various church halls, in a room above the old Rochdale market – but a great landmark was reached when in the summer of 1977 the club opened its own custom built premises – the Trafalgar Street Dojo. Since then, the club has thrived and its continuing success stories not only in the competitive arena but also in the more recreational Judo experiences offered by the club has meant that even with the restructuring of sessions to cope with demand there was still a real need for the club to grow physically in order to cater for its increasing membership. The £163,500 Lottery funding will help the club do just that.

The club caters for players from 5 years of age upwards, and still training regularly is Club President Maurice Clarke (4TH Dan) who at 76 years of age has no problem holding his own with many of the younger black belt players. Truly a ‘grass-roots’ club serving members with a wide range of skills from beginners to national and internationally ranked players, Rochdale Judo Club lives up to its claim of having ‘something for everyone’.

Founder Member of RJC Jim Woods

Warren Schofield greets Jim Woods, founder member of Rochdale Judo Club along with committee members of the day.

A look at a few Past and Present Members of RJC

Other Past Members of Saxon Judo Club Former Satellite Club of RJC.

 

Contact Us

Whether you are looking for Judo, an activity for fitness training, to learn a form of self defence or martial arts you can achieve all of these goals. For further information on Rochdale Judo Club be sure to get in touch with us by using the ‘Contact Us‘ page form, via the number listed above or why not drop in to one of our sessions. We welcome students of all ages and all skill levels, and look forward to speaking with you in the near future.

Thank you for your time reading this – don’t be a stranger!