Photo: Luka Žager Đurić, youth judoka in Judo Club Golovec

Spela Lampe

We all agree that today’s world needs a better, more cohesive, and more inclusive society that allows for an active role for the population. So what could be the role of young people in running your sports center? It is very important to offer young people diverse, good, and equal opportunities for inclusion as it will not only help them but also the community in which they are involved.

According to International Judo Federation - IJF judo is more than sport - it is also an acknowledged educational tool and a way of life enriched by a moral code and ethical values that have firmly withstood the trial of life.

What are the benefits to young people when involved in organizational activities of martial arts centers?

Mentoring

Mentoring and guiding young people through the process of organizational activities is very important. Properly equipped, informed, and trained young people, who are thus able to take an active part, can take on the role of change-makers in local communities and become involved in all levels of leadership in later adulthood.

Strengthening values

Martial arts have the power to provide a universal framework for learning values and thus contribute to the development of the soft skills needed for responsible citizenship. They give young people values, ethical principles, and lifelong learning. The values that young people learn through judo such as respect, discipline, courage, friendship, teamwork and many others.

Learning for life

Young people need to be entrusted with demanding work, given the opportunity for personal development while giving a sense of belonging to the group, which will make them advance in their future jobs.

Referral

Upon entering the labor market, young people can already boast of the first reference letter of their sports club, which emphasizes the values they have acquired through voluntary work in the club.

And what are the benefits to martial arts centers?

Many amateur sports centers have problems with funding, recruitment, and also a lack of knowledge. Involving youth practitioners in organizational activities can be very helpful.

Reducing outsourcing costs

By involving youth practitioners in organizational activities, the costs of outsourcing are reduced or eliminated.

Reducing staff workload

Young people can provide an additional pair of hands to alleviate staff workloads, effectively complementing existing staff for organizational services.

Local community development

Non-formal education of young people also contributes to the development of the local community. And as Jigoro Kano, the father of judo, said:“Nothing under the sun is greater than education. By educating one person and sending him into the society of his generation, we make a contribution extending a hundred generations to come.”

Higher credibility

Sports centers, which, in addition to their basic mission of offering sports activities to their members, are also developing a broader mission to contribute to the personal development of young people and the development of the local community, enjoy greater credibility in the public.

Training of future staff

By involving young people in the management of your sports center, you take care of educating future staff who could take an active part in leading positions in your organization in the future.

Judo Golovc's Kagami Biraki 鏡 開 き - children's judo tournament organized by young people

This international children’s sporting event is based on Japanese tradition. It has a 16-year tradition in Slovenia and is unique in its preparation and execution. Young judokas, aged 12 to 18, organize the whole tournament under the supervision of judo mentors/instructors, and the nursery judokas compete. It also represents the club ritual that reflects on the milestones of the past year and restores commitment to judo principles and values such as knowledge, courage, perseverance, kindness, friendship, respect, and social responsibility.

”Collaboration and knowledge transfer from young judokas to the nursery judokas under the mentorship of judo instructors is one of the key tools for knowledge transfer in our judo club. But it’s not just about passing on judo knowledge. Above all, young people learn leadership and soft skills, independence, teamwork, and responsibility, which are important for their personal development. Meanwhile, on the other hand, nursery judokas are learning the importance of the inclusive position of people of all ages in our judo club.“

Jure Lampe, judo instructor IJF

In 2018 Judo club Golovec from Slovenia celebrated its 40 anniversary. It gave me an opportunity to interact with many young people who were involved in the preparations for the academy and celebration. To celebrate the anniversary of the club, we organized Festive Kagami Biraki with the help of all members of our club in the sports hall at the local elementary school. The judo tournament was attended by 250 children, representatives of their clubs, parents, and friends of judo (around 500 in total). We also invited high-ranking guests, such as the Japanese Ambassador to Slovenia, the President of the Slovenian Judo Federation, the Vice Mayor of Ljubljana, and the principals of the primary schools with which we cooperate. Our judokas, however, conducted the tournament themselves. They were involved in the following activities: preparing a judo tatami, weighing competitors, forming and leading groups of competitors, refereeing a tournament, taking photos, managing medal ceremonies, gifting the best judokas, maintaining order in the sports hall, guiding visitors, helping with protocol, performing at the opening ceremony. We organize this judo tournament every year. In December 2021, we hope for the 17th edition after a two-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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※ Views in this writing are the author's own.