Events

Welcome to athletes, coaches, and our special guest Darcel Yandzi!

Here’s the tentative schedule for the weekend (see info from Judo BC for any revisions, but note that this is an update from the link sent out at registration time—where there’s an earlier start now for Friday). All sessions, except the coaches’ social, are at the W. L. Seaton Secondary gymnasium, 2701-41 Ave:

Groups:
Group 1: U14/U16 & U18 -50kg (Male & Female)
Group 2: U18+ (50+ kg) Male & Female

Friday, September 30th
4-6 Teams arrive

5:30 – 7:00 pm Judo Group 1
7:00 – 8:30 pm Judo Group 2

Saturday, October 1st
8 – 9 am Physical Training Everyone
9:30 – 11:00 am Judo Group 1
11 am – 12:30 pm Judo Group 2
2:00-3:30 pm Workshop
3:30 – 5:30 pm Judo Group 1
5:30 – 7:30 pm Judo Group 2
8:00 Coaches Social

Sunday, October 2nd
8:30 – 10 am Judo Group 1
10 – 11:30 am Judo Group 2

Classes have started for the new season. It was great to see so many back from over the summer and some new faces.

Spaces remain at all age levels. Hit the CONTACT US link on the webpage banner for more information or to arrange a free trial.

In particular, since we had no entrants at the 5-6 level, we have decided to try a new initiative “Parent and Petit Samurai” for boys and girls 4-6. If we have a minimum of 4 kids sign up, we’ll open up this new class in the 5:45-6:30 time slot. This group (like all U12 Judo BC members) could participate in Petit Sam events throughout the season.

Where did you get to over the summer? Hopefully everyone got to enjoy a well-deserved break and is eager to get back to judo!

The Vernon Judo Club wrapped up the regular 2021/22 season on May 16 with a promotions/potluck gathering at Kin Beach.  From yellow to brown belt, we recognized 30 members for their commitment to the sport.

We will be starting regular classes up again in September.  If we can assemble ten or more 5-7 year olds, we would like to run a class specifically for that age group starting then.

Because we were able to run a 6-12 class this year, the club did finally return to our pre-covid membership numbers—and had competitors at a couple regional events.

In the coming season, we are looking forward to hosting an inter-provincial camp in Sep 30-Oct 2, 2022; the Vernon BC Winter Games judo venue March 23-26, 2023 (which was originally set for February this year but postponed); and our own BC Open event at the curling rink April 21-22, 2023.

Through the summer instructors will be meeting once a week for kata and to keep up our own skills. We have a couple dozen boxes left of the 5L Bella Vista Blend pure apple juice (which is a fundraiser for our Parents’ Association).  Contact the club for details, including eTransfer or pick-up arrangements.

We’re hosting a mini-tournament on Sunday November 14th, open to zone two clubs.

Registration and event details are up at Trackie.

The banner’s back up! The ’21-22 season for Canada’s longest continuously running Judo Club is about to begin. Classes start September 9th.

Hopefully everyone was able to keep active over the summer and got a chance to take in some Olympic and Paralympic judo.

Athletes born 2007-2009 could be eligible for the 2022 BC Winter Games to be held here in Vernon!

We have added another class time and we will be starting out low-impact to be in line with covid guidelines. Classes will continue to be Mondays and Thursdays (with make-up classes for some holiday Mondays on the Tuesday).
5:45-6:30 PM Juniors/beginners (5-7)
6:30-7:30 PM Junior/beginners/intermediate (8-12)
7:30-9:00 PM Senior (13+)
Kata continues on Wednesdays: 6:30-8:00 PM

Because we’re entirely a volunteer organization, our full-term rates are still low; contact us for more information including free trials and family discounts.

Kiyoshi and Aubrey managed to be at both the last major 2020 event (Edmonton International) and the first 2021 one (The High Performance Summer Training camp). Congratulations to Judo BC, The Island Judo Association hosts, and all the participants (from across Canada) on this excellent event. There were about 170 BC, Saskatchewan, Quebec, New Brunswick and Yukon participants.

The Brentwood College facilities are great. It was truly a breath of fresh air to be back doing judo—figuratively and literally, as we had to travel from and through a lot of country that’s been hard hit by this year’s fire season.

More to be posted here but we had a number of promotions rounding off the 2020-21 season, including Trudy, Nadine, Thaddeus, and Kiyoshi to their ikkyu brown belts! More than a couple more, including Rob and Ronan, just need to complete their grading requirements once we’re back on the mats to receive their next belts.

Thanks to the work by the Province of BC, viaSport, Judo BC, and VJC instructors—the Vernon Judo Club is approved by Judo BC to Return to Play during the pandemic.

We will have registration September 10th (where online options will be sent out by email ahead of then), with classes starting September 14.

Under the new phase 3 protocols, there will be enhanced cleaning, distinct arrival and departure times, masks to and from the dojo, waivers/questionnaires, and temperature tests before going on the mats and into cohort groups.

We are back and planning those cohort groups now.  We are also looking forward to instructor Rick Pollon joining us (formerly head instructor at the Kamloops Judo Club) at the end of October.

Members from last year should be getting a call over the weekend for details—if you haven’t already.

Thanks to Judo BC, Judo Canada, the Province of BC, and the August 24th viaSport announcement, we have a plan for Back to Judo 2020. See the judobc.ca site for the latest details.

VJC registration is planned for September 10 (with online registration options available soon, or sooner)—and our first night of Judo September 14th.

We will be contacting returning members to help form the cohort groups. Contact vernonjudo@gmail.com to get on the list.

Hopefully everyone is keeping healthy, busy, and adjusting as well as can be expected in these difficult times. While spring break may have helped slow the virus spread, judo classes—including kata—continue to be suspended due to the ongoing crisis. Members will get an email as soon as we know we can restart.

There are some announcements:

1. The last of the apple juice was purchased on the weekend. Thanks to Dan from Steveston for picking up the remaining stock. Thanks goes out to all the sellers. Our top three for the contest that ended February first: The Bondts (Mnason, Nadine, Thaddeus, Isaiah, and Isabelle), Athrun Arav, and Jonah McMillan are due prizes; if not received already, we’ll see what way’s best to get them out at the next safe opportunity.
2. Judo BC does have an activities spreadsheet—email the club if you’d like more information.
3. Our April 24-26 DA/DI Course has been postponed.
4. Nationals have been moved from May to July.
5. The Parents’ Association AGM will be a virtual/call-in meeting April 29th; club members should have already received the meeting specifics by email.