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Osoto2000
8th October 2000, 21:45
Hi everyone,
I would just like to let you know, I have just successfully passed my exam and am now a qualified British Judo Association Senior Coach.
The exam for Senior Coach was very tough. There were 9 people sitting the exam over two days and only 2 of us passed. I knew it was going to be hard but I was surprised at Just how difficult it was.
First of all we had a First Aid paper, then a written IJF contest rules paper, then an Oral referee's test, If you got through that lot, you had to demonstrate 15 techniques from the Gokyo. If you passed that you then had to do a demonstration of Katame no Kata and Nage no Kata.
Lastly if you passed all of those they allowed you to teach a class, so as to be assessed. The lowest grade of student was 1st Kyu but most were Dan grades. The assessors chose the techniques then, gave you 20 minutes to prepare.
The techniques they chose for me were,
Tachiwaza: Harai-Goshi and seoi-Otoshi
Osaokomiwaza: Kesa-Gatame
Shimewaza: Sankaku-Jime
Renrakuwaza: Kouchi-Gari into Ushiro-Ude-Garami and Sasae-Tsuri-Komi-Ashi into Osoto-Gari.
The marks for the assessment were 25% for your introduction and control of the mat, 25% for your understanding of the principles of the techniques, 25% for coaching ability and imagination and lastly 25% for the improvement of the class! I had to get at least 70% overall to pass.
After all that lot I really knew I'd been tested, I think I found it easier to get my Dan grade! It was much more difficult than my Club Coach exam, but I supposed it would have to be really other wise what's the point in having two different levels?

How do you guys get qualified to teach Judo in your Countries, is it harder than the Dan grade tests or do you have no formal test? I would be interested to know,
Yours In the Gentle Way,
Ray.

[Edited by Osoto2000 on 10-08-2000 at 04:15 PM]

MarkF
9th October 2000, 08:19
Hi, Ray,
Looks as if you've been busy.:) It sounds like national and/or international IJF certification to be a judge/shimban. The BJA is known for its tough testing criteria, and criteria of shiai just for dan grading, but still, since a coach usually teaches seven to twelve nagewaza, and probably three osae (not counting other gatami waza), you did good.

I'm certified to judge locally, in the state of New Mexico, so the IJF rules rarely apply. As far as testing, that is really up to individual teachers as to whether you test, but someone from a national organization (the nation arm(s) of the IJF must agree and sign off). Most teachers I know or have known test at the sankyu level and shodan. The rest is a process of continual judgement of skills, as from points in shiai, to how you handle yourself in the dojo. In the past, it was as general as throwing so many of the grade you were going for, or a "bump" to a higher grade for staying involved and living a long life.:D
In other words, if you made it to godan, you are going to make rokudan, depending on the organization. The USJA is the easiest, or maybe the quickest to bump you, and the USJF has the toughest requirements. Getting graded at least shodan at the Kodokan almost assures you of quick advancement.

Oh, and BTW, congratulations on your coaching status. There are, and have been fine judoka to come out of the UK and the BJA, so you must have done well in tournament play to even be invited to test for a coaches position.

Mark