Matsumachi Judo Club

Congratulations to six year-old Jackson Charnock who passed his first grading with flying colours last week.

The BJA sho grading syllabus is designed for judoka under eight years of age before they progress on to the mon system at eight.

Jackson demonstrated a number of throws and holding techniques and also showed a wide range of Japanese Judo vocabulary to achieve his first belt.

As a bonus, Jackson was also awarded the junior judoka of the class trophy for his excellent performance.

PHOTO: Jackson celebrates with his clubmates 😃

We are very sad to report that Matsumachi’s Dave Phillips passed away last week following a brief illness at the age of 91.

Dave was one of the most skilful and influential judoka in the club’s history as well as one of the most popular. Despite being deaf since childhood, Dave did not let this hinder his progress, competing at national level during the 1960s having first taken up the sport in 1957.

At just 5 feet 8 inches and around 75 kilos, Dave enjoyed considerable success, achieving his first dan in June 1962, one of the very first in Hampshire. Most competitions in the early to mid 1960s were open weight events and despite his size disadvantage, Dave earned a place in the Southern Area team in 1965 alongside established internationals Mick Leigh, Ivan Silver and Cliff Baker-Brown. Dave also competed in the National Trials as a middleweight in the mid-sixties.

With encouragement from Jim Loney, Dave formed Ringwood Judo Club in 1965 before handing the reins over to Keith Adams a couple of years later with the club continuing to operate successfully to this day.

Dave trained regularly at Matsumachi during the 1960s and 70s with occasional visits during the early eighties where he could always be relied upon to pull out his feared seoinage in randori!

Dave is survived by wife Lynda, children Tracey and Steven and their four grandchildren. Dave’s funeral is on Monday 29 June at Poulner Baptist Church, Ringwood at 12pm followed by the wake at The New Queen Inn, Sopley with all his old judo friends welcome.

RIP Dave.

Next sambo training Sunday 7 June 12 - 2pm at Sasquatch Studios, Verwood. See poster for details!

Ben Grant made a welcome return to form at the High Wycombe Masters last weekend, striking gold in the 30 - 34 years under 81 kilo category.

It was ippons all the way from Ben, showing some good technical improvements to top the rostrum.

Next sambo training Sunday 10 May 12 - 2pm at Sasquatch Studios, Verwood. See poster for details!

Matsumachi juniors hit top form at the Southampton Samurai Orange belt and under tournament winning 5 medals from their 5 entrants.

Making their competition debuts, twins Evie and Poppy Prior gave their all to win gold and bronze in the u34k and u37k categories respectively.

Not to be outdone, elder sister Ruby, also in her first competition, came very close to adding another gold in the under 55k class eventually settling for a silver after some hard fought contests.

Pressure on then for older brother Logan who, after the success of his three sisters, faced the formidable task of securing the Prior family's fourth podium place of the day. Logan, in the under 50k category, kept a cool head breezing through the early rounds with a display of ippon victories amply demonstrating the progress he has made this year. The final was no different and another convincing ippon win in around 40 seconds secured the gold medal.

Our fifth competitor, Louis Gillespie, in his first competition for well over a year, fought well in a quality over 65 kilo category to take a well earned silver medal.

An excellent day for the club and almost certainly the first time we have ever had four from the same family on the rostrum at the same event.

Coach Paul Sawyer added, "I remember back in the 1970's we had four very talented brothers from Highcliffe, John, Chris, Paul and Mark Knapp (the latter two being juniors with me under Keith Johnson with John and Chris having already passed through the junior class by the time I started) but I reckon there were about 6 or 7 years between John and Mark so the chances of all four going to the same junior event, let alone medalling are pretty slim. If they're reading this perhaps they may know different!"

Next sambo training Sunday 19 April 12 - 2pm at Sasquatch Studios, Verwood. See poster for details!

Next sambo training Sunday 12 April 12 - 2pm at Sasquatch Studios, Verwood. See poster for details!