University of Huddersfield sports historian Peter Davies turns the spotlight on Huddersfield Judo Club

STEVE Lawrence is making up for lost time.

He’s the leading light at Huddersfield Judo Club but he’s a newcomer to the sport.

“I’m 47 now but I only took up the sport at the age of 40,” he says, as if confessing to a guilty secret.

“You could definitely call me a latecomer, but I love judo now I’m involved in it.”

Mr Lawrence, an insurance broker from Middleton, Leeds, serves as club secretary and coach.

On Tuesday nights he arrives early at Huddersfield Sports Centre, has a cup of tea in the café bar, and readies himself for the session ahead.

He explains: “We have a busy week.

“On Tuesdays we’re down here between 7 and 9pm for kids and seniors.

“It’s seniors only on Fridays and juniors between 12.30 and 3pm on Saturdays.”

Huddersfield Judo Club has a long history.

It was founded in 1953, so it celebrates its 55th birthday this year.

Originally it was based at a local gas works.

Then it moved premises, to an old church.

And finally, in 1975, it switched to Huddersfield Sports Centre.

“I’m passionate about judo,” says Mr Lawrence.

“We meet every week through the year, with no time off.”

“We hire the Combat Room at the sports centre for our regular sessions.”

The man responsible for establishing judo as a sport was a Japanese educationalist, Jigoro Kano.

He was born in 1860 and in later life played a key role in the Japanese Olympic movement.

Up to 1883 Kano studied ju-jutsu, but then opened a small class for those interested in a new type of combat: what became known as judo.

According to one source: “Kano had in mind a major reformation of ju-jutsu, with techniques based on sound scientific principles, and with focus on development of the body, mind and character of young men in addition to development of martial prowess.”

Judo arrived in Britain in 1899.

A team of Japanese experts toured music halls up and down the country, challenging local people to take them on at this new martial art.

The first judo club in Britain was opened in London in 1918.

Within four months it boasted 44 members: 42 from the local Japanese community and two Englishmen!

Over the years, the two biggest names in British judo have been Neil Adams and Brian Jacks.

Jacks gained most fame, however, away from judo, appearing on the BBC TV programme Superstars and winning the title in both 1978 and 1979.

According to one writer, Jacks was “the most famous competitor in Superstars history…[He] revolutionised Superstars with his immense performances in the gym competition.”

In America, judo’s biggest fan was Theodore Roosevelt, the country’s president between 1901 and 1909.

And legend has it that in this period a room in the White House was actually reserved for judo practice!

The first organised clubs in the US appeared in Seattle (1903) and Los Angeles (1915).

The proficiency of judo players is indicated by what level of “dan” they attain.

There are 10 rungs with 10th dan (red belt) the highest accolade.

Judo is also an Olympic sport – and Britain already has high hopes for success in the sport at London 2012.

Back in Huddersfield, Mr Lawrence explains the appeal of judo.

“It’s a hard sport, a combat sport.

“I like it because it’s different.

“Judo is such a contrast to what I do at work – selling insurance!

“It has also been shown that it’s good for kids.

“It helps them with their coordination and confidence.

“And if they’re having any problems with bullying, for example, judo can help them work through it.”

The Huddersfield club currently has 56 members: 40 juniors and 16 seniors.

And the gender balance is about 50/50.

“We have a club committee,” says Mr Lawrence, “with chairman, secretary and treasurer.

“We also enter local and regional tournaments.

“As a club we are self-funded. John Horton is club treasurer – and he helps me on the coaching side too.

“Strangely, there is no club in Leeds, where I live, but there are maybe a dozen across the Yorkshire and Humber region.”

The Huddersfield club is affiliated to the British Judo Association (BJA).

The BJA is the sport’s governing body in Great Britain.

It was founded in 1948 – five years prior to the birth of the Huddersfield club.

Today, nearly 1,000 judo clubs are registered with the body and many benefits accrue as a result of affiliation.

In insurance matters and public relations, and in a number of other areas, the BJA aims to help clubs such as the Huddersfield one develop and thrive.

Furthermore, the BJA is a member of the International Judo Federation, European Judo Union, British Olympic Association, Commonwealth Judo Association and Commonwealth Games Council.

And as such, club membership of the BJA is recognised around the world.