Almost for 4 months the trainings of Judo4All programs are implemented in Struga, by Judo Club Drim Struga. Within this program and project, two judo inclusive trainings are held on a weekly basis, led by professional judo trainers. There are total of 13-14 participants with intellectual disabilities, but 8 of them are coming on almost every class. The trainings last about an hour, and that hour is filled with exercises that are of great benefit to the development of the participants (physically and mentally), an hour filled with fun, friendship and positive energy. In the beginning, the trainers tried to hold an hour and a half training, thinking that it will be better, but they realized that it was too much, because the participants got tired, lost their concentration and were tired after the first hour.
They love judo training and are quite successful in the techniques, they manage to perform them in the best possible way, they are strong, they work hard and really enjoy learning the exercises and techniques with the trainers. One of their favorite exercises is the (Osoto Gari).
This project shows exactly that. That these people can train judo as a sport, make changes in their lives, develop, and I believe that one day this project will grow into something bigger and these people will take part in serious judo competitions and side by side with their peers with typical development will achieve supreme success in judo.
Within this project the participants also have caregivers and their responsibility is to bring the participants to the trainings for those who cannot come independently, to be their support, motivate them, and accompanied them during the trainings and then bring them back home.
We are very happy that the participants are strongly motivated and dedicated in to their judo trainings, we truly hope that one day they will go to some judo competitions and this opportunity is very closed because of our project.
One of the next activities in Judo4All project during January, will be selection of few judokas with intellectual disabilities who will join the Winter Judo Camp in Serbia and will be trained and prepared for the International Competition in Struga.
From September 2022 Judo Club “Dream” Struga started with regular trainings for people with intellectual disabilities, the trainings take place every week on Mondays and Fridays for 1 hour. The trainings are processed according to a suitable and adapted program with instructions for trainings with people with disabilities. At each of the trainings, at least two judo trainers accompanied by an expert for working with people with disabilities attend, also judokas with typical development who constantly work together with people with disabilities are included in the trainings. According to the trainings carried out so far, we have positive feedback from people with disabilities and their parents, people with disabilities look and feel more free and confident with people with typical development and enjoy the beauty of judo. The goal of these trainings is to integrate people with disabilities into the sport of judo. The partners from Judo 4 All project are working on a toolkit for Inclusive Judo, where various techniques will be described how other organizations and clubs can include inclusive judo in their services. Some examples:
Terminator Participants – 3 children Two children takes guard, their roles are divided: One is UKE, and the other is TORI. TORI leads UKE, they move through the space, and the task of the third child is to come behind the back of TORI. The children’s role changes every 20 seconds.
Terminator- variant Participants – 3 children Necessary props — a piece of belt with a length of 20-25 cm. Two children make guard, their roles are divided: One is UKE, and the other is TORI. TORI leads the UKE, they move through the space, and the third child task is to come behind TORI’s back and to pull the belt piece that is fitted behind the back on the belt from TORI. The children’s role changes every 20 seconds.
The trainings with persons with intellectual disability inside the Erasmus + Project Judo4All started in September with short trainings (50 minutes every training) initially to get to know us, but especially to get used to the activities and trainings. The partners from Romania (Asociatia Judeteana de Judo Mehedinti) started in a separate group where 8 children, teenagers, trained with 2 trainings per week (Wednesday and Thursday). The training was for adaptation to effort and development of coordination through various games, relays and Ukemi-Waza (school of falling from Judo). It was a good period where progress was seen on the part of all the participants. This good period was about a month and a half, after which it happened that out of 8 children, teenagers (most of them with problems related to autism) stopped attending training. In fact they are dependant on their parents, it was the main reason they came together in the trainings. Still, by the time, they could find the time to attend, so the children started to be on their own, slowly integrating into the groups. Currently, there are 5 children and adolescents with intellectual problems (autism, ADHD), of which 3 are optimal to participate in a special Judo competition because they come every day to train in the groups of ordinary children and even did amazing progress. They have days when they don’t accept the training program and prefer to play with each other, but they also have days when they cooperate perfectly with the training program adapted to them. In the beginning, the parents attended the training, but because these children and teenagers have adapted and integrated into the group, the parents just bring them to the training and come at the end of the training. Looking at their technical progress about Judo, I can say that it is acceptable and it is not easy even for a child with regular development to progress technically, but especially for a child with intellectual problems. We use the training time to the maximum without rushing or forcing the progress of the athletes and certainly our athletes with intellectual problems will be prepared to face the training camp and the following competitions in 2023. There it will be a period of learning Judo techniques and belt exams in December , then training camp in February and all these starts will be beneficial in the development and progress of athletes with intellectual disabilities so that in June there will be a celebration for everyone when they will climb the podium at the Struga International Tournament.
This article is written by Lena Sterea, judo couch and representative from the Romanian partner organization within Judo4All project.
Judo club Makikomi on 28 october finished 1st circle of recruitment and adaptation period of PWID for Judo4all project. During the celebration JK Makikomi donated Judogi to all our new Judokas WID.
Many thanks to the Serbian National association for supporting persons with Autism (Autizam Serbia) who give us nationwide support through their network of organisations https://bit.ly/3UvzNt6.
Huge gratitude Makikomi ows to Special Primary School “Anton Skala” in Belgrade, their professors, parents council and management for giving the support and spreading the Judo4all project among their elementary school students and their parents.
Among the new judokas Makikomi club have recruited people with several types of Intellectual Disabilities (Authism spectrum disorder, retardation,multi intelectual disorder etc) and they are so happy to announce that their new friends are feeling very happy practicing Judo.
Adaptation period lasted much less time than the partners expected thanks to all of the team members, efforts and knowledge on working with PWID and this will be their first experience that they are going to share in the TOOLKIT that all project partners will develop it together.
WJD was a happy Friday with a common training with children and parents on Tatami. All participants celebrated the World Judo Day.
The training brought a lot of joy and laughter, especially for the “Atomic Kids” because they managed to “officially” beat their parents several times in different games/matches.
Also, the interaction between children with intellectual disabilities and children with typical development was perfect because they were included in the group immediately and no difference in attitude was reported/
During the event, the Romanian partner presented the “Judo4All” Project and presented the judo program for inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities who actually participate in this project and are visiting the trainings, and were applauded by all the participants.
The moment of handing out the “World Judo Day 2022/Inclusion” Diplomas was received with other applause and joy, but the most awaited moment was the cutting of the cake made especially for this day of celebration of Judo Day and the “Judo4All” Project .
On November 6, 2022, the lead partner of Judo4All project participated in three international competitions, namely:
“Philipos” in Amindeo, Greece where the club won 9 medals from 9 participants
“November 13” Cetinje, Montenegro with 2 medals from 4 participants
“Mioki Open” Skopje Macedonia 2 medals from 3 participants
The following junior and senior judokas took their medals as a reward of their success:
In Amindeo:
Mila Stojmilovska ?
Martina Salvi ?
Eleonora Josifoska ?
David Spiroski ?
Michela Jaulevska ?
Sergej Blazeski ?
Katerina Klenjoska ?
David Shuleski ?
Albin Cholaku ?
In Cetinje:
Dorian Petkoski ?
Mila Stojanova ?
In Skopje:
Annamaria Stojmilovska ?
Amar Bajramoski ?
Bozidar Juloski, Anastasia Trajcheska and Irinej Bakraceski also showed excellent skills.
This is proof that with a good organizational setup, quality training process, results are inevitable!
During the nonformal program of the competitions the participants of Judo Club Drim Struga used the opportunity to present and promote Judo4All project and it’s activities, with focus on the inclusive judo program and traings that are currently organizing in Macedonia, Serbia and Romania where +20 people with intellectual disabilities are involved. They also shared that on the upcoming Competition Struga Open in 2023 there will be special category for judokas with intellectual disabilities.
