ILLINOIS JUDO NEWSLETTER – IPPON!!!

ILLINOIS JUDO NEWSLETTER – IPPON!!!

February 18, 2009

President: Tim Schultheis

VP: Chuck Clark

Secretary: Mary Gail Ford

Treasurer: Frank Oliveri

Editor: Kei Narimatsu

THIS NEWSLETTER MAY BE PASSED ON TO ANYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK WHO MIGHT NOT GET THIS DIRECTLY FROM THE EDITOR. I DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE CURRENT EMAIL ADDRESSES BUT CLUB INSTRUCTORS, STATE PRESIDENTS AND OTHERS MAY WANT TO LET THEIR MEMBERS HAVE THIS AS WELL. PLEASE DISTRIBUTE AS YOU WISH. IF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WISH TO GET THIS EMAIL FIRST HAND, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT knarimatsu@microlamps.com with subject: Add to Illinois Judo Newsletter

Illinois Judo Newsletter – IPPON!! is the voice of Illinois Judo, sent whenever convenient to members of Illinois Judo and other interested parties. All articles and content are the opinion of the editor unless otherwise noted and do not reflect the opinion of Illinois Judo, its officers or members. Information is gathered from various sources expressly sent for distribution. Contents may contain inaccurate information. If anyone can correct any inaccuracies, they will be published as soon as possible. Information presented will be of a general nature only and will not promote any national organization except USJI/USA Judo or any of its state governing bodies. Tournament and clinic notifications will be made for all organizations and will be guaranteed posted if sent to the editor in electronic format ONLY and in a timely manner. Illinois Judo will make every effort to respect your privacy and never sell, trade, or otherwise abuse the privilege of serving you via this e-mail newsletter.

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EDITORIAL – Coming To A Shiai Near You

This is a special edition of the newsletter to make everyone aware of some changes that will be taking place at local and major events near you. The USA Judo Referee Commission met this past weekend and unanimously approved the guidelines to follow the IJF ruling as it pertains to the Sokuteiki and the IJF Medical Rule.

Since these changes will be in effect at the Pedro Challenge in Massachusetts and Sensei Memorial in California this weekend, I wanted to make all coaches in the Midwest aware of this so you are not surprised when these same guidelines will be applied at the Midwestern Championship next month. These changes are not new. Some have been around for 6 years or more.

REFEREE ISSUES –

The Sokuteiki measuring device: This was discussed in a previous newsletter. Please be aware, the rules regulating the judogi dimension has not changed. The method of measuring really has not changed either except that a newer and more robust measuring device has been developed and will be used in the future.

Several of these measuring devices will be available at each event. If enough are available, they will be available in the warm up area as well as each mat area during competition. The measuring device is to be used to check the dimensions of the judogi by the coach and/or player. If there is any question as to proper use of this device, they should seek help from a referee trained in its use.

A friend of mine told me to be careful with this. This measuring device, because it costs $80+, will develop legs and arms and somehow disappear from the venue. His suggestion was to have armed guards monitor this device or minimally, a hole drilled into it and chained to a table. I told him, “NAWWWW, that would not happen, this is Judo. Everyone is honest.” Well I am not that naïve to think this absolutely could not happen. I suspect however, that the owners of any of these devices will be pretty careful about it and minimally have the owner’s name indelibly etched into the device in multiple places. So if any one sees a Sokuteiki at their dojo with “State” Judo Inc. or “XYZ” Judo Club on it and it is not your dojo name or state, chances are it does not belong to you. That is quite a lesson that is being taught to your students, isn’t it?

Where indicated, Blue and White judogi’s will be enforced and on the proper side. If white judogi’s are permitted for both competitors, then a proper fitting blue and white belt or blue and white sashs over their rank belt will be allowed. It is recommended that each player have three correctly fitting belts: their rank belt, a blue belt and a white belt. Realistically, a lot of time is wasted during a competition when players show up in a non-compliant judogi and belt.

If a player comes to the mat with a non-compliant judogi, the referees have the option (and they will use that option), to ask the player for a check of the gi size. If that judogi is found to be not compliant, that player will be disqualified from that match. There will be no recourse. It will either meet the requirement or it will not. It is incumbent upon the player that they come to the mat with a compliant judogi. There will be no changing of gi’s, there will be no arguments. Checking of gi’s may occur throughout the competition to insure a proper fitting judogi.

Commentary: I have personally checked judogi’s under this rule. For seniors and older juniors, application of the measuring devise is not a problem. I have checked gi’s on kids around 8 -10 years of age. They were compliant and the use of the Sokuteiki was not a problem. As a general guideline, if a player checks their gi and it has been approved by the referees matside immediately prior to their match, that gi will generally be allowed. The referees on the mat can/may still question the size, however. The reason why this rule is being strictly enforced is because of the abuse that coaches and players have sought in the case when the blue and white judogi first appeared. The b/w issue has been around for about 8 years and we still see folks with blue judogi’s only, blue gi’s on white side, blue tops/white bottoms, and combinations thereof. The point is that you have to show up mat side with the proper color and size judogi. It is not up to the referee to enforce this nor is it the responsibility of the tournament to provide proper belts (although some do). It is up to the players and coaches to insure their players are appropriately fitted.

Some coaches and players may complain that judogis are expensive. Well yes, it can be, especially for growing children. I can tell you from experience that soccer is expensive too. Soccer shoes can be upwards of $50 - $80 and some kids go through two pairs a season. Coaches should have a judogi replacement program where kids who outgrow their judogi can get a slightly used one from someone else in the club. I know you do this already so it should not be a problem. Judogi’s for local events especially have to be white – repeat – WHITE only. A blue and white belt SET might cost an extra $5 - $6. Single weaves are cheaper than doubles. And there are brands out there that are pretty reasonably priced.

The MEDICAL RULE: I believe we all know the medical rule for adults. This rule has been around since 2004 when it was first instituted. We have utilized this rule a full 5 years at the Senior elite divisions. This rule has been applied at Senior novice divisions and the Junior elite levels for a couple of years. In 2009, the rule will apply across the board for all levels, Senior, Juniors, Masters, Elite and Novice divisions. For this discussion, I am specifying the rule as it relates to children (<18 y/o or under the age of majority, which may differ from state to state).

To summarize, if a doctor/medical personal is called to the mat by the player, the coach, the team doctor or the referee for suspected injuries, that player will be eliminated from that match unless the incident is related to bleeding OR a suspected injury to the head, neck or spine (or if the injury is directly attributable to their opponent). In the case of bleeding, the medical personnel will be allowed to treat and stop the bleeding. In the case of an injury to the head, neck or spine, the doctor/medical personnel will be allowed to examine only for functionality but not treat. In this case a recommendation may be given from the doctor/medical personnel to the coach or parent who will then make the decision to pull the player or not.

USA Judo is essentially following the IJF guidelines which are very clear as to where the actual responsibility should be as to whether a player continues or not after an injury. In the past, it has rested with the medical personnel or the referee. They are then making decisions on players they do not know. There is something inherently wrong with this paradigm. The responsibility should rest with those that know their players better than anyone – the coach and if available, the parent (matside only, I might add).

Some questions that might arise in the course of this discussion would be “What do you do with a crying child?” “Take them out.”

But we do not know what the injury is? So what? “Take them out.”

Alternately, a referee might determine that the crying child is crying because they hurt their head or neck or spine. Of course, call the doctor then take them out. Don’t take a chance.

Many of you who know me, will attest that I will always go with safety first. Sometimes I talk to the coach but most know now what I am going to say. So they just take them out. If it is an arm or leg injury, the coach can see immediately the cause of the injury and make a decision. You know, it is just not worth a further injury for a medal. This is still a game and the name of this game is safety. So heed well. If it ever comes back to me or the tournament staff, we are following IJF rules and that the coach was “warned” or advised to remove the player. If they do not, it is their decision.

If the player feels fine later, they can come back to fight again and they may have learned a valuable lesson in emotion control.

I am sure there will be other questions and observations as we apply this rule. The idea is to apply the rule with common sense and safety paramount to the interest of the players especially if they are children. As coaches you have that responsibility to understand that NO medal is worth a lifetime injury. Parents already know this. I have to assume that coaches know this also.