Organised by the Turkish Judo Federation, an EJU Kata Seminar for coaches, kata judges, and competitors took place at the National Judo Centre in Ankara from 27-28 June. The seminar provided in-depth coverage of the competition system and scoring methods used in kata tournaments, combining theoretical lectures with practical sessions.
The event was attended by members of the Turkish Judo Federation’s Education Commission, led by Mr Sezer Huysuz, the President of the judo federation. The seminar was conducted by Dr Slavisa Bradic, Head of the EJU Kata Commission. Following two days of theoretical and practical work, the Education Commission successfully formed and licensed several national kata judges, thereby laying the foundation for high-quality kata competitions in Türkiye.
As part of the seminar, a Children’s Kata Festival was also held. Coaches had the opportunity to learn and apply various methods for teaching basic, yet fundamental judo skills to children, incorporating all principles and kata elements. The seminar concluded with presentations of the skills learned, allowing coaches and parents to proudly witness their children’s kata demonstrations. All participants received certificates, and the event was recognised as just the beginning of a promising and inspiring journey for Turkish judo in this field, with more to come in the near future.
Dr Bradic, stated the following after the event:
“I am extremely pleased with the organisation, effort, and support provided by the Turkish Judo Federation, led by President Sezer and his team. Working with the Education Commission, young kata athletes, and coaches was truly a pleasure. I would especially like to highlight the impressive demonstrations by the children, who joyfully performed kata sequences after just one hour of practice. Seeing the smiles on their faces at the end of the seminar was the greatest reward and motivation for future work.”
Several prominent nations on the Olympic stage, including Georgia and Azerbaijan, have been making concerted efforts to develop opportunities in judo beyond shiai competitions. This progressive approach, aimed at broadening the scope of engagement within the sport, offers judo as a complete discipline, not just an Olympic agenda, while also allowing for an increase in overall participation. Türkiye has now joined their ranks, embracing this open-minded strategy to nurture a more diverse and comprehensive judo landscape.
Author: Szandra Szogedi