The Black Belt Alumni

⬛️⬛️ Black Belt Alert ⬛️⬛️

Congratulations to the newest Dan grades.

Rhys Gorge and Peter Jong have been promoted to San Dan (3rd degree), and a special congratulations to Colin Tilby on his promotion to Sho Dan- welcome to the club! 🖤🖤🖤🖤

Hope to see a few BBA members getting around at this weekends tournament, supporting the next generation of South Australia's Judoka 🥋

The medals have been given their final polish, and we are nearly ready to go for this Saturdays competition!

There is something for everyone, with junior and senior age categories PLUS SA’s first Kosen Judo event, for those who love chasing submissions - perfect for the BJJ guys and girls to dip their toe in.

Final entries close TONIGHT at 9pm.

Enter online at https://smoothcomp.com/en/event/22828

💙❤️💛

Flash back photo to a state squad training session with Kevin Knox at Scorpion Judo Club, circa 2010ish ~

Some great scraps took place on these mats, with a few people in this pic going on to achieve black belt status.

Got any old pics? Send them through!

📷 Kevin Knox (BBA #003)

The BBA wishes the best of luck to Hannah Bradbury (BBA member #33) who is off with team Judo Australia to compete in events in Hong Kong and Macau.

Also, congratulations to proud dad and coach Jim (BBA member #4) who is travelling alongside to support Hannah and the team.

Have a great trip, we are all proud of you and will be cheering for you alongside your team mates from Kazoku Judokan

🖤🖤🖤

Tonight we got to present two new BBA members with their membership numbers + pin, key ring & pen.

Welcome Andy Wakefield (BBA member # 31 Goshin Judo Kan) and Hannah Bradbury (BBA member # 33 Kazoku Judokan).

As young black belts, who are both active competitors, they will play important roles in the direction of South Australian Judo over the coming years.

🖤 🖤🖤

Congratulations to South Australia’s newest black belt - Hannah Bradbury of Kazoku Judokan was promoted to Sho Dan today, in a Judo SA grading.

A lifelong Judoka, and no doubt a very proud moment for dad.

Congratulations also to Will McPartland who was promoted to Ni Dan by the same panel.

Congratulations to South Australia’s newest black belts - enjoy the moment of an outstanding achievement

🖤 🖤🖤

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/tNiGd9TJ5zNHSJAw/?mibextid=WC7FNe

At last weekends black belt grading, both Kevin Knox (Go Dan) and David Gordge (Roku Dan) sat side by side on the grading panel. Between the two of them, they have led Judo SA and KJA (SA) for half a century as Association Presidents, making them arguably two of the most influential figures that have shaped Judo in South Australia.

This is exactly what we’re about. We don’t care for politics, we’ll let the bureaucrats worry about that.

We are about putting Judo in the hands of judoka and bringing Judo black belts together.

We are about harnessing the collective knowledge of our most experienced judoka and using it to develop future generations.

We are about maintaining integrity in what it means to be a Judo black belt and giving judoka the opportunity to test themselves in front of the most credentialed high grades in the State.

Expressions of interest are now being taken to be considered for a late 2024 grading.

At todays black belt grading, we were able to officially welcome 5 new members to the BBA

Member #003
Kevin Knox- former Judo SA president and 5th Dan

Member #008
Alan Hesketh - 3rd Dan

Member #022
Sean Hesketh - 1st Dan

Member #28
James Sprules - 2nd Dan

Member #32
Josh Saxton - 1st Dan

Alongside these members, the following BBA members also attended the grading- David Gorge, Jason Kari, Amy Meyer, Steve Brown, Darren Camp

We hope to see other members at an event soon!

On Saturday January 13th, there will be a black belt grading held at SA Judo Academy. No doubt you all understand the excitement and anticipation that comes with such an occasion.

The day will be a great chance for BBA members to catch up with old friends, and make some new ones.

If you would like to come along, or perhaps join us for a drink following the grading, please let us know. Please spread the word to any of your friends who may not yet be following this page - the more the merrier 🥋

Today we finally had the opportunity to welcome Member #001 to the BBA.

Who could be more fitting to hold that number than Trevor Kschammer.

As a 7th Dan, Trevor is the highest ranked Judoka in the state. He is a former international competitor and member of the national grades committee, and has been appointed with coaching roles at 5 Olympic Games.

A massive objective of the BBA is to preserve the history of Judo in South Australia, and it’s people like Trevor who lived it, breathed it and created it.

We are excited to get to all members of the BBA soon and present you with your official membership keyring, lapel pin and pen.

❤️🤍❤️🤍

🖤🖤💙❤️💛🖤🖤

We are pumped to announce our FIRST official BBA catch up, thanks to the legends at Kazoku Judokan.

On November 19th, Judo Olympian Morgan Endicott-Davies will be running two seminars at Kazoku. The club has very generously gotten in touch with us and said they want to offer a small number of FREE entries to BBA members.

To claim yours, just be one of the first few members to get in touch with us via social media.

Not a BBA member, but too smart to want to miss this awesome opportunity? Get in touch with Kazoku today, and register your spot for an absolute bargain price.