There is a particular kind of noise that only happens at a Fighting Fitness Judo Team Festival.
It starts quietly: a parent finding a seat, a child tightening their belt for the third time, coaches checking the next pairings. Then the first battle begins and the room changes. Teammates edge closer to the mat. Parents are on their feet. Somebody who was nervous ten minutes earlier has a whole club behind them.
On Sunday 11 October, 80 young members took part in our latest Team Festival. Across two two-hour events — one in the morning and one in the afternoon — 16 teams filled the dojo with effort, encouragement and a very healthy amount of noise.
We have run many of these festivals over the years. This was, without question, the best one yet.
Not a competition where children get lost in the crowd
The Team Festival is an in-club competition designed to give children a real taste of competing in a setting they know and trust.
Before the day, the coaching team works through the pairings as carefully as possible. We look at age, weight, belt and current skill level, then match children for battles that feel fair and worthwhile. It is not about finding the biggest child in the room or giving anyone an easy route. It is about creating the right challenge for each young judoka.
That is especially important when children are stepping into competition for the first time. A five-year-old taking a bow, gripping up and hearing the referee say hajime has done something brave before the battle has even started. The same is true for the 15-year-old who has learned that nerves do not disappear — you simply learn what to do with them.
Two hours, 16 teams and a lot to cheer for
The morning and afternoon events each lasted around two hours. Once the battles began, children were not just competing as individuals. They were part of a team.
Every team was working towards medals: gold, silver or bronze. As in judo, there are two bronze-medal teams, which means more young people leave the mat having contributed to something together.
The team format changes the feeling of the day. Children cheer for clubmates they might not normally train alongside. Parents cheer for children they have only just met. Coaches can stay close, offer a calm word between battles and celebrate the small moments that do not always make it onto a medal table: a first bow, a well-timed breakfall, a child returning to the mat after a tough contest, or a teammate being the loudest supporter in the room.
The day in pictures
The battles, the teams and the proud moments
Every photograph captures a different part of the day: the focus before a battle, the noise from the side of the mat and the pride of being part of a team.
The real win was what happened around the mat
The medals were well earned, and every team had something to be proud of. But the most memorable part of the day was the way the children handled themselves.
We saw youngsters aged from five to 15 overcome nerves, try their best and support one another properly. Some came in buzzing with excitement. Others needed a little longer to settle. By the end, all of them had taken part in something that asked more of them than an ordinary class — and that is exactly why events like this are valuable.
Judo gives children a place to practise dealing with nerves, winning with humility, losing with perspective and being part of a team. A Team Festival makes those lessons visible. You can see them in the high fives, the hugs, the parents clapping from the side and the children already talking about the next one.
Thank you to every child, parent and coach who made Sunday such a brilliant day. The energy in the dojo was special, and we cannot wait to do it again.
If your child would like to start their own judo journey, book a free first class. There is no pressure to compete — just a friendly, progressive place to learn, build confidence and enjoy being part of the club.