Our clubs have been getting involved with our Women in Judo programmes and have been implementing women only classes to try and get more women involved in our sport. Carraroe Judo Club have run hugely successful Women Only judo classes all through Irish!! What a fantastic way to incorporate the sport of Judo through our native language. These classes have been so successful that have continued to run every Tuesday and the club will be accepting new women to the classes from November.
We caught up with Noreen O’Loughlin, a coach at Carraroe Judo Club who led these women only classes. Here is what Noreen had to say: “Our Judo classes for women only started the 22nd of March 2022 and what a journey it has been, we had 18 women/girls in that first class and, a few more joined in the following weeks and then by the 31st of May 2022 thirteen of those fabulous ladies graded and were awarded their yellow belts.
I have never met a braver bunch of women who were willing to try anything and give their absolute best in every class, as their coach I could not ask for more and could not be prouder of their progress in every class.
I should have known from that very first class that these women were going to achieve great things as each one of them had that little competitive streak in our warm up games and what a giggle that is every night.
It has been so rewarding for me as a coach to be a part of this women’s only class, not only to be able to share my love for judo, but for the new friendships that have been made in the class is priceless, I look forward to seeing the women every week and catch up with them before class.
The Women in Sport programme made this all possible by supplying the judogi’s, paying for the women’s classes, grading and Irish Judo Association membership and what an opportunity they have given these lovely ladies to try something completely new without the cost burden and I am delighted to say that 10 of these women have returned to judo after the Summer and are thriving whilst adding and improving their judo every week.
Our women only judo classes are every Tuesday from 8 – 9pm and we will be accepting new women to the class from November”
Noreen O’Loughlin – Coach at Carraroe Judo Club
