Millennium League 2008 - 1st Round

Surrey League and County Grading  by Sid Hearsey

This event was held at Donyngs Recreation Centre in Redhill on the 27th January 2008; a nice centre set in pleasant area (although parking is a little limited, but it is easy to park outside the centre).  Everyone that I spoke to on Sunday said that they found it so much easier to get to from the M23/M25 motor-ways.

Players and spectators saw straight away the new mats.  These were only delivered days before the event; what a relief from the ones we had at the old venue in Carshalton!  The layout of the competition area and spectator seating was OK, but we will carry out a re-alignment of mats and seating for the next event, which will make the experience even better.  Remember, all new sites need tweaking here and there to improve and make for a successful event.

The event itself ran very well; there were a few little ripples, but they never became waves.  I did notice that there were some new faces among the table, so welcome to them and well done.  The new mats were a joy to work on and they stayed in place all day long.  Being brand new they were a little slippery to us referees with socks on; I almost threw myself for a Waza Ari when I moved backwards to get a better position to see the play.  But for the players they must have been comfortable to be thrown on.

I was impress with the standard of Judo though out the day, as there was a county grading that followed the league in the afternoon.  It was a long day, but I enjoyed it, as did the players and spectators.  What I found really great was the size of the individual mats - 1m by 1m; even I was able to assist in the stacking of the mats at the end of the day.

I would like to thank all the officials that turned up to referee and table officiate.  Also the people that ran the event.  I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those who, without their skill and professionalism, we could not run our events in the Surrey County ... the St. Johns Ambulance First Aiders.

Yours in Judo,

                 Sid