SAPPER  JUDO

Bob Challis

Bob has been a British Judo Association coach since 1997. Prior to coaching he spent 4 years on the army judo team competing in the UK, USA, Canada, Gibraltar and Spain. He left the army in 1998 to train as a full time judo player under the guidance of Neil Adams (2 time Olympic Silver medallist) and stayed there for two years. Due to a shoulder injury he stopped competing in 2000. When he left full time training he studied for a BSc in Sports Sciences and graduated in 2004. Bob regularly assists with the training of the Eastern Area squads and attends world class start training sessions with his players. In 2002 he was the assistant coach to the England judo team at the commonwealth games in Manchester.Bob was in the first group to complete the “judo degree” at the University of Bath and has graduated with a Foundation degree in Sports Performance, and a BSc (Hons) in Sports Performance,  these awards incorporate a European Judo Union Level 4 and Level 5 High Performance Coach award respectively. He is now studying a PhD at Anglia Ruskin University, where he lectures, in the structure of light weight women’s judo from a technical, tactical and time motion perspective.Bob has coached at Comberton Judo Club since 1999, he currently lectures on a BSc (Hons) in Sports Coaching & Physical Education at Anglia Ruskin University. He is also regularly coaches the the army and combined services squads on training camps and at competitions. In 2008 Bob founded Anglia Ruskin Universities Judo club and is currently their head coach. In their first year competing in the university team championships they came 5th in the team championships, in 2011 they won the British Universities and Colleges championships putting an end tot he 8 year reign of the university of Bath.In September 2007 Bob went to Rio de Janeiro to present research in Long-Term Player Development at the 5th International Judo Federation World Research Symposium. In 2009 he presented research comparing different methods of coaching judo to 9-11 year olds at the 6th International Judo Federation World Research Symposium.  He is a registered member of the International Association of Judo Researchers. In 2008 he also presented at the 2nd European Judo Union Children’s Seminar.

 

Bob is also the general secretary of the British Judo Associations ‘Schools Commission’ that aims to create a national structure for judo in schools.

 

The Judo degree has now moved to Anglia Ruskin University. This course yields a FDSc and BSc in sports coaching as well as a European Judo Union Level 4 performance coach award and Level 5 High performance coach award. Bob is the pathway leader for these courses.