Monthly Club Round Up (June '26)
- EdinburghJudo
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
It's been a very exciting month of June at EdinburghJudo with lots of competitive outings, new achievements for our members, and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games team announcement - and to make things even better, the sun has been shining and the warm weather has made it feel like summer in Scotland (for once)!
Seven players, two coaches and lots of parent supporters headed off to Aberdeen at the start of the month for the Granite City Grand Prix.
Navigating the complexity of competition day, and all it throws at people, was the order of the day, with lots of growth and development shown throughout the squad. Keep working towards your goals and learning.
Thanks to coaches Craig and Evan for their support and encouragement, and to parents for their support and trust.
A Band:
Nieve - Gold
B Band:
Clara - Silver
C Band:
Alban - Gold
Cici - Bronze
Senior:
Sara - Gold
Great session with the Fettes Rugby squad as they prepare for their tour to South Africa later this summer.
EdinburghJudo Performance Coach Craig Arundel led the session, which focused on movement, body control, balance and safe falling skills, before introducing some judo based grappling drills. Judo has a huge amount to offer athletes from other sports, and the players were fully engaged throughout.
Thanks to both the players and staff for their enthusiasm and engagement, we’re delighted to continue our partnership with Fettes and look forward to delivering more sessions in the months ahead.
A group of EdinburghJudo players participated in the JudoScotland National Kyu & Dan Grading for judoka under 30, over at Cluarankwai Judo Club in Kilmarnock.
Some tough contests throughout the day, and although there was some disappointment felt in individual results, everyone who stepped up to compete came away with more points on their card and another step towards their next grade, which is the main takeaway from the grading experience - aim to be better than yesterday!
Good work everyone, we're certain there will be new Dan Grades at EdinburghJudo soon.
Fantastic to see one of our members, Reece Edwards, gain recognition in the press for helping tidy the fan zone during his time in the USA to watch Scotland at the FIFA World Cup.
A true testament to Reece's character, he and fellow Scotland fans did what they thought was right; showing respect, courtesy and consideration for their surroundings, the local community and other supporters. In Reece’s words: “Just leaving it as we found it.”
What a wonderful experience to remember being at the World Cup, and what a selfless act to be remembered for - well done, Reece!
The Tanoshii Teams event gave our players the chance to compete with others, support each another, make new friends and enjoy being part of a team.
For some, their first competition and for others, another opportunity to learn, build confidence and help teammates. Win or lose, the encouragement, respect and friendship on display summed up what judo is all about.
Thank you to the organisers for a great event, our coaches Karen and Nick for their support, and especially our parents for making these opportunities possible - team judo at its best!
Of course, one of the biggest pieces of news from this month was the announcement of the 13 judoka who will represent Team Scotland at the upcoming Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
A massive congratulations to EdinburghJudo players Eva Ewing (-48kg), Scott Cusack (-90kg) and Sarah Adlington (-78kg) on their selection to represent Scotland at the Games this summer!
Sarah will be chasing her third Commonwealth Games gold medal, to make history and add to her collection from the Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022 editions of the Games, whilst Scott will be following in the footsteps of his parents, Loretta and Billy, with the hopes of medalling at a Commonwealth Games. Meanwhile Eva will be stepping into her Games debut at the age of 18, making her the youngest judoka on the Team Scotland squad.
The judo competition takes place at the SECC in Glasgow from Friday 31st July - Sunday 2nd August, and we look forward to supporting the trio as they compete on the following days:
Day One: Friday 31st July
Eva Ewing (-48kg)
Day Two: Saturday 1st August
Scott Cusack (-90kg)
Day Three: Sunday 2nd August
Sarah Adlington (-78kg)
A two week training camp in Japan with his fellow Team Scotland judoka gave Scott a huge volume of training under his belt in preparation for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Staying at the home of judo, the Kodokan in Tokyo, Scott and his fellow teammates visited a variety of dojos across the city and greater metropolitan area. A trip out to the famous Tokai University was a highlight, with some pre-training chats with Mr Nakanishi and Mr Sato to inspire him before the gruelling rounds of randori!
Rest days allowed a little shopping in Tokyo and of course, sampling of the local cuisine. Returning from Japan after a brilliant volume of training has put Scott in a great place as he moves into his final four week block of preparations before his competition day.
If the Commonwealth Games wasn't enough excitement for the summer, our action packed Summer Camp is returning for two weeks across July!
Camp will run for two weeks over the break: Monday 13th July - Friday 17th July, and Monday 20th - Friday 24th July, from 8:30am - 4:45pm.
Summer Camp is open to members, non-members, friends and family aged 5+ years, with single-day and full-week booking options available. Each day of camp will be packed full of fun activities, team games and judo action; all led by our team of qualified coaches.
You can book a place for your child, or get in touch for more information/with any questions, by emailing us at enquiries@edinburghjudo.com.
Finally, a reminder that the judo club will be closed for our two week summer break from 28th June - 12th July.
We will reopen on Monday 13th July and classes will operate on a revised summer timetable until Monday 10th August. Please make sure to take a note of the summer timetable, to ensure you/your child don't miss a class!
We'll see you all in the next round-up (it's set to be a busy one!),
The EdinburghJudo Team ⛩️
