Who are we?
Welcome To The Namibian Judo Federation
History Namibian Judo 1994 to date
Namibia is located in the south part of Africa. Well-known for its incredible landscapes and wildlife, the country is quite new in judo. The International Judo Federation (IJF) recently supported a program led by an IJF accredited Coach (Sensei Cornelius Matthyser) and the Namibian Judo Federation to develop judo in schools for the benefit of the local population. Sensei Cornelius Matthyser started his judo career in 1975 in Vanderbijlpark (South Africa). He is a former national champion and national team member. He is a founder member of the Botswana Judo Association and was the national Dan grading coordinator for Judo South Africa for many years. He was a South African National Coach (u17, u20 and senior), and attended four world championships in this capacity.
In Namibia Judo was first introduced by Sensei Kurt Block in the early 90’s. Sensei Kurt Block who was teaching judo and self-defense to the police forces was the coach of Roman Bock, the current President of the Namibian Judo Federation. Sensei Kurt Block eventually moved to South Africa and resides in the RSA and was a practicing referee of the Zone VI Games, now known as the AUSC Group 5 Games. One of the very first students of Sensei Block’s newly formed Windhoek Judo Club were Sensei Roman Bock (Current President of the Namibian Judo Federation), Sensei Keith Bock (Currently Namibian National Judo Coach) and Hieronymous Goraseb. Others later joined the club. Clubs were also operated by Sensei Nick Kolbe, Sensei Marco Grunert and Sensei Tommy Little (American Citizen). The sports of judo initially grow in stature and clubs were operated in Windhoek, Grootfontein, Otjiwarongo and Swakopmund. Currently the following official Judo Clubs are in existence:- DHPS School Club, University of Namibia Club, Windhoek Judo Club and Erongo Judo Academy with approximately 250 active members.
Initially the Namibian Amateur Judo Association was established by Senseis Tommy Little and Nick Kolbe and was relevant in Namibia during the early 1990’s until 2005 when Sensei Tommy Little went back to his Country of origin. The Namibian Amateur Judo Association became obsolete and was replaced in 2006 with the Namibian Judo Federation. Since the establishment of the Namibian Judo Federation, Judo went from strength to strength in Namibia and in 2007, The Namibian Judo Federation with the assistance of the International Judo Federation (IJF) for the first time in history send a fighter (Sensei Keith Bock) accompanied by the then National Coach (Sensei Nick Kolbe) to participate in the Judo World Championships in Rio De Janeiro, Brasilia. Since then Namibian Judo players participated over the years in the Zone VI Championships (AUSC Group 5 Games), South African Open Championships, Kurash Championships and other international championships. Although small contingents were send they will always return with a few medals. On National Level the Namibian Judo Federation is holding the Namibian National Championships and the Windhoek Open Championships on an annual basis. Sensei Nick Kolbe resigned during 2013 as National Coach from the Namibian Judo Federation and since then no longer participates in NJF activities and events.
Kodokan Judo was created in 1882 by its Founder (Shihan Jigoro Kano) and is a more refined form of Kamuichi and Ju-jitsu. The fighting forms of Kamuichi and Ju-jitsu were very rough and unrefined. Judo actually means the gentle way where two fighters (Uki and Tori) of approximately the same age and weight categories contest each other by using the least effort to achieve maximum efficiency. Although the sports code is somehow unknown to Namibians it is very big in the world and contested at World; Common Wealth; Olympic; African and Continental Championship levels. Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition, and the first to become an official Olympic sport.
The Namibian Judo Federation is a proud member of the Namibian National Sports Commission since 2005 and is affiliated to the International Judo Federation. The Namibian Judo Federation is also a member of the Confederation of Southern African Judo which main objective it to enhance judo in the region in order to take its rightful place in the World Judo Fraternity. The Namibian Judo Federation also take part in the International Development Projects initiated by the IJF and attended a Development Course during February-March 2014 at Lusaka, Zambia. Thus far five Namibian Judo Coaches are participating in the IJF and Olympic Solidarity Coaching course. Sensei Keith Bock the current National Coach and NJF Sports Director successfully completed the level 1 instructors course during 2017 in Lusaka Zambia and is currently busy with his level 2 Coaching Course. Some of the other coaches already completed their theoretical test for the required modules and are just waiting to attend the practical sessions.
This is the eighteenth consecutive year that the Namibian National Judo Championships will be held in Namibian, since the establishment of the new Namibian Judo Federation (NJF) in 2006, after the old Amateur Judo Association became obsolete in 2005.
During May 2018 Namibian Judo was part of the first ever Namibian National Youth Games, facilitated under the umbrella of the Namibian National Sports Commission (NNYG2018). Judo was part of ten other selected sport codes that participated in the NNYG 2018. The purpose of the NNYG2018 was to select the Namibian National Youth Team that will participate in the AUSC Group 5 Youth Games from the 7th to the 16th of December 2018 in Gaborone, Botswana.
The highlight for Namibian Judo this year is the sponsorship from the IJF in order to develop judo in Namibian Public Schools and consequently the IJF have sponsored an IJF Accredited Judo Coach (Sensei Cornelius Matthyser), 5 x tatamis, 250 judo suits and the salary for the IJF Coach for each of the 5 identified schools. To this extend meetings were held with the relevant high ranking official in the Namibian Public Services, The Chief Administrator (Mr Simataa Mwiya) of the Namibian National Sports Commission Ministry of Youth and Sports, Education Director for Khomas Region (Dir Gerard Vries) Ministry of Education, as well as with the Principals and Sports Officers of the 5 identified public schools.
These Schools are as follows:
- School for the Visually Impaired
- School for the Hearing Impaired
- Mandume Primary School
- Cimbebasia Primary School
- Orban Primary School
The value of Judo in Public Schools in Namibia should not be underestimated, because of the huge social value that judo brings to societies. Generally, discipline in judo plays a tremendous role in disciplining and shaping of our children in order to grow up into valuable and positively contributing adults in our societies. Judo can keep children of the streets and away from participating in criminal activities and or become victims of decaying societies, where there are not too many choices for children in life.
Namibian National Team members are usually elected during the National Championships in order to represent our Country on International Level. Today we have Sensei Keith Rocco Bock who is an International Judo Federation (IJF) accredited coach who also participated as the first ever Namibian in history in the 2007 Judo world Championships that was held in Rio De Janeiro Brasilia. Ever since the establishment of the NJF in 2006 we have seen numerous Namibian Fighters successfully representing Namibian Judo in the Zone 6 (Group 5 Games), also participating in the prestigious annual South African Judo Open Championships. Today the Namibian Judo Federation are boosting with several (8) black belts and coaches that have commenced judo as toddlers and are today adult judo coaches and Proud Ambassadors of the sport code.
Judo Clubs were also established at the DHPS School and Windhoek International School (WIS) over the years, with the DHPS School Club being a strong representation in Namibia and also participating the past 4 years in the South African Open Championships. Needless to mention that they are a force to consider and always bring back a few medals from South Africa. In 2017, Sensei Sylvia Konzmann (Teacher/Judo Coach DHPS School Club) managed to won a gold and silver medal in the masters and senior categories respectively.
Although Judo have grown tremendously over the years in Namibia, further development and participation in International events was always hampered by the lack of funds and sponsors.
The objective of the NJF is to enhance judo in Namibia to be practiced in all the 13 different regions of the Country and to have a prosperous schools judo program that will teach our children to become model citizens. The President (Roman Bock) of NJF since 2005 is positive that eventually all challenges will be overcome and Namibian Judo will take its rightful place in the World Judo Fraternity. Our objective is to qualify for the next Olympics, obviously with the support of the Namibian National Sports Commission, the IJF and other stakeholders.
