Aims and constitution

The aims of Oxford Judo are set out in detail in our Constitution.

We welcome members at all levels and of both sexes from complete beginner to experienced black belt (provided they are over 16). Oxford Judo is a highly integrated mix of student and non-student members, including students from other institutions and members of the general community. Judo is a superb way of keeping fit and active and for some this is incentive enough for practising several times a week. For others it provides a direct route into greater understanding of Japan and Japanese culture. For others it is a route into fighting in competitions at a range of levels.

We encourage all our members to participate competitively in regional and national (or even international) competitions. Additionally, student members may find themselves representing their university in both team and individual student events. Each February, members of the club are selected to represent Oxford in the historic Varsity team matches against Cambridge. In March the annual BUCS National Judo Championships are held where students of Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities compete in both individual and team events. Many of our coaches successfully compete around the world in Masters championship events. Despite ever increasing standards of competition, we expect to medal every year (see our recent results).

We are keen to attract experienced judoka coming to Oxford, who may well find themselves immediately eligible to represent Oxford on the Varsity Team. But we also cater to complete beginners: many progress very rapidly and it is not unknown for some to acquire brown or even black belt standard after a few years of dedicated training.

The club also welcomes visiting members and has a number of associate members living in the Oxford area.

Competition subsidy Policy

Every year, the clubs (OUJC, OCJC, Oxford Judo) reserve some of their funds to support our members in competitions where they may represent Oxford Judo. This is in line with our Constitution, which states as our goals as the “the support, development, improvement and promotion of Judo in the University of Oxford; and the income and property of the Club shall be applied solely to those objects”. Because these funds are limited, the club committee prioritises funding competitions that are in the best interests of the club and its members. This in practice has meant providing generous support for the main competitions the club enters, where many members will be competing, such as the British University Championships (BUCS) and Varsity. For smaller tournaments, such as London University Championships (LUCS) and the Warwick Invitational, for which the university club sometimes sends a large contingent, the committee respects the following guidelines when determining whether to financially support our members:

  1. The members in question are paying members of either Oxford University Judo Club or Oxford City Judo Club, as appropriate.
  2. Suitable notice is given to the executive committee of the club of a request for subsidisation, before the competition date.
  3. The club has the available funds, accounting for financial constraints and the extent of its ability to control expenses.

Meeting these guidelines is not a guarantee of financial support. The Treasurer (in consultation with the rest of the executive committee) ultimately decides and issues final approval given whether the funding would result in overall benefit to members of Oxford Judo. To request funding, please send a message to any of the executive committee members outlining details of the competition and what you would like to be subsidised for (e.g. transport). It is the club’s committee’s responsibility to make use of the funds of our members respectfully. As such, please be mindful of the suitabilitly of any requests made.
Decisions on supporting a competition are not directly tied to expenditure – the Treasurer may accept to subsidise a competition without immediately specifying the amount of funds available. As common practice, the club approves subsidies before final numbers are known,
and reserves its right to control the extent of its involvement after costs are confirmed. On a case-by-case basis, the club may promise members a rough estimate of the extent to which they may expect to be supported. An ongoing conversation is expected after a subsidy is
approved, to account for e.g., unexpected circumstances.