Assessment Week Wraps Up 2025 IJF Academy

Last week, British Judo proudly hosted the latest IJF Academy UCJI (Undergraduate Certificate as Judo Instructor) assessment week, welcoming candidates from across the country and beyond.

The UCJI programme requires students to complete an 18-week online course, with assessments along the way. After successfully finishing the theory phase, students take part in a practical assessment, which is held at IJF Academy venues around the world.

The week brought together coaches and judoka to refine their skills, improve their technical knowledge, and experience high-level instruction under IJF Academy tutors. Participants worked through both tachi-waza and ne-waza techniques, focusing on correct execution, coaching methods, and uke skills — ensuring everyone left with practical tools to take back to their clubs.

Natalie Powell shared her experience:

“I recently stopped competing around a year ago now, and I wasn’t sure what avenue to go down. But coaching is definitely something that I’m very passionate about, and this is a great opportunity to learn all the techniques on both sides and learn to be a good uke.

“It’s been a really good week, really interesting. I’ve learnt a lot and I’d recommend it to everybody.”

Jeremy Robinson (Kata Director, Western Area) also reflected on the value of the week:

“It’s taken me back to the basics, helping me to get out of all the bad habits I’ve got into. It’s going to be really helpful when I’m coaching because it’s going to clear things up as to how I coach. So it’s not just for me; hopefully, it’ll benefit all the people I’m training and working with in clubs.

“I’d definitely recommend it. It’s a really good course, with really good instructors, and the other people on the course have been very helpful and very friendly.”

The event provided a great opportunity for collaboration, learning, and raising coaching standards — ensuring that everyone involved left inspired to pass on their knowledge to the next generation of judoka.

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