Sophie and Danny still the Masters
JUDO WHILE the juniors at Bacup Judo Club were excelling in competitions at Kendal and Blackburn, two of the club’s top class coaching team showed the youngsters that they were still capable of winning “the metal”.
Double Olympian Sophie Cox and former GB senior international Danny Carr won gold and silver respectively in the British Masters Championships held in Edinburgh.
Danny was impressive throughout the day, winning four fights with ippon before a narrow loss in the final deprived him of a deserved gold.
“It was a tough but enjoyable day,” he said. “As well as providing welcome competition, Masters judo is great socially. Meeting up with legendary club coached Barry Hereward and Brian Moore, travelling up with club members, meeting old foes and making new friends made it a great weekend.”
Sophie convincingly won gold to add the British title to her European crown won in Croatia earlier this summer. She said: “Danny and I are both coaching at Bacup, Kendal and the North West Squad. We both began at Bacup when we were seven years old and it’s exciting to be carrying on Bacup’s long traditions of excellence established by Billy Hindle, Barry Hereward and Brian Moore.
“Senior and junior sections are both thriving, and we encourage all ages and abilities to come along and enjoy themselves on and off the mat.”
Sophie is lead coach for the England Pre-cadet Judo Squad and Danny is in charge of the AASE (Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence) programme at Kendal.
Both have worked together to produce videos for elite and club athletes and both share a passion for exploring techniques and styles from MMA – something which gives a distinct individuality to their judo coaching.
Danny said: “I have competed in professional mixed martial arts fights and am undefeated as a professional, thanks in large part to the skills and confidence I obtained at Bacup Judo Club.”
Sophie recently added double gold from the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) London Fall Open to her double silver from the Europeans in Lisbon earlier in the year.
“It’s good to be involved competitively in mixed martial arts and masters judo competitions,” she said. “These competitions are tough but enjoyable and Danny and I are both agreed that it enriches our coaching techniques”.
So it’s more than judo on offer at Bacup: coaching sessions for elite juniors Mondays 6.45-7.45pm; beginners and juniors Thursdays 6.45-7.45pm. Seniors Mondays and Thursdays 8-9.30pm, with Sophie training Thursdays 7.30 – 8pm.