About Us
The Zen Judo Family
Our Time line & Evolution.
© The Zen Judo Family and The British Zen Judo Family Association. All rights reserved.
Zen Judo Family History
Dominick ‘Mac’ McCarthy 8th Dan (1918-1995). Founded The Zen Judo Family in 1974 at Love Lane, Peterfield, Hampshire UK. Andrew M. Millard BEM 6th Dan (1996-2000). Technical Director. Broke away to form The British Zen Judo Family Association (BZJFA) on 1st January 20001. Zen Judo Family Custodians (1996) Andrew M. Millard 6th Dan (Technical Director). Brian Bagot 6th Dan (Technical Author & Assistant Director). Valerie Churchill 6th Dan. Keo Cavalcanti 6th Dan (Head of American Zen Judo founded in 1991). Richard McCarthy 5th Dan. Adrian McCarthy. Peggy McCarthy. Valerie Churchill 7th Dan (2004-2006). Took over as head of the ZJF in 2004, retired from Judo in July 2006. Phil Watts 6th Dan (2006-2017). Took over as head of the ZJF on 17th July 2006, retired from Judo on 21st August 2017. John Robertson 5th Dan (6th Dan BZJFA) (9th October 2017). Promoted to head of the ZJF on 21st August 2017. Was talked into starting Judo by his daughter and son at the age of 36 at Felpham Zen Judo Club and has been a judoka (member) of The Zen Judo Family for over 25 years. Chief Instructor at Bognor Regis Zen Judo Club in West Sussex, now the hombu ZJF Club (after the closure of Petersfield Zen Judo Club at Love Lane, in 2015).The Zen Judo Family Custodians
This article gives information on The Zen Judo Family Custodians and also the Chief Instructors of the British Zen Judo Family Association, American Zen Judo Family and Zen Judo in Spain. After the death of Shihan Dominick Mac McCarthy 8th Dan and the founder of The Zen Judo Family, it was decided that there was no one person who could replace him. Therefore it was decided that the ZJF would be run by a group of Custodians, at the time these where mostly 6th Dan rank. Since then there has been an effort made to bring in new blood and to get more input from the ZJF's members. Since the original setting up of the ZJF's Custodian system there have been a number of changes to the Zen Judo organisation as a whole, with a number of the original Custodians retiring or setting up organisations of there own.Yudansha (Black Belt) Panel
In the summer of 2010 it was decided that due to the small number of Custodians still actively participating in the day to day running of Zen Judo Family Clubs, it was time to make the change to a Yudansha (Black Belt) Panel under the leadership of the present Head of The Zen Judo Family. This would allow the main Club Sensei and active Black Belts more control over the running of the organisation.Our Origins: Time Line and Evolution of Zen Judo
• Dr Jigoro Kano (1860-1938) founded Kodokan Judo in Tokyo in 1882. • Kenshiro Abe (8th Dan) & Bill Woods (2nd Dan) founded the British Judo Council (BJC) in 1958. • Kenshiro Abe (8th Dan) founded Kyu Shin Do. • Dominick ‘Mac’ McCarthy (8th Dan Zen) founded The Zen Judo Family (ZJF) in 1974 (Petersfield Zen Judo Club) Love Lane, Petersfield. • After the sad passing of Shihan McCarthy in 1995 the running of the Zen Judo Family was taken over by Sensei Andrew Millard 6th Dan and a group of Custodians. • January 2001 Sensei Millard 6th Dan and Sensei Gordon Lawson 3rd Dan break away from the ZJF to form the British Zen Judo Family Association (BZJFA). • Sensei Valerie Churchill 6th Dan becomes head of the Zen Judo Family. • Sensei Phil Watts 6th Dan takes over as head of the Zen Judo Family. • Bognor Zen Judo Club becomes the hombu dojo for The Zen Judo Family after the closure of Peterfield Zen Judo Club on 29th May 2015. • Sensei John Robertson 5th Dan promoted to Head of The Zen Judo Family on 9th October 2017 following the retirement of Shihan Phil Watts 6th Dan.
About Us
The Zen Judo Family
Our Time line & Evolution.
© The Zen Judo Family and The British Zen Judo Family
Association. All rights reserved.
Zen Judo Family History
Dominick ‘Mac’ McCarthy 8th Dan (1918-1995). Founded The Zen Judo Family in 1974 at Love Lane, Peterfield, Hampshire UK. Andrew M. Millard BEM 6th Dan (1996-2000). Technical Director. Broke away to form The British Zen Judo Family Association (BZJFA) on 1st January 20001. Zen Judo Family Custodians (1996) Andrew M. Millard 6th Dan (Technical Director). Brian Bagot 6th Dan (Technical Author & Assistant Director). Valerie Churchill 6th Dan. Keo Cavalcanti 6th Dan (Head of American Zen Judo founded in 1991). Richard McCarthy 5th Dan. Adrian McCarthy. Peggy McCarthy. Valerie Churchill 7th Dan (2004-2006). Took over as head of the ZJF in 2004, retired from Judo in July 2006. Phil Watts 6th Dan (2006-2017). Took over as head of the ZJF on 17th July 2006, retired from Judo on 21st August 2017. John Robertson 5th Dan (6th Dan BZJFA) (9th October 2017). Promoted to head of the ZJF on 21st August 2017. Was talked into starting Judo by his daughter and son at the age of 36 at Felpham Zen Judo Club and has been a judoka (member) of The Zen Judo Family for over 25 years. Chief Instructor at Bognor Regis Zen Judo Club in West Sussex, now the hombu ZJF Club (after the closure of Petersfield Zen Judo Club at Love Lane, in 2015).The Zen Judo Family Custodians
This article gives information on The Zen Judo Family Custodians and also the Chief Instructors of the British Zen Judo Family Association, American Zen Judo Family and Zen Judo in Spain. After the death of Shihan Dominick Mac McCarthy 8th Dan and the founder of The Zen Judo Family, it was decided that there was no one person who could replace him. Therefore it was decided that the ZJF would be run by a group of Custodians, at the time these where mostly 6th Dan rank. Since then there has been an effort made to bring in new blood and to get more input from the ZJF's members. Since the original setting up of the ZJF's Custodian system there have been a number of changes to the Zen Judo organisation as a whole, with a number of the original Custodians retiring or setting up organisations of there own.Yudansha (Black Belt) Panel
In the summer of 2010 it was decided that due to the small number of Custodians still actively participating in the day to day running of Zen Judo Family Clubs, it was time to make the change to a Yudansha (Black Belt) Panel under the leadership of the present Head of The Zen Judo Family. This would allow the main Club Sensei and active Black Belts more control over the running of the organisation.Our Origins: Time Line and Evolution of
Zen Judo
• Dr Jigoro Kano (1860-1938) founded Kodokan Judo in Tokyo in 1882. • Kenshiro Abe (8th Dan) & Bill Woods (2nd Dan) founded the British Judo Council (BJC) in 1958. • Kenshiro Abe (8th Dan) founded Kyu Shin Do. • Dominick ‘Mac’ McCarthy (8th Dan Zen) founded The Zen Judo Family (ZJF) in 1974 (Petersfield Zen Judo Club) Love Lane, Petersfield. • After the sad passing of Shihan McCarthy in 1995 the running of the Zen Judo Family was taken over by Sensei Andrew Millard 6th Dan and a group of Custodians. • January 2001 Sensei Millard 6th Dan and Sensei Gordon Lawson 3rd Dan break away from the ZJF to form the British Zen Judo Family Association (BZJFA). • Sensei Valerie Churchill 6th Dan becomes head of the Zen Judo Family. • Sensei Phil Watts 6th Dan takes over as head of the Zen Judo Family. • Bognor Zen Judo Club becomes the hombu dojo for The Zen Judo Family after the closure of Peterfield Zen Judo Club on 29th May 2015. • Sensei John Robertson 5th Dan promoted to Head of The Zen Judo Family on 9th October 2017 following the retirement of Shihan Phil Watts 6th Dan.
