On Friday, 12 September, Judo Western Australia held its 2025 Gala & Awards Night at the Ibis Hotel Perth. The evening brought together life members, directors, club representatives, athletes, coaches, volunteers, and families to celebrate the achievements of the past year and the strength of the WA judo community.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards, recognising outstanding members of the WA judo community for their commitment, performance, and contribution:

The Gala was also an opportunity to formally present certificates to those who successfully sat for their Kodokan Dan Examinations in January 2025. This recognition celebrated the dedication, perseverance, and technical achievement of WA judoka who reached this important milestone in their judo journey.

Photos from the evening are available online and can be viewed here: 2025 Judo WA Gala Photo Gallery

The night also featured speeches from Judo WA CEO Jacob Read and Chair Melissa Dennehy, who reflected on the achievements of the past year, thanked the many people who contribute to our sport, and looked ahead with optimism for the future. Their words set the tone for an evening that was as much about community spirit as it was about individual accomplishment.

CEO Speech – Jacob Read

Good evening everyone, and welcome to the 2025 Judo WA Gala & Awards Night. It’s a pleasure to see so many people from across our community here tonight — from our Life Members, Board and club representatives, to our athletes, coaches, volunteers, and family members. Welcome.

I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather, and pay my respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

Tonight is a chance to reflect on the past 12 months, and to recognise outstanding contributions and achievements within our community. Some of you might recall that Judo WA previously held Awards Nights in 2019 and 2020 and we are excited to be kickstarting this tradition again — creating a moment each year where we can take a step away from the tatami to come together, reflect, and celebrate the people who make judo in WA so special

The past twelve months have been a year of significant pride and progress for judo in Western Australia. Perhaps most importantly, for the first time since COVID, we have seen membership not only stabilise but also begin to increase slightly. After years of uncertainty and recovery, this small but significant step forward gives us confidence that our community is rebuilding its strength and that the foundations are there for growth.

Across the year, our clubs have played a central role in driving participation and connection. More than half a dozen inter-club events were staged, from beginner tournaments through to open competitions, giving judoka of all ages and levels a chance to compete, build confidence, and strengthen relationships across our community. These grassroots events are the heartbeat of our sport — they introduce new people to competition in a safe, supportive environment, and they provide the stepping stones that carry athletes all the way to state, national, and international stages. Alongside this, and in collaboration with clubs, Judo WA delivered its State Training Program throughout the year, giving athletes from across the state regular opportunities to come together, sharpen their skills, and build connections across clubs, ensuring that development and collaboration remain at the centre of our athlete pathway.

In September 2024, we staged the Perth International Open, part of Judo Australia’s National Event Series. While participation from interstate and overseas remained limited, the event continues to provide a vital opportunity for WA athletes to test themselves on home soil, earn national ranking points, and reinforce the value of having a national-series fixture here in Western Australia.

In November 2024, we delivered the second WA Futures Camp, supported by Healthway’s Fuel to Go & Play program. More than 30 athletes came together at Ern Halliday Recreation Camp for a weekend of training, education, and inspiration under the guidance of two-time Olympian Nathan Katz. The camp has quickly become a cornerstone of our development pathway, preparing the next generation of judoka for the transition to senior levels.

In December 2024, the inaugural WA–Japan Exchange Program took a group of over 20 young athletes to Tokyo, where they trained at the Kodokan and with some of Japan’s top high schools. This outward exchange, supported by the WA Government through the Asian Engagement through Sport Grant Program, gave WA athletes an unparalleled opportunity to experience the birthplace of judo, train internationally, and build relationships that will support future growth. I am fortunate to have had the pleasure of accompanying fellow coaches — Luc Tournier, Catia Maia, Marlee Mickle, and Kota Nagamura — in guiding and supporting the athletes throughout this incredible experience.

In January 2025, we welcomed the Kodokan to Perth for the Kodokan International Seminar and Dan Grading. Nearly 70 participants trained under world-class instructors — including 2016 Olympic Champion Haruka Tachimoto — and 17 WA judoka successfully achieved or ratified their Kodokan Dan grades. 

In March 2025, we were proud to deliver a J-Girls session, celebrating and supporting female participation in judo, followed later that month by the Fuel to Go & Play Judo WA State Championships. Nearly 200 athletes from across WA competed at the Gold Netball Centre, and the introduction of a Mixed Teams competition added a dynamic new element to the championships.

In May 2025, we hosted the Mandurah Oceania Open & Cups — perhaps the highlight of the year. Around 170 athletes from 14 countries came to Western Australia, giving our judoka the chance to contest world-ranking points on home soil. Normally, these opportunities would require costly travel interstate or overseas, but Mandurah brought the world to our doorstep. This is why continuing to deliver Mandurah is so important: it reduces financial barriers, inspires our community, and ensures our athletes have the same opportunities as those in less isolated cities.

We then capped off the year in June 2025 with the Australian National Championships on the Gold Coast, where WA was crowned Champion State — topping the medal tally with 33 gold, 17 silver, and 14 bronze medals. It was an extraordinary achievement that reflected the depth of talent across our clubs, the quality of our coaching, and the determination of our athletes.

On the performance front, the achievements did not stop there. Internationally, WA judoka have continued to excel. Over the last 12 months, 27 WA athletes wore the green and gold, competing in around 30 international events across Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas. We now have seven athletes ranked inside the world’s top 50, including three juniors inside the top 20. At the national level, nine WA athletes currently hold the number one ranking in their division. These results underline the strength of the development across clubs and the incredible potential of WA athletes on the road to Brisbane 2032 and beyond.

But judo in WA is about more than medals. Our referees, coaches, and other significant individuals have also made an extraordinary impact. Celeste Knoester’s progression from Continental Referee to achieving her IJF International Licence in just twelve months was remarkable — placing her among the world’s elite referees. Her father, Carlo Knoester, continues to represent Western Australia at the highest level, serving as an IJF Referee Supervisor at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. And of course, our very own Simon Read has played a pivotal role nationally, serving as Chair of Judo Australia, and indirectly giving WA a voice at the National table.

Taken together, these achievements speak to the strength, resilience, and unity of our community. This past year has not only been about success on the mat, but about building pathways, nurturing talent, and ensuring that every member of our community feels connected to the journey of judo in Western Australia.

Looking to the future, there is real momentum.

In August, Judo WA was re-categorised under the WA Government’s Industry Investment Program, moving from Category E to Category D. This recognition reflects the hard work of our staff, volunteers, and community, and it brings increased investment into the sport over the next three years to the magnitude of 3x our current funding. We have also secured funding through the Regional Servicing Grant Program, which will allow us to better support clubs in country WA.

These achievements give us the resources to deliver more opportunities, strengthen clubs, grow participation, and continue building pathways that allow all members of our community to thrive.

Our Strategic Plan, built on the pillars of Participation, People, Sustainability, and Athlete Pathways, provides the roadmap. With our community behind us, I am confident that we will deliver on these priorities.

I want to take a moment to recognise and thank the many people and organisations who make everything we do possible.

First, to the WA Government and Healthway — your support allows us to deliver programs and events that truly make a difference. To the City of Mandurah, thank you for partnering with us to host international competition here in Western Australia. And to Judo Australia, the Oceania Judo Union, and SportWest — your collaboration strengthens our sport at every level.

To our Life Members, your decades of service and dedication continue to inspire us.

To our staff, committees, and volunteers, thank you for the hours you put in behind the scenes. The success of our events and programs wouldn’t happen without you.

Tonight marks a moment of change on our Board. We recognise and thank our outgoing directors, Celeste Knoester and Peter Woollons, for their valuable service and contribution to Judo WA. At the same time, we are pleased to welcome two new directors — Nikky Juras and Giulioantonio Gerace — who join continuing directors Melissa Dennehy (Chair), Marlee Mickle, Luc Tournier, Andras Berta, and Gerrit Engelbrecht. To all members of the Board, past and present, thank you for your leadership, commitment, and the countless hours you dedicate to guiding our sport.

In particular, I want to thank our Chair, Melissa. The many late-night calls and weekend check-ins we’ve shared thus far have been invaluable in keeping things moving forward. Your dedication goes above and beyond, and I’m truly grateful for the support and guidance you provide. Andrew — my apologies for borrowing so much of her time!

I also want to take a moment to thank Calvin Knoester, our Sport Development Officer, who is moving on to a career in teaching. Calvin has been an integral part of Judo WA — not just through his professional contribution, but also through his friendship and positive energy. While he leaves his role, I’m sure he’ll continue to play a big part in WA judo for years to come, and we wish him all the best in this exciting next chapter.

Finally, to our clubs, athletes, coaches, referees, parents, and families — you are the heart of judo in WA. Everything we achieve is built on your passion, commitment, and belief in the values of our sport.

Tonight is about celebrating individuals who have achieved excellence. But more than that, it’s about celebrating the strength of our community as a whole.

I am so proud of what we have accomplished together over the last 12 months, and I feel incredibly excited and optimistic about what lies ahead in 2026 and beyond. Most of all, I am deeply honoured to be part of such a wonderful community — a community that supports one another, shares in each other’s successes, and works together to grow the sport we all love.

Please enjoy tonight’s Gala, and congratulations to all of our award recipients.

Thank you.

 

Chair’s Speech – Melissa Dennehy

Thank you, Jacob, for your thorough and informative speech.

This morning, I had the pleasure of working in my beehives, and I started thinking out loud about what I wanted to say tonight. It hit me, how similar a beehive or colony is to our judo community.

As soon as I opened the lid – there was a flurry of attention from the worker bees – curiosity, interest, defensiveness and also guarding. Once the status quo was established – an open colony, exposed to the sunshine and breeze, everyone piped down and got back to work. It’s much the same as when we meet for competitions, where JWA staff and volunteers get bombarded with a flurry of questions, enquiries, complaints and gripes, only for everyone to settle down and get to work when the competitions start.

As I worked through the hive, I saw:

• Our elite judoka, the Superstar worker bees: Training relentlessly and constantly putting themselves out there in the wild world, bringing in pollen and nectar, medals and trophies for the benefit of our colony.
• Our coaches, the Nurse bees. The ones who stay behind and do the unsexy work – tirelessly keeping everything going behind the scenes. Coordinating delivery and utilisation of resources from the superstar workers into the colony and making sure there are resources to raise the next generation of superstars.
• Our juniors, our beginners and our not-so-junior beginners- Our Baby bee white belts: Newly emerged, still fluffy and damp from hatching. They bumble around, get in the way, and don’t do much at all for the first few weeks, except take up space. Much like our white belt judoka who all begin in the same fashion, they too eventually work up the courage to go out and explore the world.

Looking closer though, we can stretch the analogy a little further. There is much more that what we can see with the naked eye.

No colony can survive by itself. Without the sharing of ideas, techniques and the very DNA that makes up our Judo practice, a colony would soon fail.

Our guest and sessional coaches who come from interstate and overseas are much like the Drone bees. You see them in Spring and Summer, they have a singular purpose of perpetuating their…… seeds of knowledge. They visit us, impart knowledge, bolster and strengthen our judo genetics….. before we heartlessly kick them out at the onset of winter.

And of course, the Queen. Revered and singular– the one bee that can’t fly but can sting endlessly without sacrificing her life in the process. The queen lives to serve the colony, laying up to 2000 eggs a day, rain, hail or shine …. until she is worn down and replaced by the colony for underperforming. All hail Queen Jacob, and our amazing team of JWA staff and Directors.

But what is a hive without a home? Our Judoka families are the honeycomb that nurtures and houses our colony. Without the right structure and support, a colony cannot grow. Our Judoka families stand behind our players and provide and environment for them to flourish.

And finally, our volunteers. There is a little-known hive substance, called Propolis. A resinous structure that plugs the gaps and holes in hives. Propolis weathers the storms and shores up colonies from predator attacks. Without Propolis, a hive would simply fall apart and without the hard work of our invaluable volunteers, so would we. Usually unseen, quietly there in the background, backing all the superstars and other workers, but providing a collective powerhouse of skill, stability, heart and dedication to the colony.

All these components make a happy and healthy colony, just like all the people here tonight – representatives from all facets of the judo community who are together for the first time in 5 years where no one is in a gi!

On that note, less about bees, more about gi’s. I have been with this organisation as a director for the last 4 years; the last 2 as Chair. I am now moving into my final 2 year term as Chair and have never been more excited to see what lies ahead for JudoWA.

As Jacob has mentioned, we were recategorized by the Department of Sport a few months ago, with confirmation coming through in the past weeks of grant funding nearly 3 times our previous amounts. This is a momentous step forward for our organisation, one that would not have been made possible without the tireless work of our Queen bee collective of Jacob, Calvin and our board of Directors.

JudoWA has previously been told that it was near impossible for us to be recategorized without increasing our membership to 2000 members or more (we are currently around 780). Through a rigorous process of working through our governance, finance, planning and sustainability practices, we improved every other aspect of our categorisation scorecard to achieve the unachievable.

Our increased grant funding will allow us to deliver more programs and support clubs with whole of sport initiatives to increase member retention and make the sport attractive and competitive to prospective members wanting to start their judo journey. The grant money is tied to preset initiatives and actions, and forms part of a much larger strategy that JudoWA has for the future and as we head towards 2032 Brisbane Olympics. We all know the talent and depth that is quietly simmering in WA, ready to showcase itself in 7 years’ time!

What will you guys see? Not a huge change right away…..in fact, we might ask you to do some work! However, in 1-2 years’ time, we are hoping to see membership grow to over 1000 members, the sport profile increasing, income from sponsorships….and when that comes, JWA will have increased our self-generated profit which we can then feed back into clubs and members without funds being tied to specific initiatives.

For tonight, we are simply here to celebrate. We’ve done well. We have all done well.

Before I wrap up, I would like to make mention someone who works like a Gen Z employee on stimulants. Jacob, you really have an unwavering passion and drive for judo and your job. Jacob works FT for JWA since taking on the role just over 2 years ago, and together we have gone on the transformative journey of making the organisation digitally fluent, modern, bold and brave. I’m thankful that we share the same sleep cycle as 12.30am conversations really push the boundaries of flexible working hours. My husband, Andrew has learnt not to wait up for me when he hears the phone ring any time after 11pm!

Lastly, thank you to everyone for being here, supporting each other and for all working together for the benefit of the hive.