Ray
is a Shodan in both Judo and Aikido; he is a British Judo Association accredited
Senior Club Coach and a British Aikido Board Instructor. He first started
Judo at school aged 11 with the British Judo Council.
At the age of 18 his judo competition career was cut short by an industrial
injury. Ray continued to practice judo in his hometown of Reading on a recreational
basis, but eventually work took its toll and Judo took a back seat.
It was not until Ray moved to Paignton in 1992 that Judo once again became
a big part of his life. His children started Judo at the local YMCA and Ray
was unable just to sit and watch. Being a bit of a nomad in his younger years,
Ray had no proof of his previous grades and had to start again with the British
Judo Association. At his first grading he was awarded 1st Kyu (brown belt)
with the BJA. He also became a preliminary club coach and began coaching at
the YMCA. In 1994 he passed the BJA Club Coach examination and started training
at Ronindo. After 5years and 9 broken ribs Ray finally managed to regain his
black belt on 14th June 1997, just two days before his 37th birthday. This
meant that in Ray could be examined for the BJA Senior Club Coach award, which
he passed with flying colours. Ray then started coaching the junior class
at Ronindo and in 1999 Ray was left to pick up the pieces and now coaches
all the classes.
In August 2001 Ray was asked to coach Judo at the ICAN martial arts camp in
Sidmouth, it was here that he met Danny da Costa and was introduced to Aikido,
Ray was beginning to feel his years and thought his ability to continue with
martial arts was coming to an end and that physically his progress had stopped.
He was so impressed with Danny that he asked to become his student. Taking
instruction directly from Danny, Ray's progress was rapid and he achieved
his Aikido black belt in august 2004 (within three years). Ray has attended
Shin Gi Tai Aikido coaching seminars and attained his British Aikido Board
Instructors certification in August 2005; he now assists Danny teaching Aikido
at the Dyrons Leisure Centre Newton Abbot.