Dr Mike Callan

Dr Callan is an internationally respected academic in the field of judo. He is Professor of Judo Education, Institute of Sport Strategic Lead for Business and Enterprise and leader of the i-dojo International Judo Research Unit.

He is the President of the International Association of Judo Researchers, Scientific Committee Member of the International Judo Federation, Education Director of the Commonwealth Judo Association and former Scientific and Didactic Expert for the European Judo Union. Author of over 30 books and articles, he has lectured in over 20 countries. He founded the Richard Bowen Archive at the University of Bath, which was nominated for the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.

A world leader in international judo coach education, he has supported the professional development of around 200 coaches working with national level athletes from over 20 nations. As a coach practitioner, athletes he has worked with have medalled at Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth level.

Founder of the consultancy firm Judospace, Dr Callan has advised a wide range of federations and organisations including the Government of Japan.

Previously he was Sport Collaborator with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Organizing Committee and the International Federation Services Group Leader for Judo for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Formerly Mike has been a Board Member of the British Bob-Skeleton Association, and the British Judo Association. He competed in the World University Championships, and he holds the judo grade of 7th Dan.

Holder of an International Olympic Committee Diploma, and a life member of the British and Maltese Judo Federations, he was awarded the International Judo Federation Special Achievement Award for global contribution to judo education and research, and the Commonwealth Judo Association Presidents Special Recognition Award for his significant contribution to the development of judo in the Commonwealth.

Link to Mike’s Google Scholar Profile

Click here to download Dr Callan’s PhD Thesis

Janine Johnson

Janine Johnson is the Technical Assistant to the Chief Executive, supporting ad-hoc projects and events. Janine is a judoka and has been based at the TeamBath high performance center at the University of Bath for the last 8 years training as a full-time athlete and representing Great Britain at senior international events. She is a former British Universities champion with a background in clinical administration, and a BSc (Hons) in Sports Performance.

Lance Wicks

Lance Wicks is originally from New Zealand; he is the creator of the European Judo Podcast, the Real World Judo League, judocoach.com, and numerous other technology based judo resources. Lance is an member of the EJU universities and Institutes commission and is therefore involved in this block even though student might not see him. Lance is an EJU level 5 high performance coach.

Nikos Malliaropoylos

A 5th Dan and Head coach of Aris Judo Club in Thessaloniki, Greece, Nikos is a Sport and Exercise Medicine physician and current director of the Sports Medicine Centre (Athletics Federation SEGAS, Thessaloniki) as well as current  director of the Thessaloniki Private Sports Medicine Clinic. Nikos is on the editorial board of several highly distinguished journals such as the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Muscle Tendon Ligament Journal, APUNTUS Journal and the Asian Journal of Exercise and Science. Additionally Nikos is a reviewer for the Journal of Physical Therapy in Sport and the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Nikos’s contribution within sports medicine in Europe is notable, being a founding member of the European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP), founding member of the Greek Sports Medicine Association, fellow of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Science Medicine UK, fellow of the International Federation of Sports Medicine and member of the British Sports and Exercise Medicine Association. In 2004 Nikos was Chief Medical Officer of the Hellenic Olympic Team at the Athens Olympic Games. 

Darren Warner

Darren was a Performance Coach for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Darren worked alongside Kate Howey, focusing on three Team GB members. This included silver medallist Gemma Gibbons, whose silver medal contributed to British Judo’s best Olympic Games since 1992. As a national coach for eight years, Darren has achieved success at every level. As a Great Britain development coach, he led the under 23 European Team to five medals in 2007, Britain’s biggest medal haul at this event. Then in 2008, he led the Great Britain Team to three medals at the World Junior Championships, their biggest highest medal tally of the last twenty years. Darren is a former British Champion with over ten years experience as a full time athlete. He has a BA Hons Sport Management from Coventry University, where he also won the Tutors Award for best student for highest overall grade. As a club coach, Darren has a very holistic approach to judo, highlighted by the fact that two of the London 2012 Paralympic Team started judo with him, including double Paralympic medalist Sam Ingram.

Andrew Burns

Andy Burns is the Judospace Sports Development Officer. He has nine years experience as a full time Judo Athlete representing Great Britain, and Scotland, seven years a Captain of Team Bath Judo. In 2012 Andy won the gold medal at the Minsk World Cup. Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Bath. Attended the Kodokan Kata Seminar 2012. Andy spent his placement year as a Judo Athlete at Tokai University in Japan. Qualifications include: BA Hons Coach Education and Sports Development, University of Bath, A1 Assessor, BJA Club Coach. He is currently studying an MSc in Strength and Conditioning. Andrew is a 3rd Dan.

Rebeka Tandaric

Individual advice and support is provided by the Judospace Psychology Advisor, Rebeka Tandaric. Rebeka has a Master’s Degree from the Department of Psychology, University of Zagreb. She is a coach at Samobor Judo Club, working with a number players competing at international events. Formerly as a judo player she competed in the European Cadet Championships and European University Championships. She holds the EJU Advanced Coach Award and the Croatian Olympic Academy Level 3 Award. Her aim is to help you manage the mental side of your judo to allow to maximise your results, get the best from your training and realise your ambitions.

Katie Mills