TeamNZJudo

A little about the team.

One of the reasons we decided to fight in the 2008 World Masters Judo competition is the fact that the team has actually known one another for a long time.

Mike & Lance met as kids just starting Judo for the first time in Massey, Auckland, New Zealand. They started about 2 weeks apart (Mike first) and have been banging heads ever since, they competed together both nationally and even on New Zealand Judo Federation teams internationally. They are so close in fact that Mike is godfather to Lance's daughter.

Aaron & Lance were team members also, not for New Zealand but for their High School (Massey High School) in Auckland, New Zealand. Aaron was (I think) in his last year at high school when Lance was in his first year. The school team was quite successful although that was down to Aaron more than Lance "Spirit of Judo award AKA didn't win a fight" Wicks. ;-)

Aaron & Mike met as adults really and are presently training together regularly at the club where Aaron coaches (Busen).

Peter (our coach) and Lance have known one another for about six or seven years. They met through the Royal Navy Judo Team, which Peter coaches and Lance has helped him with. When Lance decided to start training for the World Masters he started training at HMS Sultan with Peter and Peter is still shouting at him at Gosport Judo Kwai.

So there is a small overview of how the team fits together, hopefully you know us a little better now.

Lance