Next Gen Camp Connects Young Female Judoka Across Europe

The Next Gen project brought around 70 young female judoka to Malmö, Sweden, for its first international girls’ camp. Participants travelled from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Lithuania, Montenegro and the Faroe Islands for a weekend focused on Judo, development and connection.

The project began two years ago with just over 20 girls involved. It has since developed into an international community designed to support the next generation of female judoka, both on and beyond the tatami.

For the organisers, strong training was only one part of the goal. The camp was also intended to give girls opportunities to grow as people and prepare for the future, while meeting athletes who understand the demands of their sport.

That shared environment matters because young female judoka at many clubs may not always have regular partners of a similar age and level. Training alongside girls from other countries gave participants a chance to test themselves, build experience and create friendships outside their home clubs.

The programme also looked at long-term athlete development. Mental training, nutrition, recovery and finding a healthy balance between sport and everyday life were all part of the camp’s wider focus.

The weekend put development on and off the tatami at the centre of the experience.

A major moment came with the visit of Slovenia’s Paris 2024 Olympic champion Andreja Leški. Joining the camp as a guest coach, Leški shared her knowledge during training and later met the participants for an informal question-and-answer session.

After a day on the tatami, the group gathered over pizza to discuss the reality of elite sport with the Olympic champion. The conversation covered competition nerves, pressure, body image, social media, weight management and the challenges of growing up in a competitive environment.

For many of the girls, it was an uncommon chance to speak openly with an athlete who has faced those pressures herself on the road to an Olympic podium. Organiser Gretha Östlind highlighted how easily young people can compare themselves with others through social media, whether in sport, appearance or everyday life.

Östlind believes advice can have a different impact when it comes from a role model the athletes admire and can relate to. Her hope was that Leški’s openness showed the participants that uncertainty and setbacks are normal, even for the most successful judoka.

The Malmö camp marked a new step for Next Gen: a larger international setting where girls could train, learn and see that a sporting journey does not need to be perfect to be meaningful.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union