Blackpool club launches FightLikeAGirl to develop female participation

Keidokwai Judo Club in Blackpool launched FightLikeAGirl, a programme intended to increase female participation and develop women’s coaching pathways. Head coach Daniel Hankinson shaped the initiative after conference discussions highlighted that women represented only around twenty-four per cent of British Judo’s registered membership.

Fifteen-year-old coaching assistant Amber Grand delivered the inaugural session with support from the club’s head coach and welfare officer. The club wanted existing female players to become visible role models, gain leadership experience and encourage younger participants to remain involved in judo.

Feedback from players and parents welcomed the opportunity to see female leaders on the mat. The launch also linked participants with British Judo’s wider Female Fighters activities, extending a local development project into further training opportunities and a longer-term effort to retain teenage girls in the sport.