Alanna & Jake selected for Jamie MacDonald Kids 'Dream Team'

Exciting news for DJC junior players Jake Brown and Alanna Hopkins as they have been selected for the Brain Tumour Charity 'Dream Team'.

At around lunchtime on Saturday 14th July, Deryn Allen-Dyer will be organising a ‘Dream Team’ of former International/World medalists and Olympians. This Dream Team will compete against ‘Jamie’s Kids Team’ – made up of junior judoka aged approximately 8-14 years from across the whole of the UK and abroad. A team of 20 Junior players have been selected including two players from Drake Judo Club!

Deryn Allen-Dyer is only 12 years old and last year won the BJA 'young Volunteer' of the year and along with other volunteers has organised the whole Dream Team event

The whole event is inspired by Jamie MacDonald, from Maesteg in Wales, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 2015, just one year after competing at the Commonwealth Games. Jamie lost his battle with cancer on Sunday 12th November 2017. Jamie trained at Plymouth Judo Club along with Mike, Ross and Charles and was the Chairman of Plymouth University Judo Club.

The contest will form a part of the 2018 Brain Cancer Charity Tournament, held in Jamie MacDonald’s memory. It is the second event of it’s kind following last years launch. It will be held on the 14th/15th July in Newport, South Wales. DJC will have a number of players competing in the actual tournement

Our club will be doing our own fundraising for this event and reaching out to our local neighbour clubs to assist with this.

So who might Jake and Alanna potentially be fighting?

In no particular order Nick Kokotaylo, Karen Briggs, Brian Jacks, Natalie Powell, Ashley Mckenzie, Loretta Cussack, Neil Adams, Karina Bryant, Danny Williams, John Buchanan, Angelo Parisi and many more!

Congratulations to Alanna & Jake from all at Drake Judo Club