Welsh Judo Association WSA Membership Testimonial

Welsh Judo Association WSA Membership Testimonial

Welsh Judo Association CEO Darren Warner joined the organisation after they first enrolled as Full Members to the Welsh Sports Association, but says renewing membership was a no-brainer as they “feel (they) get so much value from the WSA”.

Speaking to the WSA, Darren said:

“We wanted to remain members because the WSA have really evolved in terms of their offer. What I’ve seen is that they really understand our needs as an organisation, and they try and meet those; they’ve really got their finger on the pulse in the sports sector and on the requirements of running an organisation.  

“For example, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, our needs have of course changed – but so has the way the WSA operates. And I have to say, actually, that without the WSA throughout this period, a lot of sports would have really struggled.”

Darren explains that the Welsh Judo Association has really felt the impact of the WSA’s services, utilising partner offers to aid with the running of the organisation.

“They connect us to the rest of the sector; they update us on how our small piece of the jigsaw relates to the whole puzzle; and they also offer great resources and support, whether that’s governance, training for directors, policy, meetings with Welsh Government and the whole sector, development or external support, I always know that the WSA is the first place we need to go.  

“For example, I requested the support of a solicitor for some articles we wanted to create on a Tuesday; we met on the Thursday and the new articles were sent to us on the Friday. Within four days, we’d gone from requesting something to being delivered to.”

The Welsh Judo Association has also benefited from the WSA’s partnership with Sport:80, whose CRM system they now use.

“We’ve really benefitted from our CRM system, which was a recommendation from the WSA and has worked really well for us. It’s just another example of their business support – always thinking about what we need as a business.  

“They give us exactly what we require. We don’t need people telling us how we should be operating as an NGB, we just need people to throw ideas at us. For example, we’re connected to all sports in the sector and the WSA are very good at facilitating best practice; so if someone’s doing something really well, they’re just there to highlight it and showcase it to other members’ benefit.  

“They’re clearly a values-driven organisation with members at its very heart. There’s a great community of sport in Wales, and that’s facilitated by the WSA. They’re really there to support the whole sector; the way they’ve evolved has been a really good thing for sport in Wales and the direction of travel is very positive. If you become a member they make sure to take you with them; nobody gets left behind.”

For more information on the vast member benefits that the WSA offers, click here.

To find out how to apply for WSA membership, click here.

To read on about the Welsh Judo Association, click here.