The GB international and World Masters medallist, Mark Fricker talks honestly about how Pembee streamlined his bookings, payments, and parent communication — and why he wishes he’d found it years ago.

Pembee is a Koka Kids partner – as part of the Pembee + Koka Kids partnership, every reader of Koka Kids Judo Coaches Newsletter can get a free trial of Pembee. And if you choose to continue, you’ll receive 25% off your first three months. The 25% off is exclusive to Koka Kids readers — only available through the link below. Pembee is an online platform that handles dojo admin class bookings, registers, payments, and parent communication. 

Start your free trial here: https://www.pembee.app/partners/koka-kids

Simplifying Club Admin – And Getting Back to What Matters

Read on to out how Mark has been using Pembee  — how it has helped to simplify the day to day running his own school judo business Judo School UK — and how it might help yours.

Hi Mark, Can you tell us a bit about what made you decide to try Pembee?

After handing over as head coach of Pinewood — and getting back to first-name terms with my family — I was able to give more time to my school judo business, and decided to start a small club of my own.

Without the backup I had enjoyed at Pinewood, I was keen to find a way of streamlining my admin. Finding Pembee via a personal recommendation was a fantastic jump forward for me, and left me wondering why it had taken me so long.

I started initially using it to set up subscriptions for my judo club. As the classes grew, it became more and more important. It enables me to track membership, and its link to Stripe makes monthly payments direct into my bank account very simple.

How long did it take to get Pembee set up and running?

I am at an age where I might be expected to stand at bus stops moaning about young people, but despite my lack of digital expertise the Pembee platform was simple to set up and very straightforward to use.

Ed was endlessly helpful and patient with me as I set things up, always available to answer my generally dim questions. Their customer service is fantastic.

How do you use Pembee to handle dojo admin like bookings and payments?

After adopting Pembee to set up subscriptions at my club, I’ve now widened it to include my various schools. I email a link to parents at the start of each term, and they are able to see and block-book the sessions for the upcoming term and pay online.

Has it actually reduced the amount of time you spend chasing outstanding fees? Or anything else it’s made better/easier?

One key benefit is that I can now see at a glance who has paid — and who hasn’t. It automatically generates reminders to parents, saving me the embarrassment of chasing payment myself. This was something I always found uncomfortable when meeting parents at drop-off.

How did parents react to the online booking method?

Most people — myself included — are very used to buying goods and services online. I have only had positive feedback from parents about this system.

What’s your next step?

My next step will be to start using it for my judo camps, as it will make another chunk of scribbled notes, WhatsApps, and Messenger messages redundant.

Your advice for other judo coaches?

Looking back to my time at Pinewood, I wish I had been using Pembee then. Whilst it works perfectly well on a small scale, I think it would be a game changer for a larger club. I would recommend any coach who has considered simplifying their life give Pembee a try.

—

Run your dojo, not your admin

If Mark’s experience resonates, here’s the good news: as part of the Pembee + Koka Kids partnership, every reader of Koka Kids Judo Coaches Newsletter can get a free trial of Pembee. And if you choose to continue, you’ll receive 25% off your first three months. The 25% off is exclusive to Koka Kids readers — only available through the link below.

Start your free trial here: https://www.pembee.app/partners/koka-kids

Free Trial

Pembee supports judo clubs with a free trial and same-day setup for judo clubs trying to cut admin time > start your trial

By Nik Fairbrother, 8th Dan, MBE (World Champion, Olympic Silver Medallist)

I remember my Sensei Don, how he’d grumble about the paperwork. Don would staple forms up on the notice-board, for members to write their details on, go mad when parents would scribble indecipherably over it, then he’d take the forms and tap all the information into his computer. Somehow it worked. But, it took him hours. Hours he’d have preferred to be on the mat, teaching judo.

Admin. The struggle is real. And it’s common to many dojos. I know many clubs, led by one coach doing it all. WhatsApp groups. Facebook announcements. Taking the register. Chasing payments. The list goes on.

Maybe that’s you? If it is – then I have good news.

Good news for judo. Good news for you.

Pembee – the booking and class management platform – is now official sponsor of Koka Kids. Over the next year, Pembee will be supporting Koka Kids in a year-long partnership to help grassroots judo grow.

Pembee is an online platform that handles class bookings, registers, payments, and parent communication. Used by martial arts clubs, dance and performing arts schools, swim schools, holiday camps and after-school programmes around the world. To date it has processed 900,000 bookings and £40M+ in transactions for 230,000 users.

Ed Hollinghurst, founder of Pembee, said: “Koka Kids has done something genuinely special for grassroots judo – they’ve made learning the sport feel exciting for kids and made coaches’ lives a little easier in the process. That’s exactly the kind of work we want to get behind. Martial arts clubs are a big part of the Pembee community, and partnering with Nicola and the team is our way of giving something back to a sport that means a lot to so many of our customers.”

But what does this mean for you?

The sponsorship is good news for all judo coaches as it means I can offer all Koka Kids readers a free trial of Pembee. You get a free trial, and if you choose to continue, you’ll also receive 25% off your first three months. The 25% off is exclusive to Koka Kids readers – only available through the link below.

Use this landing page to start your trial: https://www.pembee.app/partners/koka-kids

When you sign up, Jack from Pembee will get in touch, and help you get set up. Part of the sponsorship is also a free onboarding call.

I trialled a call with Jack the other day to see if Pembee is the kind of tool that actually saves time.

It is.

The bottom line: You can be up and running on the same day.

“Normally, clubs are set up within 10 to 20 minutes,” Jack tells me, “but if anyone needs longer then that’s fine too. We do whatever the coach needs to get them going.”

In 10 minutes, I’m up and running. I can see just how much time this would save a coach – and how it would simplify the workload.

• In minutes I have built a booking page for a beginner class

• Cloned it to create intermediate + advanced classes

• Created a judogi add-on for first-time judoka

• Generated a QR code (you could use on socials/posters/club comms)

In one more step, I could link all this to my Stripe account and begin taking payments.

Mark Fricker was the Pinewood Judo Club Sensei for many years – he now owns his own club and continues to teach in schools. Mark told me finding Pembee was a fantastic jump forward.

“It enables me to see at a glance who has paid (or who hasn’t)… it automatically generates reminders… which saved me chasing payment myself. After adopting Pembee to set up subscriptions at my club I have now widened it to include my various schools.”

Saves time. Simplifies workload.

Here are a few other things you’ll also find useful: Automatic attendance registers for every session. Know exactly who’s on the mat, who’s missing. Collect medical info, emergency contacts, and consent forms. Send an email out to a select group. Let them know Tuesday’s beginners’ session is starting an hour earlier. Promote your Summer Camp.

We will be covering key features in the Koka Kids Newsletter in coming months, along with interviews with coaches who are already using Pembee.

I’m delighted to be working with Pembee for the year ahead. Anything that helps clubs spend less time on admin and more time on the mat is good for judo. I think you’ll find Pembee warm, down to earth and genuinely keen to help clubs grow.

Give the trial a go! If you’re running a small independent club on spreadsheets or WhatsApp this is exactly for you.

Use this landing page to start your trial: https://www.pembee.app/partners/koka-kids

Koka Kids Exclusive Offer

• 30-day free trial — no credit card needed

• Exclusive Koka Kids offer: 25% off your first 3 months

• Jack will run a setup walkthrough and help you get it live.

When you sign up, Jack will reach out to arrange a 1:1 setup call – you’ll be running classes on Pembee the same day.

Nicola Fairbrother MBE, 8th Dan

– 1992 Olympic Silver Medallist
– 1993 World Champion
– Publisher of Koka Kids children’s judo books

P.S. The 25% off is exclusive to Koka Kids readers – only available through the link above.

A grading checklist your kids will actually use

Mon Grade Syllabus in paperback

As a judo coach, one of the biggest wins is giving kids something they can look at between classes, so grading requirements feel clear, not confusing.

This is why I’m sharing a preview of what’s inside Red Belt Mon Grade paperback — it’s built to help kids understand what’s expected and with clear steps to the techniques and checklists they can work through.

• Clear grading requirements
• Kid-friendly structure for beginners
• Easy for parents to support at home

Clear. Simple. Built for kids. Each Mon Grade book breaks down every technique — ready to hold, share, and use.

The British Judo Mon Grade Syllabus — in paperback. Red Belt to Brown Belt. Everything your club needs. Orders open now.

📚 Orders are now open for the full set of Mon Grade Books (That’s six books Red → Brown)
Min order: 30 | £6.50 per book | Order deadline: May 10
Order here:  ORDER FORM WITH CLUB RATES

Judo coaches — the Mon Grade Syllabus is in paperback for the first time. If you’ve been waiting for a physical resource for your club, now’s the time.

Want more books for Kids Who Love Judo?  Or check out these animated judo throws – you can see the full Gokyo Syllabus!

Orders are open!

Orders are now open for the British Judo Mon Grade Syllabus in paperback — all six titles, Red to Brown Belt. In print for the first time!

Here are the details:

• Minimum 30 books

• Order 60+ books (10 of each grade) and I’ll send you a free personalised club banner

• Deadline: May 10th 2026 — one print run only this year

• Delivery approximately two weeks after the deadline

👉 Order here: Get Your Koka Kids British Judo Syllabus Books Here!

I developed these books in partnership with British Judo, and they cover the full 1st to 18th Mon requirements. Clubs have been using the digital versions for a while, but there’s something different about having a physical book — kids can hold it, take it home, follow along between sessions. The books could be used as grading rewards, welcome packs, and as a way to keep parents in the loop on what their child is working towards.

This is the only print run this year. Orders close May 10th 2026, with delivery approximately two weeks later.

👉 Order here: Get Your Koka Kids British Judo Syllabus Books Here!

Or email me directly and I’ll handle it personally: nicola@kokakids.co.uk

— Nik

Nicola Fairbrother MBE, 8th Dan
– 1992 Olympic Silver Medallist
– 1993 World Champion
– Publisher of Koka Kids children’s judo books

Mon Grade Books – Now in Paperback

I’ve been sitting on this news for a little while, and I’m glad I can finally share it.

The British Judo Mon Grade Syllabus books are going into print.

All six of them — Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue and Brown Belt — in paperback, for the first time they will be available for clubs to buy at a reduced pre-print rate. 

A bit of background

These books have been around in digital form for a while now. I developed them in partnership with British Judo, and they cover the full Mon Grade requirements from 1st through to 18th Mon. The idea was simple: give kids something they follow. Something that showed them exactly what they needed to learn, in a way that made sense to them.

The digital versions have been popular. But coaches kept asking me the same thing — is there a physical copy?

Now there is.

Why paperback matters

There’s something about a book that a screen can’t quite replicate. Kids can hold it. Take it home. Flick through it on the sofa. Show their parents what they’re working on.

Coaches have told me they use other Koka Kids books as grading rewards, as welcome packs for new members, and as a way to keep junior judoka engaged between sessions. A physical book does all of that in a way digital doesn’t.

One print run, this May

Stock your Club with Mon Grade Syllabus Books: I’m doing one print run this year, on May 10th. That’s it for this year. So if your club wants copies, this is the window.

Orders open on April 20th. Before then, you can register your club’s interest to get early access and make sure you don’t miss out.

👉 Register here: https://subscribepage.io/PrintRunMay2026

If you have any questions, just drop me an email — nicola@kokakids.co.uk. I handle everything personally.

— Nik

“The black belt should not be a vague hope. It should be a visible, structured journey.”

Hi! Recently, I’ve been writing a mini-series on retention, on why judoka drop out. It’s something that troubles our sport – as it does with many sports, and we need to find solutions. In this interview, that is just what Vince Skillcorn does: he provides solutions to this age-old problem.

Vince holds an MSc in Advanced Sports Coaching Practice and (along with his wife, Sam) runs the Fighting Fitness Judo Academy. Vince specialises in helping judo coaches transform their clubs into sustainable businesses by increasing membership and revenue. 

I asked Vince about the importance of keeping members engaged off the mat, the role of parents, and how the best dojos balance recruitment, retention, and revenue.

His answers are direct, honest, and grounded in real experience running a club of over 500 members. I hope his answers spark ideas on how you might strengthen your own club’s approach to keeping judoka on the mat for the long term.

If retention is a problem you face at your dojo then please read on:

Interview with Vince Skillcorn

In your experience, what are the top three reasons why a judoka drop out and stops doing  judo?

1. No Clear Destination — No Defined Black Belt Journey

One of the biggest reasons judoka drop out is the absence of a clearly defined endpoint.

Imagine enrolling at school or university and being told, “Just keep attending and we’ll see what happens.” In education, there is a structured framework: follow the curriculum, meet the standards, and you earn your degree. In judo, that “degree” is your black belt. Read more