FOUR members of Samurai Judo Club’s ‘gremlin squad’ have been racking up technical successes.

Matt Hemer, Leah Grosvenor and Darcie Hancocks have all just been awarded their Silver Star badges.

The club’s star award system has five initial levels, followed by bronze, silver and gold levels which are hugely demanding.

Samurai has only given out five gold star badges in their 36 year existence to Ben Newbury, Kate Walker, Martin Whiteside, Karl Gaughan and Anthony Todhunter.

Coach Andrew Haffner said: “To have three reach silver level at the same time suggests a sixth gold star will be awarded soon.

“The players have to show expertise in every field of judo, including the technical examination for second level black belt, high standards of kata expertise, high level qualified referee status and table official expertise, as well as helping with coaching the younger or less experienced players.”

Recently, Hemer and Grosvenor ran a competition for low grade juniors, while Hancocks did much of the mat side coaching for the players.

Hancocks and Grosvenor also partnered each other to gold at the British Kata Championships, becoming only the second and third British players ever to win gold at both British Kata Championships and British Nationals for contest judo.

Meanwhile, Gallacher, who in 2014 won the British Young Official Of The Year Award, recently became the youngest British player ever to be awarded a full senior referee qualification, aged just 15.

Silver medalist at the British Championships, Gallacher is also an excellent referee. All four of the gremlins are high level referees, but Gallacher is the pick of the group in this respect.

Haffner added: “But of course, it is contest judo where all four of them have their greatest interest.

“Probably the most successful quartet of young players in the club’s history, all four on the England Squad, the Gremlins just keep getting better in competition.

“This year will hopefully be another great year for them.

“Meanwhile, the next generation partnership of James Hemer and Ellie McAteer, both won medals at the British Championships and have been selected for the England Squad, so they too are hoping for more in 2016.”