Talented youngster is a Jack of all trades (From Gazette Series)

Jack Reeves wins silver at British Judo Championships and is selected for Gloucester Rugby Academy

8:00am Saturday 19th January 2013 in Sport

A YOUNGSTER from Wotton-under-Edge had two reasons to celebrate this week after winning a silver medal at the British Judo Championships and being selected for the Gloucester Rugby Academy.

Talented Jack Reeves, 12, plays youth rugby for Dursley and, after impressing in a series of training sessions between September and December last year, the fly half was confirmed as one of the 24 members to earn a place in Gloucester’s under-13s squad.

Just four days later, Reeves took to the mat and won a British judo medal for the fourth consecutive year at Sheffield to move up to second in the national rankings for under-14s.

Bradley Stoke Judo Club member Reeves is in the England Development squad and juggles those commitments with his rugby.

However, if he continues to make progress in both sports at the rate he is at the moment he may have to choose between chasing the Olympic dream or the dream of becoming a professional rugby player.

Reeves is currently a pre-cadet in judo but will become a cadet when he is 14-years-old, when members of the England development squad start to be groomed for future Olympics and World Championships and compete in international competitions, while Gloucester will play more matches as he gets older.

His mum, Sally, believes he can continue to take part in both sports for the next year, but could then face a tricky dilemma. She said: “He will have to make serious decisions. I’m not sure he will be able to sustain both.

“He loves them both and he’s good at both. At the moment both are acknowledging it wouldn’t be fair for him to give up one.”

In a large group of tough fighters at the British Judo Championships, Reeves made it all the way to the final, where he was thrown for ippon.

His Bradley Stoke club-mate, James Hayes, won bronze in the U66kg competition for cadets.

The 15-year-old from Cam is also a member of the British Development squad.