Keep your comments polite, on topic and succinct. Play nice and everyone benefits!.
Lauren Ole wanted me to pass on her thanks for the well wishes an condolences provided via the Club over the past few weeks.
Amber still has a way to go in her recovery, and this will, as it always does, come in fits and starts. So I will continue to offer what practical support we can, and ask that you continue to keep the Ole family in your thoughts.
I was talking with Itakura sensei after Kendo yesterday about what might be the best thing to concentrate on this week coming during training.
His response was simple and in keeping with what we have always tried to do with our Kendo here in Toowoomba — elegance, decisiveness and not beginning the "next" moment until the present one has finished.
On a meta-level, this means paying particular attention to issoku itto no maai (one step to cut) and zanshin (remaining spirit). Broken down, what we will be focussing on is maintaining correct posture; cutting with the shoulders and torso rather than the elbows; gliding (rather than galloping); maintaining kiai through the turn; and how to create the still point before the next action.
I have a few ideas/drills I would like to put into action to see if we can make progress on these things. One includes porting across some of the Internal Power training that has been practised on Thursday nights. Another is to do some short, sharp kakarigeiko work to expand the sense of zanshin.
Would love to see as many kendoka as can make it this week to give things a red hot testing!
We are beginning a new macro cycle with our Gym and Swim training this week. We may be revising the training times to make it easier for more of the regulars to attend, so please talk to Michael to let him know your availability.
Hopefully Lauren will be there to help correct form (see enclosed picture of Michael's poor attempt at the dish ...
First week of the month starts tonight at the BBRD with all that entails. Could I ask that everyone who is intending to contribute monthly payments please do so this week. Also note that we now have slightly revised contribution rates.
For those coming to Jujutsu classes this month, we are focussing on kyusho jutsu (anatomical vulnerability), so please bring your 4 oz. gloves, mouth guards and shin guards (if you have them) to all classes. Depending on the temperature, we may take to training in t-shirts or rashies this month, so include something to change into in your kit as well!
Bunnings Toowoomba have asked the Club whether we would like to participate in their Family Fun Day on Saturday 14 March.
Unfortunately I will be in Canberra that weekend to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday, so we need to know potential numbers ASAP as to whether we can cover that commitment.
Please let your relevant instructors know if you can help.
I'm very pleased to announce that the flights have been booked and Andrew Seyderhelm will be coming to Toowoomba on 21 February to run a six-hour training day.
Andrew is one of the founding members of BBRD and a fully qualified Combat Systema instructor under Kevin Secours and Vasiliev Systema instructor (in the days before some of the senior practitioners looked like they were auditioning for a spot in the Ministry of Silly Walks). In recent years he has worked as a Sydney-based officer in the Australian Federal Police.
I can't oversell the opportunity to train with Andrew. He is a fine martial artist with an excellent knowledge of the core principles and training approaches that initially attracted us to the Russian Art.
There will be two sessions — 10am–1pm and 2–5pm. Costs for the day will be $60 for BBRD members and $80 for non-members, or $40 and $50 respectively for one session.
Just to let you know that the Club's Executive will be meeting this Friday to plan for the next few months. This includes demonstrations and recruitment activities for USQ Orientation Week; Fund raising opportunities, such as the April 4 Bunnings BBQ; Seminars, such as Andrew Seyderhelm's Systema day and the Club Taste Tester weekend; and other matters of Club importance.
If you want to have anything raised at the committee meeting, please funnel these through your relevant instructors.
The Australia Day Long Weekend always has been the unofficial start to the year in Australia — a time after which school starts and the rest of the country cannot pretend it is still on holiday!
With the start of school term, we go back to having to be more aware of attendance times and care when training of an evening. As we cannot be guaranteed access to the MEAC before 6pm, we need to have sufficient time to "bump in" and get changed into appropriate training gear. Therefore, I ask that if you are attending a class in the first session of the evening you are there early enough to help set up — many hands and all that ...
Second, we need to be mindful that the MEAC is a shared space. This means not encroaching on the Extend After School Care's desks and tidying up after yourself. It is also especially important to put away any and all training equipment used in the evening, particularly anything that children could get into/cause trouble with (I'm thinking bokken, tanto etc.). These must be placed into the Club's cupboard in the store room, and the cupboard locked at the end of the evening.
Instructors will be reminding classes of the appropriate protocols for doing this over the coming fortnight.
So have an excellent week everyone, and I hope to see training attendance get back up to its pre-Christmas levels!
This past week has been quite rough for some in the Club's broader community. As many of you are aware, the Ole family has had a particularly tough time, with Amber Ole still recovering in the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital with head injuries sustained in a vehicular accident, her Uncle Tyrone (Lauren Ole's brother) dying in a motorcycle accident and one of Lauren's cousins ending in the ICU of the Gold Coast University Hospital after a separate motorcycle accident. These accidents all occurred in less than a week of each other.
I am happy to write that I went to Brisbane on Friday to visit, and that Amber has been making an excellent recovery. She still has quite a way to go before she will be able to return to school and more normal activities, but her rate of progress meant that she was able to be discharged today. Both Amber and Lauren have expressed their thanks for the love and consideration that has come from Club members, including the "edible blooms" organised by Sian Carlyon on the Club's behalf. I will let everyone know as soon as I do what practical things we might be able to do as a community to assist the Ole family through what will continue to be a challenging time.
However, I am very sad to report that Aaron and Reina Tootle also experienced tragedy this weekend with the stillbirth of their son. The Tootles have been a integral part of the Toowoomba Kendo community for many years— Reina wining the title of Australian University Games Women's Open Champion and bronze medallist in the Mixed Individual Open competition in 2009. Our thoughts go to them in this very difficult time.
This Sunday 25 January, Toowoomba Kyokushin will be hosting Sensei Jason Baltov for a seminar from 8–11 am at the North Street dojo.
Baltov sensei is 4 times Australian Full Contact Champ and has fought in 2 world championships. All styles are welcome and cost is $15 for non-Toowoomba Kyokushin members. Please contact Drew directly via the Toowoomba Kyokushin FaceBook page for more details.
Keep your comments polite, on topic and succinct. Play nice and everyone benefits!.