Michael will not be able to run Jujutsu this Saturday as he will be traveling back from a special training session in Brisbane at the invite of the Club's Jodo group with Glen Henry Sensei. Instead, we will make sure that we have some particular sessions during our commitments at the Toowoomba Languages and Cultures Festival!
Toowoomba Languages and Cultural Festival
It is that time of year again, and the Club will be flying its colours this Sunday at the 11th annual Toowoomba Languages and Cultures Festival. We will once again be demonstrating the breadth of activities that the Club supports, and as always, having an excellent day training with friends.
Please let Michael know if you are free that day, and when. We will need folk for bump in (7.30 am at Queen's Park) and bump-out (4 pm then across to the MEAC to unload). And of course your availability throughout the day to put on the demos. We will need to organise appropriate entrance passes etc.
This year we ought to have Don Ouellette and the Brisbane-based Arnisidors come to add movement and colour. And we might have Tom Johnson Sensei come to give us a hand with Iaido (TBC).
There will not be any kendo training at the MEAC this week as a result.
I'll look forward to seeing many of you there on the day!
Special training in memory of John Watton
This Saturday we held our special training session in memory of John, to commemorate his life and contribution to the Club. We held zazen for him and started the class five minutes late in memory of his long days in the truck and heading straight to the dojo .
We spend the session focusing on groundwork and grappling: John's passion and one of his strengths, doing some of the drills he loved to do and finishing with some randori .
Vale John! Your smile, generosity and presence are still missed on the mat.
Thanks to all who sent their thoughts/apologies, who trained, and who gave the dojo (especially the mats) a good scrub down before practice. Especially Scott, who literally was thrown into the deep end with his first ever jujutsu training session!
In memory of John Watton
It is hard to imagine, but today marks a year since John's untimely death. Our thoughts go out to everyone still feeling that loss, especially his wife Karyn and their son Sam.
In a break from regular programming, this Saturday we will be holding a special training session at the MEAC concentrating on one of John's favourite parts of the jujutsu curriculum - groundwork and wrestling. I'd like to invite all members and friends to come along and participate in the session in memory of John. The session will run from 4-5.30 pm. Please let Michael know if you are intending to come along by Thursday.
Gym now at Anytime Fitness, Ruthven Street
A new month provides an easy opportunity to start fresh with your training. Brady and I have taken this to refocus on our ancillary training, building towards an expected opportunity to grade in Jujutsu within the next six months.
Mostly driven by Brady's desire to have 24 hour gym access and an ability to continue training when out of town, we investigated a number of options and decided the best fit was to use the facilities at Anytime Fitness. We have been able to secure a corporate rate for BBRD members of $54.95 per month for a 12 month contract term, with no joining fee. If you are interested in taking up the offer you just need to let Holly the gym manger know that you are a BBRD member when you are signing up. You will still need to pay the fee for the door controller (around $69).
Once the weather warms up and the outdoor pool opens again, we will be having a separate swim session at Milne Bay Aquatic Centre.
BBRD T-shirt shop
With the August demonstration and seminar season about to start, now would be a great time to purchase a BBRD t-shirt and fly the Club colours.
You can direct order t-shirts from bbrd.printup.com.au There have been a few issues with the interface over the past few weeks, but most of them have now been resolved. If you have difficulties or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We have added a few new designs to the shop, including some t-shirts based on the discipline posters, and some tote bags to put your odds and sods in. You can even chose from a range of colours.
So check the store out, let us know what you think and order some t-shirts today!
IBF training Day 27 August
The official flyer for the IBF (QLD) training day have come out, and I'd like everyone to consider coming along and supporting the event.
The training day will be held on Saturday 27 August at the Hills District PCYC, Everton Hills. This year I have been asked to run one of he sessions, and I will be introducing folk to Kendo. Jason Griffiths, sensei and Don Ouellette, sensei, will be running an Arnis session as well.
Last year Maaike, Tony, Tracy and I had much fun at the day, and I'd encourage as many as can make it to come along, particularly the lurking Kendoka here as I would dearly love to put on a reasonable demonstration of the art! It is an opportunity to meet the wider marital arts community here in Queensland, and if last year was any indication, there will be many high quality learning opportunities on the day.
Please let me know as soon as you can whether you will like to come along so that we can organise transportation on the day.
Dojo cleaning and Dojo Dollars
Just wanted to say a quick round of thanks to Adrian, Dylan, Geoff, Ray and Tracy for putting in the effort this weekend to mop the MEAC hall and clean the toilets, a job made a little more difficult due to the "help" of a live, flying feather duster that had somehow gotten caught inside sometime Friday.
We put the newly purchased BBRD mops and bucket to good use, and have installed a racking system attached to the shelving in the store room. With the arrival of the specialist mat cleaner this week, we are now good to go for weekly sluice downs of the tatami and cleaning of the floor. I have to say that training Kendo on Sunday morning was a pleasure on the clean surface.
Please remember everyone that we are offering "Dojo Dollars" that you can put towards reducing your training fees (either monthly or casual). Make sure that if you are interested, you add your name to the sign up sheet, which can be found in the storage area.
Jodo
Hello everybody,
Jodo training is back to normal (7:00 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays at MEAC) starting this week (18 July).
There will be an announcement soon about some training possibilities one weekend next month down in Brisbane. Watch this space.
Eric
Go news: New coordinator for Go
It was great to see a number of visitors to our market day stall express interest in getting some regular games of Go.
There will be some changes this semester to the regular schedule for Go, and a change of coordinator. Unfortunately, Jared Greenstreet will not be in a position to continue as Go coordinator due to a variety of work and family commitments. I'd like to thank him for the time he has been able to take on that role and for the valuable contributions he has made over that time to the Club. Jared has promised to not be a stranger, and come and grab a game or two when he is able.
Fortunately Raymond Undery has enthusiastically offered to take up the coordinatorship of Go, and I would like to welcome him on board the executive team. Go will be on Tuesdays still, though Ray is threatening to also have a second lunchtime a week for games, and start a little earlier on a Tuesday (from 12.30 pm).