Go news: Welcome Bob Watson!

I want to take this opportunity to welcome Bob Watson to the Club.

Bob has been enthusiastically promoting Go on UniSQ Toowoomba campus this year and has agreed to bring his efforts under the umbrella of the Club to become the official coordinator for Go.

Bob has grabbed the Club’s boards, stones and banner, and is looking to set up in the Refectory a couple of times a week, and has taken responsibility for the our links with the Queensland Go Society.

I will continue to look forward to playing the odd game and love to see the new faces that Bob brings into the Club!

Vale Jim Stackpoole, shihan, OAM

It is with sadness I report that Jim Stackpoole shihan lost his fight against lymphoma on Thursday.

Jim was a giant in the Queensland Jujutsu and Judo communities, with his influence and instruction touching many in this State and beyond. He was for many years the Queensland State representative for the Australian Jujitsu Federation, a frequent officiator at Judo Queensland events and central to the running of nationally-recognised jujutsu instructor accreditation courses.

Stackpoole shihan was critical to the foundation of our Club. He provided support to me when I first attempted to start jujutsu classes in Toowoomba, giving me a fair hearing against the false accusations made by the head of the previous organisation I had been a member of. He was the first to reach out to me from the jujutsu community in Queensland and to invite me to his School’s open events. He always encouraged me to continue practising, teaching and promoting jujutsu and the other martial arts I have been involved with.

Jim is survived by his wife Meladee, his children Steffi-Louise, Chris, Randal, and Amanda, and grandchildren Katie and Brody. His funeral will be held at 11:00 am Wednesday 17th August at Victory Centre, 32 Carseldine Road Bridgeman Downs.

Australian Jodo Championship and Seminar

This weekend marks the first of the Club’s major hosting commitments for the year of special events and seminars, with the Australian Jodo Championship and Seminar kicking off 8:30 am on Saturday 30 April.

We will be mostly on Court 1 of the Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre for the long weekend, hosting senior jodo practitioners and teachers from interstate. Dan gradings will be held on Saturday morning, and if there are sufficient numbers/interest there will be a number of grade-relevant competitions held as well.

Participation is limited to current QKR members, and the cost is $80 per person. Tickets can be booked through the Jodo Board’s EventBright site at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/akr-national-jodo-seminar-grading-tickets-310193435917

I would like to invite anyone interested to see what Jodo looks like to come and join us over the weekend, as spectators are free. And do consider coming along of a Thursday night from 6:30 to train if what you see tickles your fancy!

QKR/AKR events calendar in Toowoomba

As noted, Saturday kicks off the start of a very busy schedule for the Club hosting special events. The current calendar is:

  • Australian Jodo Seminar and Championship 30 April–2 May

  • Queensland Kendo Renmei State Seminar 2–3 July

  • Australian Iaido Seminar and Championship 30 July – 1 August

  • Toowoomba Tsubaki Taikai (kendo) and SEQ regional grading 17–18 September

Additionally, I am scheduled to head up to Gin Gin 17–19 June to run a jujutsu grading opportunity and get some polish on practice for grading opportunities at the State seminar.

I am hoping that we will be able to kick off some more community awareness of what we are doing at the Club, and start a renewed enthusiasm in those that, for a variety of reasons, have found it difficult to come in and train over the past few months.

AGM and new Club year

The Club’s Annual General Meeting was held Saturday early evening to meet our or constitutional obligations and set out the key personnel who will be carrying the Club forward over the next 12 months.

Three of the four core executive positions have been filled by vote of those attending the meeting. Re-elected are:

  • Michael Baczynski; President

  • Brady Albrand: Secretary

  • Grant Vickery: Treasurer

Minutes from the AGM, and the President’s and Treasurer’s reports will be put on the Club website in due course

The Position of General member has been left vacant at this time as the sentiment of the meeting was that the person preferred for the role was not able to attend the meeting, and we would like them to have the opportunity to accept the nomination.

The extended Executive team will all be announced in the next fortnight once we sort out some of the particulars of the year going ahead.

Thank you to everyone who could participate on Saturday! I will look forward to continuing to work with everyone over the coming 12 months to continue doing the good work we have delivered over the past 14 years!

Membership always has benefits …

One of the things that has happened over the past few months is that there has been a bit of a drop off in the participation rate with our regular classes, and a few of you who are attending regularly are still to renew for the new year.

Just by way of a reminder, in order to be covered by insurance to train with us, you do need to ensure that you are financially up to date with your membership/insurance obligations.

This year, as a thank you to all the members who have renewed, you will be receiving a Club-branded metal water bottle featuring the amazing Sian Carlyon-designed Club mon (logo).

Core Membership is free for any currently enrolled USQ student (though you will need to pay for affiliation/insurance fees for specific disciplines as you participate in them), and we are one of the least expensive options around for ongoing class participation.

Tozando order about to be placed…

One of the distinct benefits of membership is that we are able to use the Club’s status to secure discounts on the purchase of martial arts related equipment.

We are about to place our first order for the year and today is the last chance you will have to get your list lodged with Sean and I, and to put your money in to the Club’s purchases account.

For those wanting to participate, the account to put your money into is:

Bun Bu Ryo Do – The USQ Martial Arts Club
BSB: 638-060
Account No: 15321398

Which is different from the usual account that we get you to put training fees etc into. If you have put your money in the wrong account, please let us know ASAP so that it can be fixed up ready for our purchase.

Equipment orders

We are wanting to put in an order with Tozando for the coming week, so if anyone has gear they wish to add to the list please let either Sean or myself know by Thursday.

While we no longer get a direct shipping benefit from a larger order, the percentage discount that we get on Tozando-branded items increases the larger the order is. Remember that you have to be a current financial member (or registered USQ Student member) to get in on the discounts!

AGM (take two)…

Unfortunately, there was too few of us available yesterday afternoon, even from the extended executive to be able to hold a quorate AGM. Therefore, we will be holding it after Jujutsu training on Saturday 23 April, with Zoom links for those not physically present.

We will be announcing a few new directions for the Club at the AGM, so please come along either in person or virtually to discuss where we intend to go over the next 12 months!

Please make sure that you have paid up your annual dues by this time, and any questions you have, please direct them to either Grant on myself.

Mr Toad's wild ride (COVID edition)

It will be nice to be able to return to training this week, after a significant portion of disruption had been heaped on a number of the Club’s seniors and instructors over the past three weeks. Trips away for family reasons, in support grading opportunities, recovering from illness, and attend to other commitments have certainly put a dent in the regular schedule, so many apologies particularly to new members who were affected by that.

For myself, I seem to have properly come out of my one week COVID isolation relatively intact, though feeling the effects of not having moved very much for the past six days. I’m back to work, and back in the dojo, from tomorrow, though I foresee needing to take things at just a slightly less hectic pace than usual until I get to find my rhythm back.

At this stage, all should be “normal” from tomorrow. Jujutsu, Systema and Iaido art all due back in the dojo and online, Thursday Tom Johnson is likely to Zoom in to provide some feedback on Jodo, and we are expecting some new folk for Kendo, and Saturday ought be a full compliment of classes at the usual times.

As always, make sure that your contact details are up to date, that you regularly check the Club’s social media channels and/or are a member of a chat channels, just in case things might change at short notice (here is hoping that this is not the case for this week).

And as always, I’ll look forward to seeing you in the dojo!