Year-End Review 2011
Remembering Don DePree April 17, 1942 – January 22, 2012
2011 Year-End Review 1 Continued on page 2
Presidents’ messages
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t is with a sad heart that I write this note to you. As many of you know, godan and SKA Executive Vice President Don DePree passed away on January 22, 2012. Like you, I cannot adequately express my feelings. His impact on our lives and our organization was immeasurable. Even in the last days of his life he was thinking of others. He devoted the last 30-plus years of his career to building and maintaining Shotokan Ohshima Dojo and making our organization a success. He did this largely on an individual basis, motivating one person at a time. If there is a single element of Don’s legacy we can point to, it would be his desire to see the organization continue to grow in strength and quality, and its members reach their very best level. I frequently refer to Don’s collection of notes that are organized in The Relevance of Karate to Everyday Life. Don was very humble about these notes, but they are a tremendous source of information and inspiration. He lists 16 traits that he felt each student of the art must continually strive toward. They include: patience, self-control, self-discipline, courage, benevolence, courtesy, honesty, humility, sincerity, decisiveness, strength of mind, awareness, perseverance, calmness, concentration (remaining mind), and clarity. Don exemplified these traits. He goes on to say that, we can change, and that these traits, like our art, must be practiced every day. Finally, he states, “How great it is that through Karate training these traits can be developed. “ Our job is clear. Strengthen our organization through improving ourselves by living these traits. Don would expect nothing less from us. As I finish this note, I can see from my window a powerful windstorm whipping up the sea surface. Although the skies are dark all around, there is an incredibly bright rainbow coming down from Heaven. My warmest wishes to you in 2012! — Ron Thom, President, SKA 2 2011 Year-End Review
When I originally wrote my message for this newsletter, Don DePree was very ill, but there was hope that he would recover. I didn’t think it was appropriate to mention Don’s condition at the time but now I am feeling overwhelmed by the loss of such a dear friend and great senior. Ohshima Shotokan and the DePree family have suffered a monumental loss. Don was more than a teacher, more than a tough kumite fighter, he was a tireless worker and devoted supporter of Ohshima Shotokan. We will miss you Don. My original message follows….
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would like to thank everyone for giving so generously to the Japan Relief Fund following the devastating earthquake in March. 2011 was another very active year for the members of Canada Shotokan Karate. Canada East seniors have been leading practices each month in Montreal, which attract members from as far away as Sept Iles and Port Cartier. In May the University of British Columbia Karate Club celebrated 40th years as an Ohshima Shotokan karate club. The same weekend, the 24th Annual Goodwill Cup tournament was held in Vancouver with University of Washington winning the team tournament. In October, Canada Shotokan members traveled to Tokyo to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Waseda University Karate Club and to attend exchange practices with the members of Shotokan Ohshima Dojo Japan. Every participant that I spoke with, particularly those visiting Japan for the first time, said they were so grateful for the experience and now had a deeper understanding of our karate heritage. Once again in 2011, Sensei’s practices at the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo were well attended. I hope that everyone will take advantage of the opportunity and attend at least one of Sensei’s practices in 2012 2012 marks 40 years since we formed Canada Shotokan Karate. I look forward to seeing all of you in Vancouver, August 10–12, 2012, to celebrate Canada Shotokan’s 40th Anniversary. — Norman Welch, President, Canada Shotokan Karate
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s black belts, it is our solemn responsibility to care for the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo. The es timated cost of maintenance of the building and grounds, taxes and utilities has come to around $110,000 annually for the past five years. Through fundraising efforts spearheaded by Don DePree, our costs were covered every year by generous donations from serious members. Last year, we announced a drive to find 110 people who would pledge to donate $1000 per year for the next five years. Don named it the “110 Club.” Happily I can say that the drive was successful and the maintenance costs for the dojo are now guaranteed for the next five years. During that time, we need to raise enough funds so that eventually the maintenance costs will be covered by interest generated by the principal. The principal will not be touched and will continue to grow. Our goal is to make the dojo secure for future generations. Thank you, once again, for those “110 Club” members who stepped up so strongly in this crucial drive. Don, of course, was one of the first to join the club. Many have worked hard over the years to support the organization, but no one loved the organization more or was more involved in caring for the Dojo than our late Executive Vice President, whose heart was as big as the sky. Our karate is not about money. Sincerity, loyalty and honestly living up to one’s obligations are always at the heart of our practice. Honesty and sincerity are the seeds from which grow humility, loyalty, valor, benevolence and all other important values that must be inherent to our practice. There can be no better exemplar than Don to show how this works in real life. We will miss him dearly. — Sincerely, John Teramoto, President, Black Belt Council
Remembering Don DePree April 17, 1942 – January 22, 2012
A memorial service held at St. Francis Xavier Church at the Maryknoll Japanese Catholic Center on Saturday, February 11, 2012, was well attended by many who knew and loved Don. On Sunday, February 26, a memorial practice will be held at the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo. Following the practice, Don’s ashes will be spread under his favorite oak tree near the Shotokan Ohshima Residence, according to his wishes. Please take the opportunity to record your favorite memories of Don, and what he meant to you. Then, submit them to the SKA online newsletter, where they will be compiled into a tribute to Don.
2011 Year-End Review 3
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Japan Trip 2011
Shotokan Ohshima Members Gather in Japan for Waseda’s 80th Anniversary
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by Kate Buenau and Sue Thom
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ctober 2: As members arrived at the vast International Terminal of Los Angeles International Airport, the excitement about the adventure we were about to experience grew. There were introductions, reunions between old friends, nervous conversations, smiles, and statements like “I can’t believe we are finally going to Japan.” When Ohshima Sensei appeared, the group turned to him with the same feeling in mind: “OK, we’re really on our way, and we have the opportunity to spend very special time with Sensei, let’s go!” In total, 28 members, friends and family members boarded a plane for Tokyo in the early afternoon. We heard that the international Shotokan Ohshima contingent would grow to over 150 by the time we gathered in Tokyo at the end of the tour to help Waseda University Karate Club celebrate its 80th anniversary. Our mood was tempered by the fact that Japan had endured tremendous hardship from the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March,11, 2011. Part of our mission was to “Encourage Japan” through being there for the Japan Shotokan members. SKA members had generously donated funds that were to be distributed to affected members immediately following our visit [see page 7]. October 3: We landed in Nagoya in the evening and were joined by additional members that had traveled separately, bringing our group to 44, including members from both SKA and Canada Shotokan. October 4: We began our tour with a free day in Nagoya to rest and begin acclimating to our new environment. While some in the group had been to Japan before, for many it was their first visit and everything was new. Many of us visited Nagoya Castle [pictured, above] before we met in the evening for a large and delicious meal at a shabu-shabu (hot pot) restaurant. October 5: We boarded a train that climbed into the mountains to the city of Takayama, then a bus to the historic village of Shirakawa-go [pictured, left]. This village, a World Heritage Site, has preserved traditional gassho-style buildings with heavily thatched roofs. The mayor of the village greeted us with a mochitsuki, or rice-pounding, ceremony. After a demonstration of the method of pounding
4 2011 Year-End Review
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Shogun. Kyoto is rich in shrines and temples, and popular destinations included Kiyomizu-dera, the Golden Pavilion [below, right], the Silver Pavilion, and the Yasaka and Heian Jingu shrines. Some members of the group took a day to travel to Hiroshima, while others stayed in Kyoto to visit the historic Gion geisha district, shop, attend shows and stroll the Philosopher’s Walk. On the third evening in Kyoto the group reconvened for a yakitori dinner before packing up to move on to Tokyo. October 10: Early in the trip, Sensei had been concerned about our group’s ability to make it all aboard
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the steaming rice, members of our group had the opportunity to try swinging the large mallets themselves. This proved to be an excellent (and amusing) exercise in timing. After eating some mochi, our group was split up to stay in several minshuku, small traditional inns. The rooms had tatami floors with futons and we dressed in yukata robes and slippers, which were hilariously undersized for many of the men in the group. That night and the next morning we enjoyed traditional meals cooked for us by the owners of the minshuku. October 6: In the morning we had the opportunity to explore and photograph the village during a break in the rainy weather. We continued our travels with a visit to the Gokayama traditional village and then Unazukionsen to enjoy the hot springs and a twelve-course seafood dinner. During dinner we experienced a small earthquake. Towards the end of dinner, there were several highly enjoyable karaoke performances by some of the more talented members of the tour. October 7-9: We traveled next to Kyoto, where we had two and a half days of free time. Tour members visited such places as Nijo Castle [top, left], where squeaky “nightingale” floors had been constructed to warn of the approach of any intruders that might threaten the
the Shinkansen, or bullet train, in the 90 seconds the train would wait at the station. Fortunately, after additional practice in the efficient boarding of trains, we achieved remarkable improvement. All of us, accompanied by stacks of bento lunchboxes, made it safely aboard for our ride to Tokyo. When we arrived, we were met by members of the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo Tokyo, who helped us navigate the local trains to the National Olympic Youth Center in Yoyogi, near Shinjuku, which would be our base of operations for the next several days. Joining us there were more members of Canada Shotokan, bringing our numbers close to 60. October 11: This was a day of trains, buses, taxis and a ferry. We started the day with rush hour in Shinjuku Station, which everyone should experience at least once in their lives. To ensure we all made it through the chaos, we broke up into smaller groups. With the diligent guidance of our SOD Tokyo and Waseda hosts and a few close calls, we all made it aboard the train. Our first stop of the day was Master Funakoshi’s memorial at Enkaku Temple amidst lovely and peaceful grounds. Sensei said a few words before we gathered around the memorial for a group picture [left]. We stopped next at Kamakura to visit the Daibutsu, or Great Buddha. After trains, taxis, 2011 Year-End Review 5
Japan Trip 2011
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the practice of martial arts at the Budokan Training Center [top left]. Sensei led us through some basics, stopping to give instructions and corrections in both English and Japanese. Next came jiyu-ippon gumite—first the entire group, then by rank. Yodans and godans had the opportunity to practice iai. For some of us, it was our first opportunity to formally practice karate in Japan, and in such a remarkable location. At times it was hard to believe this was really happening. After lunch we took a train back to Tokyo and our lodgings in Shinjuku hotels (for the couples) or the National Olympic Youth Center (for the singles), and had the opportunity to experience the spectacle of Shinjuku at night. October 13: We had a free day in Tokyo. Mr. Ono offered a morning practice that was well-attended. He started out by having everyone just stand, ready but relaxed, which is harder than it sounds. The next step was to walk very naturally but always ready to respond immediately to an attack—much harder than it sounds! Along with complete relaxation, Mr. Ono emphasized focusing 100% on your opponent and 0% on yourself, and never severing that connection even when you think nothing could possibly happen. The practice continued with some combinations, counterattack drills against partners, then jiyu kumite. As usual, Mr. Ono left everyone who attended his practice 6 2011 Year-End Review
with much to think about. October 14: Karateka from the United States, Canada, France, Israel, Switzerland and Spain gathered at the Olympic Youth Center for the first day of celebration hosted by the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo Tokyo [near left]. Ohshima Sensei led practice in the morning, followed by a lecture, demonstrations, and shiai. Each country demonstrated kata with an individual representative or as a group. SKA demonstrated Tekki Shodan, led by yodan Ed Lee. As the US delegation had only one brief practice together to prepare for the demonstration, what we lacked in organization we made up for in spirit. Following the demonstrations, a shiai was held with a seven-member team from the Shotokan Ohshima Tokyo Dojo facing seven international members in jiyu kumite, which the international team won. Later that afternoon, a tour of Waseda University was offered prior to a reception and dinner on campus hosted by SOD Tokyo. Speeches, awards and gifts were presented from representatives of the countries in attendance. SKA received a plaque from SOD Tokyo. October 15: For the celebration of the Waseda Karate Club’s 80th anniversary, karateka gathered in the Waseda dojo to have lunch, see Master Funakoshi’s calligraphy, and find Ohshima Sensei’s name on the senior ranking board [above]. We then moved to the somewhat larger kendo dojo for practice led by Mr. Ono. As part of practice, we did Heian Shodan [center]. Mr. Ono implored us to sense those around us and move as a group. This proved to be not only a useful exercise, but also a necessary one, as we stood nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow karateka. Failure to move as one might have been catastrophic! Waseda Dojo members and affiliated groups demonstrated kata, then a sue thom
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a ferry, more trains and a bus we arrived in Katsuura, home of the Budokan Training Center, and a dinner hosted by Mr. Ono and the Waseda University Karate Club. While the couples enjoyed a night in their most spacious rooms yet at a nearby hotel, the members of the group traveling singly had the novel experience of sleeping on tatami bunk beds. It was not hard to imagine attending Special Training here. October 12: We had our first official practice of the trip, led by Sensei, in the beautiful and enormous hall devoted solely to
Japan Relief Update
Shotokan Ohshima Dojo Donations for the Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Fund I hope that this letter finds you in good health and in high spirits. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your contribution towards the Great East Japan Earthquake relief fund. The Shotokan Ohshima Dojo donations we have received from the United States, Switzerland, France, Canada, Israel, Spain, Belgium and Japan have totaled 8 million yen. With the mandate to directly hand over the donations to the karate youths in the three Tohoku prefectures severely affected by the disaster, we have received tremendous support and assistance through the Karatedo Division of the All Japan High School Athletic Federation, the Japan Karatedo Federation, the Miyagi prefecture Karatedo Federation, and numerous organizations and local branches, as well as Yomiuri Shinbun’s Mr. Makoto Kito. From each of the organizations, we received substantial support ranging from identifying eligible recipients of the donation, list-up and distribution procedures, and numerous preparatory tasks. Owing to their assistance, we were able to successfully conclude the distribution of the relief fund contributions in its entirety. Along with Shihan Tsutomu Ohshima and Mr. Itanami Eichiro, the three of us travelled from October 21 through 24, to Sendai and Kakuda in Miyagi prefecture, Fukushima City in Fukushima prefecture, Miyako, Yamada High School, Kamaishi Shoko, Ofunato High School and Morioka in Iwate prefecture, and were able to personally hand the funds to about 70% of the recipients. For the remaining recipients, we contacted them and deposited the funds directly into their bank accounts. While we were made to realize the challenges of personally distributing the relief funds, witnessing the actual conditions surrounding the disaster victims and hearing their sincere words of gratitude made a far deeper impression upon us than any other. We owe this entirely to the warm support from all of you, and we are sincerely grateful for your generosity. — Yasunori Ono
Shotokan Ohshima Dojo Great East Japan Earthquake Relief Fund Office, Tokyo Sansei Fudousan, Inc. Beniya Bldg. 1F 3-4-2 Nishihara, Shibuya, Tokyo yasunori.ono@tokyosansei.co.jp
Waseda kumite team faced another team of international competitors in shiai. Sensei was honored in speeches by the Waseda University President and others for spreading Shotokan internationally. The evening continued with a semi-formal banquet to celebrate with plenty of food, more speeches, and a sake barrel ceremony. It culminated with attendees arm in arm, swaying to the singing of the Waseda song. While dressed in our finery, we met to take a final group picture [left, Mr. Ono and Senior Watanabe, inset]and express our great thanks to Sensei for the experience he gave us on this trip. October 16: Many members left for home. We profoundly appreciate Sensei’s organization of the Encourage
Summary Report of Relief Fund Distribution
Eligible high-school/middle-school karate club members from the three Tohoku prefectures (Eligibility was based upon meeting at least one of the following criteria: death of guardian; total destruction of house; loss of house to flood):
Miyagi prefecture 28 High school students (AJHSAF, MKF) . . . 86,000 yen/student 28 Middle school students (MKF) . . . . . . . 86,000 yen/student Iwate prefecture 33 High school students (AJHSAF) . . . . . . 89,000 yen/student Fukushima prefecture 2 High school students (AJHSAF) . . . . . . 89,000 yen/student Total recipients: 91 students Total distribution: 7,934,000 yen
Japan tour and the effort he put into making sure all members were safe, healthy, fed very well, and able to return home with many wonderful memories of Japan and its culture. We also thank Waseda University members and SOD Tokyo members for their hospitality and organization of events in Tokyo. We made many new friends within our tour group and with members from Japan and other countries. Events such as these, where members from around the world come together to train and celebrate, further strengthen the international Shotokan Ohshima family and show the impact Ohshima Sensei has had upon so many lives. — Kate Buenau and Sue Thom, Olympic Peninsula Shotokan 2011 Year-End Review 7
“Truth” “Sincerity” (Makoto)
Happy New Year! –Tsutomu Ohshima 8 2011 Year-End Review
2011 Year-End Review 9
membership report
2011 New Life M
2011 Sees Slight Rise in Membership
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hotokan Karate of America/Canada Shotokan saw a slight increase in the total number of members: 2,011 members in the year 2011. One of the highlights was that the number of new members, 395, was higher than in previous years. Since the annual attrition rate is about 20%, our aim is to attract 500 new members every year to maintain overall growth. SKA and CSK are comprised of 124 dojos, including the following five opened in 2011 under strong leadership. • Cordova Shotokan, TN, led by Steve Ethridge. This group will also be an affiliate of the local dojo group, Memphis Shotokan, led by yodan Robert (“Bobby”) Bird. • La Habra Shotokan, CA, led by Dan Gaeta, who has been a member of the Whittier dojo since 1991. • Twin Falls Shotokan, ID, led by Jesse Clark. • Long Beach Dojo, CA, advised by Albert Kubota and supported by Maryknoll. Practices are taking place at the Long Beach Japanese Cultural Center. • Stafford, VA, led by Dom Pizoli.
II. Efforts to Increase Membership
SKA encourages every dojo to have a marketing strategy or plan in order to recruit new members. The intention is to allow people who want to practice Shotokan Karate to find one of our dojos easily. A primary focus over the past year has been to increase the use of free online tools such as websites and Facebook.
The following dojos have added websites this year: Alta, CA; Boise State University, ID; Central Coast, CA; Chico, CA; Cordova, CA; La Habra, CA; Long Beach, CA; Memphis, TN; Philadelphia, PA; Salt Lake City, UT; Tri-Cities, WA; Twin Falls, ID Websites are one of the most important ways that prospective members find SKA/CSK, and it is no surprise that dojos with websites have a higher degree of success attracting new members. About 60% of our dojos have websites, and we are aiming for 100%. Dojo members are finding that having a high quality, up-to-date website not only is a great tool for recruiting new members, but also serves as a way to document the history of their dojo. In addition, members have enjoyed sharing the websites with family and friends. As we work to effectively communicate the values and benefits of SKA/CSK membership to the public, Facebook pages can be part of a standard dojo tool in addition to creating a dojo website. Facebook pages come up in search engine results, so anyone who searches for your location and “Shotokan” can probably find your dojo. Facebook also sends weekly statistics so dojos are able to monitor how many hits they receive per week. The reported number of hits at our dojos ranges from 4 to 5 per month to 20 to 30 hits per week. Most people check Facebook more frequently than websites, so it is a useful vehicle to disseminate news quickly and efficiently.
embers Yves Labranche . . . . . . . . . . La Prairie Elliott Evans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lawrence Cao . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elkins Seyha Chea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CSULB CSULB Moana Roberts . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taho e Michael Fernande z . . . Garden Grove
III. Efforts to Support Dojo Leaders A. Dojo Leaders’ & Managers’ Website We are in the process of creating an online destination to house information on starting and running a dojo successfully. Open to dojo leaders and managers, it includes helpful information such as: • How to obtain insurance for dojos and SKA-sponsored events • How to create a website for your dojo in three easy steps • How to update your dojo information on the SKA website • Sample documents for designing brochures • Quarterly membership statistics for individual dojos and regions • Dojo Leader’s Guide and the SKA Black Belt Manual We will continue to add content to the website and welcome suggestions and contributions. Dojo leaders and managers can access the website at: ska-dojo-leaders@googlegroups.com. Dojo leaders and managers can go to: Sites.google.com and log in using your google registered ID. If you are signing up as a new user, send an email to curt_wvong@yahoo.com and he will grant you access to the website. Dojo leaders or managers who have questions regarding the website, or are interested in creating a website may contact Curt Wvong. B. Sub-Regions—West After consulting Ron Thom, Don De Pree and other senior members, the Western Region—which includes over 60 dojos and half of the SKA national membership—was divided into smaller sub-regions. The two main purposes of creating sub-regions are to facilitate communication between SKA and dojo leaders, and to create stronger bonds among dojo leaders within a sub-region. Sub-regional directors are available to give guidance and support where and when needed. Pacific Northwest . . . . . . Nihad Khalaf Northern California . . . . . Craig Hamman Inter-mountain Region (Idaho, Utah, Montana) . Marty Cullenward LA Area . . . . . . . . . . . Marty McGrail & Lee Quintanar Long Beach/San Diego . . . Gary Shockley & Trung Pham Hawaii, Colorado, . . . . . . Jane Uyeda New Mexico, Arizona, Corpus Christi, TX We each have a responsibility to safeguard and polish the gift of practice with which we have been entrusted. Each of us can surely say that we have benefited from practice. It is our responsibility to ensure that this gift does not wither away, but is transmitted strictly and honestly to the next generation. We should adjust to reality and make use of the resources available to us to attract and retain members so that the practice of Shotokan Ohshima Karate continues beyond our own lifetime. “The Way: Who will pass it on straight and well?” — Jane Uyeda
Special thanks to Curt Wvong and Craig Hamman for their contributions to membership and marketing efforts, and to the sub-regional directors—Nihad Khalaf, Craig Hamman, Marty Cullenward, Marty McGrail, Lee Quintanar, Gary Shockley and Trung Pham— for their on-going support of, and dedication to, SKA. 10 2011 Year-End Review
Shotokan ohshima dojo funds
110 Club
110 individuals or groups committed to funding the maintenance of the SOD for the next five years (commitment of $1,000 per year for five years)
Daniel Afar David Affeld David Altman Patrick Angly Steven Binette Bobby Bird John Birdsall Hugh Bodie Boston Area Dojos Jocelyn Bourdeau Walter Branam Ben Chester/ Eric Harmon/ Scott Owens George Canjar Liny Chan Manfred Chiu Rosan Choi Rob Clark Frank Cole
2010
CSULB Karate Club Don DePree Gary Domingo Bernie Doyle Mike Duray Don Elmore Vladimir Fokin Foothill Shotokan Dave Gabai Kitty Gallagher Garden Grove Dojo Don Gee Gurmail Gill Allen Goessman Steve Gong John Gosink Louis Gottlieb Craig Hamman/ Olaf Tornblad
Ryan Hill Kingsley Hines Mitch Hiserote Alan Kazuta Deke Keasby Keith Kirk Peter Klimenko Joshua Krinsky/One Team Technologies Albert Kubota Mack Kusumoto Charles Lai Larry Lazarus David Lechuga Ed Lee Frank Lee Ron Lee Mark Lemke Mordecai Levine
lndianapolis Butler Dojo Pam Logan/ Mark Petrigac Dave lrey/ Travis O’Brien Stuart lwasaki Phil Lynn Mike Mantz Brad Markisohn Betsy Marvit/ Andrae Miller Maryknoll Dojo Marty McGrail Daniel McSween Paul Morgan Hiroko Mori Phil Morgan Joel Nitikman Ryan Okabe
Panagiotis Panagiotou Rob Powers Terry Race Karen Roberts Mavis Roe/Bill Smith Stephen Roe Jeff Ross Jim Sagawa Dan Sakurai San Francisco Dojo Michael Sanchez Phil Schacht John Schoneboom Daniel Shaeffer Nachum Sicherman Phil Sugino Doug Sumner SW Chicago Dojo
SOD Endowment
John Teramoto Kei Teramoto Ron Thom Daniel Trudeau James Uyeda Jane Uyeda Valley Shotokan Nancy Van Sickle Victoria Dojo/ Al Giesbrecht/ Brian Leung/ Gordon Wong Washington DC Dojo Ching Wee Norman Welch Phil Welker Mark Wilson Curt Wvong Vincent Yung (Six Open Spaces Remaining)
Funds that will accumulate untouched to ensure the future preservation of the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo
Daniel Afar John BIair John Blair, in memory of Nicole Blair Chapel Hill Shotokan Manfred Chiu Foothill Shotokan
Mack Kusumoto David Lechuga NorCal Shotokan Panagiotis Panagiotou Paula Piemonte Jim Sagawa Caroline Seeley James Uyeda
Jane Uyeda Xu Wang Curt Wvong 2011
Jay Alling David Altman PauI Betten Chapel Hill Dojo
Nora & Oleg Favorov Craig Hamman Brad Kindler Ford Kuramoto David Lechuga Los Angeles Dojo, in memory of Ken Hazama
Daniel Magyari Brad Marsh Betsy Marvit Robert McCarthy Pred Paul Jim Sagawa Cal Sakaniwa San Francisco Dojo
Phil Schacht Marlene Schoofs Michael Sipe Alexandre Tsapin Univ of Nebraska Shotokan John Weston
2 0 1 1 SH o t o k a n O h s h i m a D o j o P r a c t i c e s
From top: 2011 BBC Convention practice–February 6; Women’s practice–March 12;Women’s Jiyu Kumite practice–March 12; Self-defense Clinic–March 13; Brown Belt practice–May 21; Gate of Heaven practice–May 22; Nidan practice–April 3; 10th Annual Kids’ practice–July 2; Sandan practice–July 23. 12 2011 Year-End Review
From top: Nagewaza-Suwari-Geiko practice–July 23; Jiyu Kumite–July 24; Back to Basics–June 25; Open practice–August 7; Shodan practice–September 12; Senior practice–November 5; Jiyu Kumite clinic–November 19; Godan practice–November 6; Close Combat–September 3; End of Year practice–December 4. 2011 Year-End Review 13
2011 Member & dojo Awards
Members of the Year
The above symbol is the trademark of Shotokan Karate of America. The tiger was painted by the great Japanese artist, Hoan Kosugi, to honor Master Funakoshi who used it on the cover of his first book to symbolize strength and courage. Just as SKA’s teachings embody those of the Master, the words Shotokan Karate of America surround the tiger.
SKA National Headquarters
(Located at The Maryknoll Japanese Catholic Center)
222 S. Hewitt Street, Room 7 Los Angeles, California 90012 Telephone: 213-437-0988 Fax: 213-437-0889 Email: SKAHQ@earthlink.net Website: www.ska.org (username: ska password: kiai!)
Shotokan Karate of America Tsutomu Ohshima, Shihan BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Samir Abboud Raymond Berry Manfred Chiu Don DePree Christopher Hunt Dominick Pizoli Jose Rivera Kei Teramoto John Teramoto
David Altman Jocelyn Bourdeau Yoram Cohen Mike Duray Alan Kazuta Robert E. Clark Greg Scott Ronald M. Thom Jane Uyeda
OFFICERS
Ronald M. Thom, President Don W. DePree, Executive Vice-President Tim Yamauchi, Treasurer David Affeld, Secretary BLACK BELT COUNCIL
John Teramoto, President Kei A. Teramoto, General Manager REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Western US: Jane Uyeda Central US: Michael R. Lyon Eastern US: Marion M. Taylor; Assistant, Johnson Chung Canada East: Roland A. Duval Canada West: Robert E. Powers HEADQUARTERS OFFICE STAFF
Jan Dote, Secretary Design & editing
Natalie Severdia-Abboud Copyright ©2012, Shotokan Karate of America Inc. All rights reserved.
14 2011 Year-End Review
SKA-West Three years ago a movement began in Idaho that brought a new outlook, new faces, and new ideas to train as SKA members under Ohshima Sensei. It starts with an idea or vision, and the man who formed this is sandan Brock Loveland. Brock had been leading a small group in the Boise area for several years and, in spite of efforts to enhance training in Idaho by inviting seniors to visit and making some trips to California for Special Trainings and other activities, it saw a decline in Idaho activity and membership in SKA. Brock took it upon himself to change that. What better way to put a shot in the arm of karate training in Boise than to host a Special Training? With Sensei’s permission, Brock did just that. Working with the Salt Lake City dojo, Brock made all the arrangements. Acting as host and main organizer, Brock set up the date and facility, convinced the Salt Lake City group to participate, recruited a senior to lead the training, gathered his small band of juniors from his dojo and the few training at Boise State University, and put it all together. The result was the first Boise Special Training held in the fall of 2009. Though the number participating was small, the training went off without a hitch, and all who attended came away with the sense of having accomplished something big. Not long after, Brock organized the second Boise Special Training, held in the spring of 2011. While it too was attended by not so many, but more than the first time, there was a bigger sense of growth insofar as participants came from not only Idaho and Utah, but Oregon and Colorado as well. Clearly, the word is spreading, and Brock is the head clarion. During that time and since, Brock, along with sandan Craig Walters, has re-established the club at Boise State, in addition to teaching karate classes there. Brock is now organizing the third Boise Special Training for Spring 2012, which promises to be bigger and better yet. In addition to Special Trainings, Brock has been key in organizing other activities such as exchange practices with Salt Lake City, inviting seniors to lead joint practices, and in general, not only sustaining, but promoting SKA within the region. Brock has been a steadfast and loyal supporter of Sensei, the BBC and SKA throughout his years training in karate. His belief and trust in Sensei, and the Ohshima Method, is unwavering. Brock is the glue that keeps the Idaho groups together, so much so that you could say he is the patriarch of Idaho SKA. SKA-Central Keith Kirk came to SKA after many years with another karate organization. He quickly adapted to our practice and has become an inspiration in the Memphis dojo with the energy he brings to class and everything he does. He did a great job representing Midwest at Nisei Week, as well as at Spring in the South last year, and had a very strong summer Special Training. You’d never guess he’d recently recuperated from a full hip replacement! SKA-East Nachum Sicherman has spent many years of dedicated practice (since 1981). He has attended events in the United States, as well as at international anniversary celebrations. He has invested much time and effort in the Columbia University dojo, keeping it healthy and active. During the last year he set up an account with Amazon that has brought in significant income for the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo. He will surely continue to be an important part of SKA in the future. Canada-West Godan Al Goessman is recognized as Canada West’s member of the year for 2011. Al has been co-leading the Kamloops Club for more than 30 years and is showing no sign of slowing down. This year he visited Japan for the first time to attend the Waseda Karate Club’s 80th anniversary, and
Notices
then a few weeks later traveled to Santa Barbara to participate in the godan practice with Ohshima Sensei.
Canada-East Monique Letourneau joined CSK in Montreal at the La Prairie dojo after training with JKA. Completely dedicated to SKA/CSK, she is a role model for women of a “certain” age, and men, also, can follow her lead. She participates in all activities that are offered in her region. She knows no boundaries; her travels have brought her to Unity in 2006, Spain’s celebration, France, Israel, and of course joined the dojo’s annual pilgrimage to the SOD (Daniel Trudeau organizes a trip to the SOD for all ranks to practice and visit with Sensei and also dojos in the greater Los Angeles region. Her last travels brought her to Japan with Mr. Ohshima’s tour. Her only complaint is when she is asked to do a shorter practice than the younger members. Remember, she is of a “certain” age!
Regional Dojos of the Year SKA-West: Mountain View SKA Central: University of Nebraska SKA-National Dojo & Fundraiser of the Year
Last year at the BBC Convention, the Amazon-SKA project was announced. The project entailed enrollment with Amazon as an “AmazonAssociate,” naming the SKA as the recipient of all fees for purchases made by individuals that access the Amazon website via our link. From February 2011 through January15, 2012, SKA members and friends, using our link, have purchased 1203 items. The total sales amount was $44,262, and the proceeds (approximately 4%) were $1745. This project has the potential to generate larger amounts, as more members and friends make sure to use our link when buying with Amazon. (Search “Amazon” at www.ska.org/news for the link). This project was initiated by the Columbia University dojo, and is our Fundraiser of the Year!
Special Recognition
Of all the generous and hard-working volunteers who have faithfully spent the second Saturday of each month at the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo for the last 12 years, none have been more consistent and conscientious than Arlene Oto [not pictured] and Georgianna Mitchell [pictured, right]. For 12 years, they have unswervingly been the first ones on scene, and the last to leave, often staying late after tea with Ohshima Sensei to get the job done. They have unflinchingly and cheerily cleaned literally every square inch of our beautiful dojo, from top to bottom—practice floor, registration, library, changing rooms, bathrooms, showers—without any complaint or hope of recognition. As we all blithely come to practice in a sparkling clean dojo time after time, we should take a moment to appreciate Arlene and Georgianna’s incredible gift to us and their unselfish, steadfast efforts on behalf of Ohshima Sensei and SKA. Also receiving Special Recognition, for his organization of Sensei’s Japan Tour and distribution of Japan Relief Funds, is Yasunori Ono, President of Shotokan Ohshima, Japan.
Canada Shotokan to Celebrate 40th Anniversary in August Canada Shotokan Karate is very pleased to announce that all of the information necessary to register for the 40th Anniversary (August 10–12, 2012), is now posted at: http:// canadashotokan.org/en/events/csk40.shtml. This includes: invitation, agenda, registration, hotel options, lunch options, and travel directions to the Saturday venue. Hotels in Vancouver fill up very quickly for the summertime, so we encourage all members to register early. We look forward to seeing all members of the Shotokan Ohshima family in Vancouver next August!
Well Update
Are we there yet? Our well water supply was brought online this summer and taken for a spin. In the spirit of stomping on the gas pedal and watching the speedometer, we found that the system was achieving 70 gallons per minute before becoming unhappy at something. Where I come from, not having an experiment explode is considered a tremendous success. Two lines of effort are on the map. First, the power converter (Variable Frequency Drive) needs further work. Bringing in 3-phase from the utility company was out of our price range, so we designed for converting from existing single phase power to drive the well pump. We are reviewing the implementation and running checks as practicable. Secondly, we need additional distribution from the well supply. Not all sprinklers are connected yet. Our gardener needs easier access and updated instructions to redirect certain sprinklers from city to well supplies. Looking forward also to formal testing of water quality for those chemicals with long scientific names, with gratitude to early taste-test volunteers. — Manfred Chiu
2011 Nisei Week Tournament Results Individual Competition: 1st:Richard Matsushita–Maryknoll 2nd: Keith Kirk–Memphis 3rd: Andrae Miller–San Leandro Women’s Competition Finals: 1st: Betsy Marvit–San Leandro 2nd: Kathy Stewart–Simi Valley Team Competition: 1st: Bay Area (Jeremy Murphy, Betsy Marvit, Andrae Miller) 2nd: West Coast Team (Richard Matsushita, Amor Adams, Trung Pham) 3rd: Midwest Team (Keith Kirk, Rachel Kirk, Greg Metzgar) Brown Belt Competition Finals: 1st: Derek Yee–Caltech 2nd: Reggie Costner–Ontario 2011 Year-End Review 15
2011 dojo fund donors Shotokan Karate of America gratefully acknowledges our 2011 donors for their generous financial support of the Shotokan Ohshima Dojo. Individual Donors Anonymous Abboud, Samir Acosta-Jensen, Melissa Affeld, David Aguilar, Hector Altman, David Angly, Patrick Aurand, Jason Baker, Carolyn Ballandras, Rachel Bankes, Steve Barrow, John Bartel, Lori Baruch, Guy Bauer, Michael Bemis Jr, Richard Berry, David Birdsall, John Blair, John Blaschko,Thomas Bode, Hugh Bond, Raymond Boyes, Edward Breen, Daniel (Donal) Brenner, Mark Brittingham, Mia Buenau, Kate Camba, Joe Camilleri, Margo Canon, Michael Chaffey, John Chapman, Kent Chase, Bill Chester, Benjamin Chiamori, Steve Chiu, Manfred Christopher, William Ciesielski, Wayne Clark, Robert Cohen, Ran Cole, Franklin Couture, Aristide Couvignou, Philippe Cutler, Josh Daniels, Ardela Dedrick, Jason Del Castillo,Vivian DePree, Don Dermer, Richard Dicken, Donald Domingo, Gary
Doyle, Bernie Drennen, John Dresben, Fred Dulaney, Richard Dumbrill, Richard Duray, Michael Duval, Roland Ear, Ek Eisenberg, Rand Eisenberg, Max Enriquez, Oscar Espie, Sandrine Ethridge, Steven Favorov, Nora Favorov, Oleg Felikian, Gina Fellows, Kevin Ferguson, Ian Finch, Christopher Fokin,Vladimir Francis, Joel Franks, David Gaeta, Daniel Gaiki, Aditya Galayda, John Gallagher, Kitty Gamble, George Gan, M.D., Seng-Ian Gaudier, Juan Carlos Gejdos, Igor Gill, Gurmail Glaze, James Goessman, Kurt Goldman, Sam Goldstein, Peter Gosink, John Gottlieb, Louis Grable, Daniel Haines, Jesse Hamman, Craig Heller, Joel
16 2011 Year-End Review
Henrikson, Gregg Henson, James Herold,Valerie Heyman,Thomas Hines, Kingsley Hiserote, Mitch Hoang,Tram Hochberg,Tim Hogan, Allan Holden, Jefferson Honick, Jeffrey Howard,Thomas (Jay) Howe, Stephen Hughes,Yoshiko Hume, Steve Hunt, Christopher Ingham, Joseph Jakubowski, Wojtek James, Daryl Jones, Mark E Jones,Vance B Jung, Cynthia Jung, Natalie Kanazawa, Minako Kanegai, Bruce Karpicke, John Karras Jr, George Kawana, Koji Kazuta, Alan Keasbey, Deke Keltner,Todd Khalaf, Nihad Khan, Hashmat Kim, Moon-Ja Kindler, Brad Kirk,Terry Kitchens, Mark Kohagura, Mark Kojic, Goran Kono-Soosaipillai,Yuka Kusumoto, Mack
Labranche, Martin Labranche,Yves Ladjimi Jr, Pete Lai, Charles Laine, Pekka Lanzner, Robert Lazarus, Lawrence Lechuga, David Lee, Edward Lee, Frank Lee, Ron Leger, Francois Levine, Mordecai Livermore,Thomas Logan, Pamela Lovoy,Timothy Lykins II, Alexander (AJ) Lynch, Collin Lynn, Philip Lyon, Mike Maidaa, Ibrahim Margitich, Irene Markisohn, Brad Markush, Dan Marsh, Bradford Marsh, Mela Martin, James Marvit, Betsy Matsuda,Tommy Mays, Loren McClain, Sr.,Virgil McCullough, Milton McGinnis, Sean McGrail, Martin McKay, John McKeever, David McKowan, Sheila McSween, Daniel Mikhail, Peter Miller, Andrae Mireles-Cordova, Ricardo
Miyata, Gavien Morales, Danie Morales, Nicolas Mori, Hiroko Morikawa, Masahiro Morishita, Paul Morissette, Marc Mulele, Adrian Murphy, Jeremy Myerson, Lin Myott, Earl Naify, Michael Nersessian, Robert Nitikman, Joel Noe, Larry O’ Neal, Matthew Okabe, Ryan Oswald, Richard Overton, Douglas Panagiotou, Panagiotis Pangrle, Barry Parish, David Paul, Pred Paxton, Anne Peattie, Michelle Pelechaty, Stefan Peretz, David Pham,Trung Pizoli, Dominick Pool, Frederick Powers, Elizabeth Prantis, Richard Quintanar, Lee Race,Terry Rajaratnam, Eugene Ramirez, Esteban Raso, Leah Richardson, Paul Rickabus, Adam Rinn, Roger Rivera, Jose
Roberts, Moana Robinson, Bradford Rodriguez, Jorge Rogan, Nikola Rose, John Rose, Mitchell Rosendahl, Benjamin Rosenfeld, David Ross, Douglas Roytman, Sergej Sagawa, James Sakurai, Dan Saly, Matthew Schacht, Phillip Schindler, Stacey Schmidt, Bruce Schmitt, David Schuman, Robert Schumann,Thomas Seeley, Carolyn Selhi, Richard Setsuda, Russell Sheff Sr, Richard Shelley, James Shinakov, Alexander Shintaku-Ladd, Linda Shockley, Gary Shoemaker, Samuel (Jedediah) Siemon, Mark Silverstein, Evan Smith, Roy So, Danie Sposili, Robert Srinivas, Sankaran (Jeena) Stewart, Emily Sugino, Philip Teramoto, Beth Teramoto, Emily Teramoto, John
Teramoto, Kei Teramoto, Megan Thom, Ronald Thomas, Alun Thomas, Ieuan Thomas, Liam Uehara, Allen Uyeda, James Uyeda, Jane Vallee, Claude Varos, Drew Viswanathan, Ganesh Wafer, Ronald Ward, Scott Waterhouse,Timothy Watson,Thomas Weaver, Chip Wee, Hoi-Ching Welch, Norman Weller, Gregory Wiewandt, Jerry Williams, Jerome Williamson, Charles Wilson, Mark Winch, Jesse Wright, Jason Wu, Su-Lin Wvong, Curt Yamamoto, Geoffrey Yates, Sean Yee, Derek Yoshioka, Melvin Yu,Ted Yung,Vincent
Dojo Donors Canada-West Region Chapel Hill Columbia University CSULB Shotokan France Shotokan Indianapolis NorCal Groups Redding SacramentoEl Dorado Hills San Diego-Encinitas San Leandro Simi Valley Stanford U of Nebraska Total Donations $64,965.00