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Volume 4 Issue 1 |
Editor: Dave Christman | Jan. 2002 |
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IN MEMORIUM: (1923 - 2002) George K. Izui, sensei 7th dan, Kyoshi Sadly we must report Izui sensei passed on January 25th. This man was my first contact when I went looking for kendo organizations here in the USA, way back in 1983. He was very important to kendo here in the Midwest, his gentle personality made him a favorite with all beginner's and he especially was my personal favorite. It is a great loss, but he has influenced and left behind a great many people who he changed for the better. I'm one of those people. I could have gone another way in this life, but I never wanted to disappoint him. He had a rough time early in life, and straightened his life's path also, and he loved to tell stories about his wild days in the northwest, and we would laugh for hours. I'll miss him terribly. It was with him we started the annual Mid West kendo summer camp. His life story is absolutely fascinating and I'm going to dig up some photos from the past of him. I traveled to his memorial service in Chicago Feb. 9th. To see the photos and read my report click here. Also you may read some tributes and anecdotes written by those who knew him click here. I also would like you to read this interview with sensei from 1988.
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Photo by James Williamson 1992 |
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Izui Sensei back in '83 at the first region-wide MW Summer camp, that is Dr. David Birdsell's RV in the Background. |
Izui Sensei sometime in the '90's reviewing iaido kata with Charles Ham at the summer camp at Camp Pinewood
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Dojo News......Our monthly practice (the 12th) of the kendo kata was poorly attended. Matsuura sensei and I taught one student for 2 hours......Barry Poulson, He didn't mind. He kind of jumped ahead In his kata training. I began to blame myself for not e-mailing everyone on the week before.......but Matsuura sensei says "Hey, they are not babies, they should remember" 2nd Saturday, every month is kata practice.
Tagawa sensei's visit / Jan 23rd
We had a surprise, kind of an unplanned visit from a top ranked sensei. Yoshiteru Tagawa (7th dan) Detroit kendo dojo was in the area, so he called me about a possible visit, and of course I said yes, come on down, Our normal practice is on Sunday, but what the heck? We got a few people together on short notice to show up on a Wednesday, and benefit from this great teacher. I want to mention them, as they did come on short notice...Jason Mills, Craig Dieringer, Luke Denison, Scott Melchi, Moses Rydall, Stefano Lassini. Matsuura and myself. What a great opportunity .....to learn from from a top level teacher. Especially in the hinterlands of the U.S. This man has contacts all over Japan and will be bringing some people over this year (I predict) that will surprise everybody in the U.S. Already he has announced he is bringing in the current All Japan (Emperor's Cup) Champion Hidenori Iwasa, 6th dan renshi, Tokyo Police Dept.
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We worked hard on MEN, what else ? Of course, the obliglitory group photo
Photos taken by Sonia Matsuura
For More Photos from that evening click here.
| Announcement: MKF Summer Camp is Scheduled for June 21-23, Kalamazoo College, MI |
Upcoming Events......
"OUR" Kata Seminar.....We (as a dojo) will be having a kata practice every 2nd Saturday of every month. That will be 1:00 p.m. to - 3:00 p.m. (minimum 2 hour practice). So this means... Feb 9th is our next practice. Tagawa sensei Seminar in Our Dojo.....Sensei will be back soon to help us further, we would like to get his assistance with more basics and the kata and some tips on our jiyu-geiko. We will try to do this on a Sunday in February, .....TBA Detroit Tournament-March 9-10th The 4th Annual Detroit Rensei Tournament, Tagawa has managed to bring in the current All Japan (Emperor's Cup) Champion to Detroit: Iwasa sensei. You can download the registration forms click here. US Team tryouts / Shogo/Kodansha exam-April 7th Chicago to host an area wide tryout for the US Team, also reps from the AUSKF will be holding exams for 5th degree and up. Cleveland Tournament-May 4th I will be receiving the e-mailed or mailed invitations, and will make copies for the dojo. Summer Camp-June 21/23rd This is the official date, it will be before the July 4th US Championships, but long after the MKF team selection process. There may be a "REAL BIG" surprise later announced about this camp this year. Soon you will click here to download registration, AUSKF National Championships- July 4-6 In Los Vegas, this is where our Midwest teams and go to compete once every 2 years
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"Freddie the "Bungler" is a creation of George Izui sensei in Chicago. He first started these cartoons to entertain and educate the youthful members of the Chicago Kendo Dojo many years ago. This corner of our Newsletter is dedicated to him, with different cartoon each month. |
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Each month I'll have a quote from Golf and Sports Psychologist Dr. Bob Rotello. Notice its similarities to kendo. GOLFER'S CORNER " As a competition approaches, I would advise against trying to fix anything. Within a week before a tournament, you don't have time to fix any fundamental flaws. You want to be training your mind to deal with tournament pressure."
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e-mail the editor: let me know your comments at: dtc12@attbi.com
