Mid-America Karate
Greer Golden, Chief Instructor
Martin Vaughan, Assistant Instructor
James M. Nelson, Executive Director
9192 Norbury Dr., Swartz Creek, MI 48473-1167
PHONE 810-635-7841 FAX 810-635-2189 CELL 810-252-7696
E-Mail: MidAmericaRegion@aol.com
3rd Quarter 2009
THE MID-AMERICA MONITOR
October, November, December 2010
FALL HIGHLIGHTS
FALL CAMP 2010
By Kim Weber
Fall Camp was taught this year by Sensei Takamichi Maeshima, from the I.S.K.F. Headquarters in Philadelphia. This was his first visit to Mid-America. Mr. Maeshima came to camp highlighting a few basic topics and a variety of ways for us to practice them.
One of the topics Sensei taught involved rotating on your body’s axis. He demonstrated this idea using a broom stick and a belt to represent a student’s center of gravity as they performed a turn. He explained that one should move their center of gravity over their pivot foot, rotate, then move into their next stance. Next we practiced a related drill starting in a right foot forward front stance with a right rising block. We had to quickly turning 360 degrees back to the starting position. Trying to keep our form was difficult, but performing the turn completely was nearly impossible and rather comical to watch.
Another subject related to the body’s center was to move your body/center first, then allow the reaction to happen. Sensei Maeshima called it “action, then reaction”. Action = move your hips/tanden first; reaction = the rest of your body moves. He coached us thru a variety of moving basics to help us understand this idea. I especially noticed improvement moving in kokutsu-dachi using this idea.
Sensei reminded us that our belt should be tied snug around our body and should sit just below our belly button at our tanden area. It is also important that we tense/push against our belt during karate movements. This practice can be applied to everything else we did during the weekend.
Our non-training time was spent socializing, and resting up for the next training. A special treat for some was having Sensei Maeshima give us a few ideas for self-training after our Saturday evening dinner.
Fall Camp was a great experience, one that I intend to share with our dojo.
Below is a drill we performed during the Sunday training.
TURNING DRILL
Taught by: Sensei Taka Maeshima at Fall Camp, Oct. 17, 2010
This drill is good for working hip rotation and turning on your axis. The drill goes in a circle, ending facing forward, with the opposite leg forward so you are able to work the other side.
Start with left leg forward, freestyle stance.
- Step forward into front stance, punch chudan.
- Rotate counter clockwise 270 degrees, into back stance, knife hand block.
- Back leg front kick, step forward into front stance.
- Rotate counter clockwise (270 degrees) into front stance, reverse rising block.
- Step forward into front stance, reverse punch chudan.
- Rotate counter clockwise (270 degrees) into front stance, inside/outside block; reverse back fist.
- Rotate clockwise (90 degrees) into front stance, down block; reverse punch chudan.
Mid-America Karateka Shine at 2010 ISKF National Tournament
By Jeffrey Weber
On November 6-7, 2010, Mid-America competitors along with their friends and families traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the 2010 ISKF National Tournament. The weather, this year, was quite a bit warmer than the last time the National Tournament was held in Sioux Falls. This made going out for dinner, a little more enjoyable.
Mid-America Competitors performed well and placed in numerous events. The Tournament started with the Youth Competitors. Noah Kennedy competed in the intermediate youth division aged 10-11 and placed third in Kata and second in Kumite. Eddy Vaughan competed in the advanced youth division aged 12-13 and placed third in Kata and first in Kumite. Robert Parkhurst competed in the intermediate youth division aged 14-15 and placed third in Kata and third in Kumite. Finally, Michael Parkhurst, Jr. competed in the advanced youth division aged 16-17 and placed third in both Kata and Kumite.
The Mid-America Collegiate competitors, all from Ohio State University, also performed well and placed as follows: Carolyn Aldana competed in the Intermediate division and placed third in Kata and first in Women's Kumite. Hatem Leghuel also competed in the Intermediate division and placed first in Kata and second in Men's Kumite. Martin Maquivar competed in the Advanced division and placed second in Kumite. The Combined Team Kata (Carolyn Aldana, Hatem Leghuel, Derek Reichel) placed second, and the Ohio State Men’s Team Kumite (Adam Clouser, Martin Maquivar, Derek Reichel) placed first.
The next event the spectators watched was the Senior Division. The Senior Kata Team was made up of Carol Glenn, Wendy McVicker and Chiho Bare. The ladies placed first. The individual events had impressive results as well which found Kim Weber placing fourth in Kata. Additionally, Carol Glenn went to the "Show" on Sunday and placed first in Women’s Kumite. Jeff Weber also qualified to compete on Sunday and placed second in both Kata and Kumite.
The final events on Sunday included the Adult Black Belts. The Mid-America Men's Kata Team (Greg Hoplamazian, Martin Schrager, Eric Oswald) competed with a respectable Kata and brought home third place medals. Additionally, Greg Hoplamazian performed well individually, and placed fourth in Kata and third in Kumite. Greg also made the men’s ISKF/US Kumite Team, and will compete at the Goodwill Tournament at Master Camp in 2011.
Fifteen Pass Dan Exam
Mid-America once again welcomed Master Okazaki to the Region on Saturday, December 11, 2010, for our annual dan exam and clinic. Eighty-five karateka from around the Region, and one special guest from Pennsylvania, Andrew Perpich, participated in the clinic, and seventeen took part in the dan exam. Master Okazaki gave us a great technical clinic and then asked the instructor trainees to teach different aspects of several of the heian katas. They did an excellent job, and gave us some new ideas for kata application.
Below is a list of those who passed their dan exam. Congratulations on a job well done!
Sho dan
Mike Baker, Brown County
Greg Esz, Brown County
Alex Grooms, Brown County
Karl Helsinger, Dayton
Bobby Jones II, Brown County
R. Joshua Snyder, Brown County
Jason Tice, Indiana ISKF
Ni dan
Craig Carmody, Dayton
Laura Graham, Brown County
Joji Ishikawa, Indiana ISKF
San dan
Timothy Gay II, Creekside Karate
Robert Hensley, Brown County
William A. Johnston, Dayton
E. Jan Wilson, D.O., Phd., Brown County
Yon dan
Martin Schrager, Ohio Valley Karate
Following the dan exam, a large group of karateka retired to “The Old Bag of Nails” for a luncheon and refreshments. We were joined by Sensei Vaughan, Sensei Oberschlake, and Master Okazaki. The next dan exam will be held at Michigan summer camp on July 9, 2011.
Recognition and Awards
Youth Character Development Award Given to Sam Utley
By Dr. Martin Vaughan
Sam Utley, one of the original students of the Indiana ISKF dojo, was recently recognized by the Greater Indianapolis YMCA as the Youth Character Development Award winner for the West District YMCA. Sam is a nidan and an assistant instructor of karate at the West District YMCA. Sam has been an integral part of the Karate Kids (ages 6-9) class for about 5 years. He has worked (and played) closely with the children in the class. Sam provides the fun in the class. Parents have told me on many occasions that Sam was one of the strongest reasons that their child wanted to continue with the class. Sam is a tremendous role model. He is bright, mature, responsible and dependable, words not often associated with a 17 year old. Sam has grown as a karate player and instructor and he has great technical skill and the ability to transfer that skill to students in the class.
Sam is a junior and an honors student at Ben Davis high school in Indianapolis, Indiana
Firefighter of the Year
The Forest Hills Journal, Sept. 29, 2010
If there is a fire, Lieutenant Jeff Weber is likely to figure out the cause.
Weber, who is the team leader for fire investigation with the Anderson Township Fire and Rescue Department, was recently chosen as Firefighter of the Year by American Legion Post 318. "His dedication with that team is second to none," Fire Chief Mark Ober said at a recent meeting announcing the award. Jeff discovered his passion for fire investigation a few years after he became a full time firefighter and paramedic in 1990, and hasn't looked back since.
"I enjoy the challenges that each case gives and each case can be different," Weber said.
Ober said that Weber has been successful with many fire investigation cases and is well-respected among his peers.
He served as commander for the Hamilton County Arson Task Force for four years and is a special deputy with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.
"I've focused on fire investigation for the past several years. It's where my heart is," he said.
The Importance of Attending Master Camp
By Dr. Martin Vaughan
Everyone knows that people go to Master Camp for the quality food. But seriously, people go to Master Camp for the quality instruction. Master Camp represents a tremendous value in training camps. When compared to training camps across the country and around the world none can compare to the quality of instruction, the number of instructors or the access to these instructors. This is truly our chance to train with the best instructors of Shotokan karate in the world. This year the instructors will include our own Masters Okazaki and Yaguchi as well as members of the ISKF technical committee. They will be joined by guest instructors Miura (SKI, from Italy), Ochi (JKA, from Germany) and Takahashi (recently of the JKA and founder of the Traditional Shotokan Karate Federation, from Japan and Australia). All of our members who have attended Master Camp recently will attest to the quality training provided by Miura sensei and Ochi sensei. This will be Takahashi Sensei’s second visit to Master Camp. Those who trained with Takahashi Sensei last year will recall his strict, hard, basic training that is derived from his long and recent association with the JKA and his commitment to the principles of the dojo kun. Some of our more senior members will remember Takahashi Sensei from a visit he made to Mid-America as a member of the JKA team in 1976.
As the ISKF continues to grow and add new member countries (11 since August 2009) and associate members, Master Camp is indeed an international
event. Because of the increase in members there is an increased opportunity to renew old friendships and form new international friendships. These exchanges of goodwill are the basis of mutual understanding from our common experience of karate training that Okazaki Shihan tells us is the basis of peace in the world. Also the increased international nature of the camp makes the annual Goodwill tournament, held the last two days of the camp, truly an international event.
It is important that the ISKF/US members attend to serve as good examples for these new international members. The best way for new members to appreciate the ISKF is to experience the instruction, training, tradition and people of the ISKF. This can most conveniently be done by attending Master Camp. It is particularly important for the members of Mid-America to attend and be a part of the good example. This will maintain and increase the profile of Mid- America not only in the US but also in the world, and thus continue the growth and maturation of the Mid America region and its members.
Great instruction, training, competition, friendship, and value are all part of the 45th annual Master Camp. Remember that the limited number of registrants may fill more quickly this year considering the increased international participation. Please register early to insure your participation in this special event that will certainly improve the quality of your training.
Letter
Happy New Year Everyone!
Our 45th Anniversary ISKF Master Camp and International Goodwill Tournament brochure is up on the ISKF web site. Click on Events and you can print out the brochure. The dates for this year's camp are June 10th - 17th, 2011. I suggest you get your registrations in as early as possible. Last year we filled the camp and we expect to do so again this year. It is very exciting to be part of the ISKF and many of our international members will be joining us for the first time. As always we are so fortunate to have wonderful instruction and this year is a record banner year as we will have as instructors at Master Camp: Masters Yutaka Yaguchi, Hideo Ochi, Masaru Miura and Shunsuke Takahasi as well as our very own Teruyuki Okazaki Shihan.
For those of our ISKF family that need to obtain the visa to attend and would like a letter of invitation, please submit your request to ISKF Headquarters as soon as you can. It has been our experience that the earlier you begin the process the better.
We are very much looking forward to meeting new friends as well as having a family reunion with our old friends.
We hope to see all of you there.
Please contact me at ISKF Headquarters if you have any questions regarding our Master Camp.
Lois Luzi
ISKF Headquarters
Mid-America Calendar
January 15-16, 2011-11:30 AM...
Winter Camp
Ben Davis High School
Indianapolis, IN
February 12, 2011
Regional Training-11:30 AM
Willis Intermediate School
Delaware, OH
March 12, 2011
Regional Training-11:30 AM
Willis Intermediate School
Delaware, OH
April 16-17, 2011
Spring Camp
On the Campus of OSU
Columbus, OH
May 21, 2011
Regional Tournament-11:00 AM
Willis Intermediate School
Delaware, OH
May 22, 2011
Regional Board of Director’s Meeting
-Time to be Determined
Comfort Inn
Delaware, OH
June 10-17, 2011
ISKF Master Camp
Greenlane, PA
July 8-10, 2011
Michigan Summer Camp
YMCA Camp Copneconic
Fenton, MI
August 19, 2011-6:30 PM
Regional Training Brown County Dojo
Hamersville, OH
August 20, 2011-11:00 AM
Golf Outing
Friendly Meadows Golf Course
Hamersville, OH
September 17, 2011-12 PM & 5 PM, Sunday, September 18-9:00 AM
Regional Team Training
Creekside Karate Club
Youngstown, OH
October 15, 2011-12 PM & 5 PM, Sunday, October 16-9:00 AM
Fall Camp
On the Campus of OSU
Columbus, OH
November 4-6, 2011
ISKF/US National Championships
ISKF National Championships
Denver, Colorado
December 10, 2011
Clinic and Dan Exam-11:00 AM
Willis Intermediate
Delaware, OH
Chip Poirot Wins $50.00 Scholarship for best answer to “Moral to the Story!” |
