Hello everyone in the AIKA and the Isshinryu Karate World.
Here is an email that Renshi Robert Slywa sent me. This is a repost by his request.
OKINAWA
GRADINGS
We returned on Monday 2nd June after a very successful grading trip for Jeff
McLauchlan and Jennifer Granato in Isshinryu. Master Uezu was very impressed
with Jennifer's kata performance and gave her high marks. So did master Nakahodo
whose dojo was used for the grading day. Jeff has been in Isshinryu for quite
some time and he started with us in OIKKA but then went to the I. He was not
happy with that and decided to complete his Shodan with OIKKA.
.
Jenn also just became grand champ in unisin kata demonstration division in the
ISKA World Cup Tournament.
Here are some pictures from the event:
Please read the next paragraph. It is important that we get updated information on all of our members.
I am in the middle of making a spreadsheet file of all members so we can get in touch with our members to promote future events and to make sure that every member of this organization have a say in any voting that takes place. We want your voice to be heard and count in the AIKA. If you have changed any contact info (email, phone number, address, rank, ect...), please email me or Shihan Furgason with this info. We need your help to make this organization to be great and grow to be better.
For more information on tournament and seminars, please click on the link below "A Message From Hanshi Furgason"
Please remember if you know of any AIKA or Isshinryu news or tournament and want them to be listed here please email me. Also if anyone has to have there contact info changed (So we can keep in contact with you), please email me or Hanshi Furgason with that information.
The holidays are behind us and a new year ahead. There are a lot of great things happening for the AIKA and Isshinryu. The 10th annual AIKA Grand Championships will be held in Houston this year. We all know that the AIKA will be be 11 in December 2009 but we regretfully had too much going on in 2008 to hold the tournament.
Its hard to believe that we are working on our 11th year. Our vision is a reality. With over 600 karate-ka we are not huge but we have a respectable number of members. It is not the quantity but the quality of our karate-ka that really impresses me. I have to congratulate Renshi Dan Munoz for the outstanding job he is doing as the AIKA secretary in keeping me up on the membership.
We have also started planning our 2009 trip to Okinawa. Every time I visit there is always something new. Our last trip in 2006 found the new monorail system completed in Naha. What would have taken 30 to 60 minutes by car (Downtown Naha) now takes 10 minutes and the view is incredible. From the train to the Budokan is about the same by foot. In 2002 we had karate-ka from Colorado and Texas. In 2006 it was Pennsylvania and Texas. I don't know who will be going this time but you will not be disapointed.
I want to congratulate Tracy Robinson on her well deserved promotion to Roku-Kyu. What a great attitude. I can sum it up to "never give up". Tracy was in an auto accident and was away from Isshinryu for an extended period of time. This also reflects the quality of karate-ka that I mentioned earlier.
I believe that I speak for AIKA board of representatives as well as myself in wishing you and your family a wonderful new year. You are the AIKA and we are proud to be affiliated with you.
Hanshi Phillip R. Furgason, Ku-Dan.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please click here to view upcoming Isshinryu Tournaments.
Thanks for all your time and remember to Email Me with any news
about the AIKA or Isshinryu you may have.
Yours In Isshinryu
Daniel Muñoz – Go Dan, Renshi-Go
O-Sensei Tatsuo Shimabuku
Email: CONTACT US
