Summer 2021 Rebekah Call, Editor

Message from the Administrative Group blackbelts with an additional discount. For the first time, Technology is not something we we have also included a digital store for digital items. We typically think of as useful to are also able to create store pages just for courses. other than for . Right before the Events and Clubs COVID-19 pandemic, we began Course registration and information are all easy to holding VIP zoom sessions where we access and manage through the events page. shared new practice exercises with Another new feature is a club page for each club each other. This helped us connect managed by the club instructor so that you can find during the pandemic with weekly information about practices or contact the instructor. zoom sessions, in which we worked on improving our Information about AKDS personal practices without in-person partners. One The website is full of resources for members and advantage of this was having others look at our practice instructors. Members can learn all the definitions for and give feedback. Although in-person practice is terms and techniques, belt grading standards, and the superior, our rigorous zoom practices allowed us to keep AKDS philosophy. Instructor resources include in shape. Despite that, I was a bit nervous to attend our instructional videos, prior course videos, leadership first in-person course only one month after resuming in- documents, grading certificates, and recruiting tools person practice. I was pleased to find that the zoom (pamphlets, mission statement for printing, flyers, etc.). practices had kept me in shape to the point of being able We invite you to check out the redesigned site at to learn and grow quite a bit at course. www.shotokai.org. We are also working on expanding As part of our focus on technology this last year, we our social media posts. We have provided the links for decided to redo the shotokai.org website. The site has Facebook and Instagram on the main page of the changed a few times over the years, but never quite website. We are grateful for the tool of technology! worked the way we envisioned. We have been limited by Sincerely, our inability to stay on top of technological changes. We Gina Cooley, 2nd Dan decided to go with a full-service web host to get the full Administrative Director, American KDS functionality we desired. The new site is meant to help instructors with their own clubs scattered across the US. Meditations Kiyan, Rebekah, and I spent several months To use a bokuto correctly, it must redesigning, reorganizing, and building the new site to become an extension of the body. If the contain features that will benefit everyone in AKDS: focus is too inward, too narrow, or even Kata Videos too broad, you sacrifice the ability to The most frequent use of our website is access to kata truly understand and feel your videos. They are now organized in the general order in connection to others around you. This is, which they are learned. Each kata page is assigned access in part, because poorly placed focus by belt ranks. The advantage of this is that members can breaks the connections within yourself— focus on kata appropriate for their skill level without from feet to legs to core to chest, and chaining to arms, being distracted by more advanced . As members hands, neck, and head. Properly placed focus and intent grade, the higher kata videos become available. strengthens your internal connections and allows the AKDS Store bokuto to become an extension of your intent. In the past, we have tried to maintain a store for all Conflict has been defined as a “struggling of the instructors and club members to order equipment with mind.” Much like we experience in finding properly varying degrees of success. The new site has a fully placed focus and intent, our lives are a constant conflict functional discount gear store. This new ordering system between harmony and chaos, whether it be internal or is much easier for everyone and guarantees that external. Our choices will determine the end of that everything has been paid for prior to orders being conflict. We can give in and be swallowed by the chaos, placed. It also notifies the administrator in charge of the or we can properly place our focus and extend intent as store when orders have been placed and keeps track of we settle into our foundation and find harmony–even if which club they will be shipped to. Prior to this, it is only within ourselves. instructors had to keep track of everything. Additionally, We seek tranquility in the midst of conflict. we have also been able to create a separate store for Martin Pardue, 1st Dan Just for is the quarterly newsletter of American Karate-Do Shotokai Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Summer 2021 Rebekah Call, Editor News Upcoming Courses

After over a year without in-person Date* Type Location practice due to nationwide COVID-19 restrictions, we were finally able to participate in a week-long course in Sat, Aug 28 VIP (Virtual Instructor Practice) person! More than 20 participants met Fri-Sat, Sep 17-18 Weekend Oregon in Orem, UT for over 25 hours of Mon-Fri, Oct 11- Week San Diego practice in 5 days. We welcomed 15 AKDS Annual practitioners from California, Oregon, Texas, and Utah, Leadership Meeting and joined in David Gillis's youth club practice in Orem. With a theme of utilizing bokuto as a tool to inform Sat, Nov 12-13 Weekend Louisiana our karate practice, we gleaned insights from the sword Sat, Dec 11 VIP (Virtual Instructor Practice) to help us improve our moving, timing, , and striking. We were very pleased to see how the practice *If in-person practice is not safe, in-person courses will level of those who participated faithfully over the past be converted to single-day virtual courses. year in our Zoom practices was maintained at a higher **VIP sessions feature instructors who lead practices level than those who did not join in virtual sessions. They exploring teaching ideas. These sessions are for all also seemed to adapt to in-person contact much more instructors and assistant instructors of green belt rank quickly than those who did not practice with us online. and above; other kyu grades attend by invitation only. We are excited to announce some long-awaited belt gradings: Online Practice th Gideon Foltz – 6 Kyu Red Belt (Youth) We invite you to join our weekly virtual practices. Please th Deneb Burgoyne – 4 Kyu Red Belt contact the lead instructor with the email provided for th Brooke Gillis – 4 Kyu Red Belt the Zoom codes. Kiyan Amadizadeh – 1st Kyu Brown Belt -Thurs. 6:00pm Pacific ([email protected]) Jesse Huston – 1st Kyu Brown Belt -Sat. 8:00am Pacific ([email protected]) Martin Pardue – 1st Dan Black Belt Gina Cooley – 2nd Dan Black Belt We want to thank these karateka for their patience and AKDS National Contact Information wish them a hearty congratulations on their well- Jeremy Crook: [email protected] deserved advancements. Jared Greenwald: [email protected] Thanks to everyone for the excellent efforts they gave Rebekah Call: [email protected] to this demanding course. Welcome back to in-person Simon Prince: [email protected] practice—I'm proud of our organization and grateful to Gina Cooley: [email protected] be a member of this very special karate family! Sincerely, Jeremy Crook, 5th Dan Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact President, American KDS Rebekah Call (editor) at [email protected]

Quotes “[A man], due to his reputation of “The word ‘bu’ of budō (martial arts) “When considering the dynamics of being both indomitable and fearless, is written with the Chinese character Karate training Harada thought was able to terrify his opponent at for ‘stop’ within a character speed, endurance and strength were the very start of the encounter and signifying two crossed halberds the 3 factors involved; elements of then come in quickly for the kill. meaning to stop conflict. Since karate these he considered important were However, Azato said, if the opponent is a budō, this meaning should be correct form of posture, relaxation, refuses to be terrified, if he remains deeply considered, and the fists concentration and natural coolheaded, and if he searches for should not be used heedlessly.” movement.” the inevitable gap in [his] defense, (Master , Karate-Do (“Karate Goes to South America,” in victory cannot be all that difficult.” Kyohan, p. 245.) Mitsusuke Harada Sensei MBE—50 Years of (Master Gichin Funakoshi, Karate-Do— KDS) My Way of Life, Chapter 1.)

Just for Kicks is the quarterly newsletter of American Karate-Do Shotokai Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.