AJA NEWSLETTER Volume XXXIX, Issue II Summer 2016 A Tribute to Professor George Kirby Thomas Salander It was a Road Trip. Baltimore, knowledge later. There was ties, their styles, their attitude Maryland to Mount Airy, North value in that: each instructor towards students and towards Carolina for the American JuJit- had a different focus, a different each other — there was the su Association (AJA) National take on how to move, how to bigger picture. Convention, a first for us. “Us” execute a technique, how to ... was Will Harris, Mark Burton, defend yourself. Prof. George Kirby, Founder Mike Parks, and me. This was and Chairman of the American something new; I had started It was too much to process at JuJitsu Association, the driving taking jujitsu to learn self- the time, and long before most force from the beginning, has defense, and now I was going to of us carried movie cameras in retired from the AJA Board of a convention? What happens at our pockets. Returning home, I Directors. He has not retired a self-defense convention? tried putting things together, as from teaching, but after decades if every instructor gave me a of being “The AJA”, he is now As it turned out, it was (at least piece or two of a giant jigsaw “just” a member of the AJA. To Inside this issue: for the four of us) a series of puzzle. I thought there might be many members of the AJA he’s training sessions with different a grand picture where all the a name, an author, a video in- BOD Bio: Dave 2 instructors. We split up, map- pieces fit in their own way. Lat- structor. You may not feel Boesel ping out the topics that sounded er, I began to see something much connection, but for many interesting with the intention of quite different. It was the teach- Heads Up 2 pooling our collective ers themselves, their personali- (Continued on page 5) Concussion Awareness What Would You Do? Upcoming Events 3 Gene Roos Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint ter the attack (to protect your- in the eyes (with the edge of the Training in Japa- 3 from the previous edition due to the self from being seriously wound- book). nese Swordsman- errant omission of the photos that accompanied the article. You can find ed). ship Follow up to either option: the photos at the end of this article. What is available? You have Throw the attacker down to Yudansha Promo- your backpack, your text books, the ground (either forward or 5 Imagine you are between classes chairs, desks, maybe even a fire backwards) on his head. Odds tions at school and there is a young extinguisher. Use ANYTHING are the attacker doesn’t know Mudansha Promo- man in the hallway running to- 7 you can. Here are two possible how to fall properly without tions wards you as he is stabbing options: injuring himself and he hits his other students. About the AJA 8 head on the ground. This may Option 1: Swing your backpack hurt the attacker enough that What do you do? You wanted so as to hit the attacker’s eye or to take jujitsu, but you never he doesn’t continue his attack. Board of Direc- 8 eyes. This may stop the attack got around to it. Again you tors temporarily. When you can safely do so, get think, “What do I do?” a teacher or an administrator to Option 2: Use a heavy text- handle the attacker and call the Administrative 8 The first thing to do is get out book to knock down the at- Staff of the way of the attacker. Use police. tacker’s hand and then hit him anything that is available to de- (Continued on page 4) Page 2 AJA Newsletter BOD Bio: Dave Boesel, President & Chairman of the Board Dave Boesel is a Ph.D. the1990s, he began practicing Tomiki Aikido. He started political scientist training in jujitsu while still engaged in aikido, and after achiev- whose career was ing a Shodan in Aikido, devoted all of his martial arts efforts to devoted to research learning Budoshin Jujitsu. Dave practiced under the leadership on policy issues for of Dick Lab, Reggie Heefner, Dennis McCurdy, and Terry federal, state, and local Feelemyer. In 1999, he became sensei at the Anne Arundel governments. He has Community College Dojo, succeeding Heefner. He renamed worked for the federal the dojo “Kaiwan Budokai” – Bay Area Martial Arts School – government (Defense because of its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay. In 2011 Dave Department, Depart- took first place in Masters Self Defense kata at AJA’s North- ment of Education), ern Regional Shiai. Johns Hopkins Univer- sity, and Abt Associ- Dave’s service with AJA began in 2007, when, at the request ates, a private consult- of George Kirby and Dennis McCurdy, he worked with Jeff ing firm. At these Wynn and Bill Swope on revising the AJA constitution. There- organizations, he spe- after, he served as Director of Recruitment and Newsletter cialized in leading re- Editor. Dave was elected to the Board of Directors in 2012, search teams that serving first as AJA Secretary and then as Vice President. He conducted large-scale, multi-year studies, often at the request was elected President in July 2015 and Chairman of the Board of Congress. He also served in administrative roles, including in May 2016. Director of the National Institute of Postsecondary Education. Dave and his wife, Gail, have three adult children – daughters In 2003 he retired from the government and founded the So- Kyle and Alison and son Justin – all of whom are married – cial Science Research Group (SSRG). In this capacity, he led and five grandchildren. They all live in the Washington metro- research projects for the Department of Education; the De- politan area. The extended Boesel family loves to travel, and partment of the Interior (Bureau of Indian Affairs); the Depart- in various combinations they have visited most Western Euro- ment of Labor; and the Arlington, VA school district, among pean countries; Jordan, Syria, and Turkey; South Africa; Mexi- others. co; and the Caribbean (many times). Dave loves to Scuba dive, as do his children, their spouses, and his two grandchil- Dave’s involvement with the martial arts began in the 1970s, dren. when he earned a brown belt in Shorin Ryu karate. In STUDENTS & PARENTS: SENSEI/INSTRUCTOR: CONCUSSION AWARENESS CONCUSSION AWARENESS TRAINING & CERTIFICATION Injuries or concussions are very rare in AJA dojos. However, they do occasionally occur. Here is some really usable If you’re an instructor and NOT yet Concussion Awareness information on concussion awareness for you as a parent and Training certified go to: http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/ as a student. Please download this information, read it, and youthsports/training/ take the FREE 30 minute course, pass keep it for future reference: the FREE exam, and secure your FREE Concussion Awareness Training Certificate. This is an insurance coverage For students/athletes: requirement. www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/athletes.html Also, make sure you’re making the information presented For parents: above in Students & Parents: Concussion Awareness, available www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/parents.html to your students and their parents on a regular basis, either by printing up the documents and handing them out in class or For general information: providing students and parents with the links so they can www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/index.html download the information themselves. Volume XXXIX, Issue II Page 3 Upcoming Events Northern Region Seminar Budoshin Ju-Jitsu Yudanshakai George Kirby Seminar and Shiai Summer Camp Where: The Orokawa Y in Towson Where: North Oaks Park Where: Woodmont Program Ctr (aka Towson YMCA) Community Room 2422 N. Fillmore St 600 W. Chesapeake Ave 27824 N. Camp Plenty Rd Arlington, VA 22207 Towson, MD 21204 Canyon Country, CA 91351 When: Saturday, Nov 5, 2016 When: Sunday, July 24, 2016 When: August 12-14, 2016 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily (date is tentative) Cost: $50 for adults Cost: Varies based on days/events Cost: TBD $35 for youths 17 & under attended Notes: Look for more details as Notes: Seminar instructors include Notes: Please visit we get closer to the event. Tony Maynard, Bill Stockey, www.budoshin.com/ Advanced registration is George Parulski, Bruce seminars.htm for complete recommended. Jones, and Will Harris. The details and registration links. day will include waza com- petition for all ages/ranks (no kumite/sparring compe- tition). Hosting an Event? Please send pertinent info (what, when, where, cost, how to register) to: Contact: Paul Klara [email protected] [email protected] Training in Japanese Swordsmanship Thomas Dineen “What’s the point of learning about a weapon whose practical ble, opponents by cultivating mushin…a state of being focused value mostly disappeared in the 19th century?” I wondered yet open to all contingencies, free of distracting thoughts or when my first jujitsu sensei, Prof. Dennis McCurdy, appeared emotions. in our dojo with a bag of bokken (wooden swords) that we’d Like many Asian arts, iaido evolved from combat techniques be using that day. (jutsu) into a martial path (do) that helps develop—in addition to coordination and good bearing—moral qualities such as After several such classes, however, I became so fascinated by respect and self-control. Even benevolence comes into play, Japanese swordsmanship that I took a break of several years as when a swordsman applies mental pressure to de-escalate from jujitsu to get my shodan in iaido (ee-EYE-dough).