Griffith Shukan News

Thursday, 12^th March 2009

CONTENTS:

1. Annual General Meeting Tues 17^th March

2. Club Sign-On Day Thank You to Volunteers

3. Byron Seminar with Michael Williams Sensei

4. Samuel's Thoughts On Gradings Sat 28/2/09

1. Annual General Meeting Tues 17^th March

Hi everyone

As you know, we will be holding the club's Annual General Meeting at 8pm on 17th March - next Tuesday.  This meeting is crucial to our club, and holding it is also a government requirement, so please make an effort to stay if you're training on that night.  Everyone is welcome.  It's your club.

At this point, the following people have been nominated as office-bearers:

President  -  Steve Mitchell

Vice-President  -  Jutta Dowdy

Secretary  -  Mark Hoffman

Treasurer  -  no nominations received

There is a little bit more to do beyond electing members of the club's management committee, although mostly it's just procedural, but it needs to be done. 

We will be having pizza afterwards.  These after-meeting get-togethers are always a great chance to chat with other members off the mat, something we don't always get to do. 

See you there.

Steve Mitchell

Griffith Aikido Secretary

2. Club Sign-On Day Thank You to Volunteers

Hi everyone

We had a pretty good couple of sign-on days at Nathan, in O-Week and Week 1 of the university semester.  The following people volunteered and it means our mat fees stay lower: 

Evan Haklar

Amy Quinn

Jessica Korte

Chris Cobban

Steve Dows

Steve Mitchell

Rod-Nixon Smith

Gary Weigh

Jutta Dowdy

Mark Hoffmann            

Thanks on behalf of the club. 

Steve Mitchell 

3. Byron Seminar with Michael Williams Sensei

All Brisbane Aikido students are welcome to attend the Byron Bay Aikido seminar given by Michael Williams Sensei at Goshinkan on Friday 20 March and Saturday 21 March.

Times are 10 AM to 12 and 2 PM to 4 ( NSW time) both days.

Fees are $55 for the 2 days, $30 for one day and $18 for single session. Student and concession fees are $50/$26/$14 

For registration or more information please call Jim Nicholls on  02 66 283 158  or  0404 281 003 

Thank you,  Jim N.

4. Samuel's Thoughts On Gradings Sat 28/2/09

Hi there,

After my beauty sleep on Saturday, mum took me down to watch the aikido gradings at the Nathan campus. I have to say when I arrived I was a little overwhelmed. I hadn’t realised how many people would be there supporting those that were grading, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many people in one place at one time, and that included the time dad and I got mobbed by all the girls at mum’s work….but that’s another story 

We arrived just at the end of the yellowbelt gradings. You’re all a bit bigger than me so I only got some glimpses, however I did catch some smooth moves from Fleur. She lives not far from me so I’ve met her before, but I tell you what, I’ll be minding my p’s and q’s from now on when she’s around.

Next up were Sheree and Craig. Sheree showed how she could mix it up with the boys and had some nice confidence coming through, while Craig’s smoothness and ease with the techniques was really good to watch.

Enter Shirin, she was grading to first kyu and it was no girlie grading either. Her aikido was really solid; she’s developed an understanding of the art since the last time I snuck a peak at her. Well done.

Then came the black belt action with Rico and our own home grown Chris. I’ve watched black belts before, Segal, Kung Fu Panda, so I knew what to expect and I gotta say I wasn’t disappointed. Chris even threw in a move or two of his own during his grading. Mum said she still remembers Chris’s first days in the dojo, she was pretty proud of how far he’s come and the obvious dedication he has to the art and the dojo. Although Rico has come from another style he looked pretty confident in his grading, actually it looked like he could have done with an extra uke or two during his sanningake.

Finally, after a couple of ham sandwiches (sorry dad, I think they were yours) I was ready to watch Paul’s nidan grading. What can I say, it was really nice to watch and from where I was sitting there wasn’t anything that fazed him, not even his girlfriend coming at him with a big stick!! Actually Gabby better hurry up with her san-dan or she’ll never get him to do the dishes again 

Thanks for letting me come and watch, congratulations to you all. A big clap and smooches from me.

Samuel

Shirin Mohebbi

Griffith Aikido Newsletter Editor

Email: shirin(AT)internode.on.net