Aikido News

Aikido News
February08 Newsletter	February Scribe

Shihan Ken Cottier passes away It is with great sadness that I have to inform you all of the passing of Ken Cottier Shihan. Mr Cottier was one of Shihan Bill Smith's long standing best friends both on the Tatami and off it. He passed away on Sunday after a long time illness. Mr. Kenneth Cottier was a student of the Founder of Aikido, from the early 1960's and continued to live and train in Japan for almost 25 years. Cottier Sensei was instrumental in forming the Hong Kong Aikido Association in 1971, he represents the British Aikido Federation, the Superior Council of the International Aikido Federation and Founder of Hong Kong Aikido Association. Sensei was awarded the title of Shihan by Aikikai Hombu Dojo on 2002. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family Sensei Palmer
Zanshin-Kai Aikido & Karate Course 1pm till 3.30pm Saturday 14th June 2008 Entrance fee £8.50 Monthly Members £2.00 All Welcome!!!!
Times have changed! We have renegotiated our training times with the managers of St James Hall, which we feel will benefit all students. The most noticeable change is the addition of another class on Thursdays, and a time slot change on Saturdays. please see the timetable for further info!!
UKA Winter School
19th April 2008 - Junior Grading Due to outside influences that effect most of us, we held another junior grading as a couple of them had educational commitments that had to be honoured. Both students came to our Mere Green Dojo for the first time and were understandably a little worried, but the seniors were able to make them more relaxed after a few techniques. The afternoon session started off in good spirits and the training was sincere which was all that an instructor could ask for. As with all grading's... you always panic and think you have done bad but to be honest our two juniors did us proud. Well done to the following students: 6th Kyu Alex Reid (6th Kyu) Cieran Dabbs (6th Kyu) 12th April 2008 - Junior Grading Today we held a junior grading at St James. Club grading's are one of the only times when we can have all out juniors together from Featherstone and Yenton Primary schools with the juniors from Mere green. It is a good time to to meet up, as it helps us build relationships with people we only see every now and then. Vito Ricci Sensei had come over especially to help out and to have some time with the seniors who always need some high grade practice!! We started off as normal with a senior class where we went through some basics for all for about an hour as our juniors arrived, and by 9:40am most of the ones grading had turned up. Palmer Sensei ran through the basics as all the juniors copied his movements, starting with basic taisabaki and then he went through techniques from the sixth and fifth kyu syllabus until they had done all that was required. Ricci Sensei took over the remainder of the grading's with Palmer Sensei looking on. The grading went on for another10 minutes until he had seen enough. Over all the grading's were well represented by our juniors from each school and all of them had done their best. May I take this opportunity to thank Ricci Sensei for traveling over to be with us and spending valuable quality family time with us instead of his Wife and kids (Thanks Deb!!) And well done to the following junior students: 6th Kyu Loren Cooney (6th kyu) Joe Canning (6th kyu) Cameron Kelly (6th kyu,1stripe) James Lewis (6th kyu, 1stripe) Jay Malone (6th kyu, 1stripe) Ayana Carty 6th kyu, 1stripe) Danielle Rea (6th kyu, 2stripes) 5th Kyu Kayin Carty (5th kyu) 4th Kyu Conor Wright (4th kyu) Sensei Palmer 2nd Dan So Hombu Fukushidoin
Sugawara and Kobayashi are promoted to 7th Dan! In the New Year's Aikido Honours list at Hombu Dojo (Tokyo,Japan) Doshu felt it fitting to promote Yukimitsu Kobayashi Shihan and Shigeru Sugawara Shihan both to the rank of 7th Dan. This is a wonderful achievement which is excellent news for Aikido in the UKA and the rest of the United Kingdom as a whole, as both instruct yearly at our Summer School and other organisations throughout the land. Many congratulations to you both!