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As the year comes to an end, we wanted remind you that the United States Aikido Federation (USAF) is constantly striving to do as much as possible for its members with the resources at hand. For those of you who are in a position to express your generosity and support by making a donation, the following link will bring you to our donations page: usafaikidonews.com/donate-to-the-usaf/ Please feel free to pass this information on to other fellow aikidoka. As we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all donations are 100% tax deductible. We would be grateful for any donations towards preserving the legacy of the USAF. With warm regards, The USAF Board of Directors |
How to Make a Donation to the USAF
November 19, 2018 by
Dan Promotions Mailed to Aikikai January 1 – August 18th, 2018
October 11, 2018 by
Test applications mailed to Aikikai Hombu Dojo between January 1st 2018 and August 18th, 2018 (some listings represent applications prior to Hombu approval)
Shodan
- Randy Abramowitz – Suffolk Aikikai
- David Beyea – Ottawa Aikikai
- Peter Chafe – Aikido Institute of Newfoundland
- Brian Chilton – Portland Aikikai
- Alexander Fuentes Corrales – Aikido Curacao
- Brian Cox – Albany Aikido
- Bryn Davies – Aikido de la Montagne
- Larry Dobbs – West Georgia Aikikai
- Brent Goodroe – Aikido of Charlotte
- Raul Gutierrez – Midwest Aikido Center
- Oliver Hauser – Harvard Aikikai
- David Hill – Fudoshin Aikikai
- Steve Kampton – Aikido of Nassau County
- Mardi Kidwell – Portsmouth Aikido
- Sally Kiebdaj – Harvard Aikikai
- Alon Koppel – Woodstock Aikido
- James Liao – Newport Beach Aikikai
- Robert Loftin – Plano Aikido Center
- Sarah Lowe – Aikido of Denton
- Joseph Marengi – Aikido of Austin
- Andrew Melnick – New Castle Aikikai
- John Moore – Savannah Aikikai
- Kristen Muller – Aikido of New Paltz
- Rachel Narowlansky – Notting Hill Aikikai
- Jennifer Owczarek – PAPA Aikido USA
- Steve Owczarek – PAPA Aikido USA
- Chris Poon – Aikido North Jersey
- Evan Price – Raleigh Aikikai
- Raghu Rau – San Francisco Aikikai
- Yannick Riezman – Aikido Center of Atlanta
- Bachar Rifai – Plano Aikido Center
- Dwight Sparks – Aikido Institute of Newfoundland
- Philippe St. Onge – McGill Aikido
- Clarence Tyler Stevens – Aikido North Jersey
- Jeffrey Tanner – New Castle Aikikai
- Aaron Targonski – Glen Ellyn Aikido Club
- Theresa Tauscher – Aikido of Chester County
- Chelsea Tengrove – Boston Aikikai
- John Thompson – Aikido of Denton
- Charles Thomsen – Davis Aikikai
- Ross Tompkins – Open Sky Aikikai
- Anthony Vegelante – Shodokan
- Richard Westcott – Aikido Institute of Newfoundland
- Tony Willeford – Aikido of Denton
Nidan
- Richard Arbas – Aikido North Jersey
- Jared Burke – Maru Aikikai South
- Manuel de Joya – Midwest Aikido Center
- Parviz Ghahramani – Aikido Schools of New Jersey
- Wini Hamilton – Seattle Aikikai
- Christopher Knight – Shodokan
- Edward Lin – New York Aikikai
- Marco Llamazares – Ottawa Aikikai
- Roselyn Maynard – Notting Hill Aikikai
- Shailendra Pradham – Central Illinois Aikikai
- W Charles Pyke – Aikido of Dallas
- Kym Salameh – Aikido de la Montagne
- Abel Samiky – Toronto Aikikai
- Julio Soares – Central Illinois Aikikai
- Gabriel Szraibman – Aikido de la Montagne
Sandan
- Crystal Aldrich – Aikido North Jersey
- Joshua Blake – Framingham Aikikai
- Liliane Bourgouin – Aikido de la Montagne
- George Faulkner – Aikido of Ashland
- Neal Alexander Harrison – Newport Beach Aikikai
- Gerry Heckler – New Castle Aikikai
- Arthur Hoffman – Albany Aikido
- John Kivlehan – Summit View Aikido
- David Janacone – New Castle Aikikai
- Khalid Laraki – Aikido of Chester County
- Steven Lasher – Aikido of Central New York
- Pamela Moschioni – Aikido of Dallas
- Thomas Myron – Maru Aikikai South
- Christopher Niskala – Framingham Aikikai
- Ross Setlow – Albany Aikido
- Slawomir Swierzbinski – Toronto Aikikai
Yondan
- Joao Alcantara – Newport Beach Aikikai
- Christopher Bradow – Long Island Aikikai
- Michael Lum – Aikido of Houston
- Joanne Recca – Aikido of Nassau County
- Steve Sandage – San Francisco Aikikai
- Janice Taitel – Aikido Center of Dover
- Tommy Lee White – Skylands Aikikai
USAF Update from Summer Camp Meetings
August 29, 2018 by
(Last week the letter below was circulated to Chief Instructors regarding the recent summer camp meetings and updates. It has since been decided that sharing the information with the USAF community at large would be helpful to all members. Keeping our full membership updated is key to furthering everyone’s understanding of how the USAF works as an umbrella organization. We hope that by sharing what the Board and Technical Committee work on in the present reflects that a strong foundation is also being built for the future.)Dear USAF Members:
It’s hard to believe another Summer Camp has come and gone. The week was hugely successful in attendance, practice, and spirit! During camp, both the Board of Directors and the Technical Committee held their semi-annual meetings and there was an instructors’ meeting on Wednesday after the dan tests. As part of a continuous effort to keep Chief Instructors informed of ongoing discussions that effect the USAF, here is a summary of what was discussed at the various meetings:
- Financials -The Board’s review of the mid-year financials showed the USAF is financially sound and is expected to end the year on budget. Also, the drive to collect donations to the USAF to help celebrate Yamada Sensei’s 80th birthday was successful and Sensei was very pleased by his gift.
- Summer Camp Venue – The ownership of the Seaview Hotel changed hands during this camp. We have since found out the sale was to KDG Capital LLC of Florida. The hotel will continue to be managed by Dolce Hotels and Resorts by Wyndham and Troon will continue to operate the two 18-hole golf courses. Future plans include renovations of rooms and public spaces. Please know, the USAF has in place a contract for its 2019 summer camp and expects to negotiate a new contract for 2020 and 2021.
- DVDs and YouTube Channel – The USAF is no longer selling DVDs at summer camp. Instead, the intention is to set up a USAF YouTube channel where all past and future summer camp footage will be posted, for free access to the aikido community and the general public. The projected launch date for the YouTube channel is 2019.
- TC Members – Andy Demko & Steve Pimsler were re-elected to the Technical Committee for a new 4-year term.
- Etiquette for USAF and non-USAF relations – Instructors were reminded of proper etiquette regarding approval for a USAF member teaching at a non-USAF affiliated dojo (including Sansuikai) or inviting a non-USAF instructor to teach at a USAF dojo.
The guidelines are as follows:
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- The USAF instructor who is invited to teach by a non-USAF instructor/organization must contact Yamada Sensei for approval prior to making any arrangements (including travel).
- The non-USAF instructor/organization that invited the USAF instructor also must formally request permission from Yamada Sensei.
- A USAF dojo must contact Yamada Sensei for approval if their dojo space is to be used by a non-USAF aikido organization.
Please also refer to Yamada Sensei’s letter from Aug. 10, 2018 to USAF and Sansuikai instructors for more details. Below is an excerpt from the letter:
From Yamada Sensei’s letter to USAF and Sansuikai instructors:
“Whenever you are approached to teach a seminar outside your organization, especially if it is from a country other than your own, please remember to follow this proper etiquette: both you and the dojo inviting you should request permission from me (through the USAF or Sansuikai office) in writing before you accept the invitation. Also, this must be followed in the reverse situation – if you are inviting an instructor from outside your organization and especially from another country, it is your responsibility to not only write to me, but to also request from the person you are inviting that he/she write a letter regarding the invitation before the invitation is accepted. These are the correct steps to take, and when they are followed, everything flows smoothly. When they are not, it often puts my organizations and me in a very difficult situation. These are also simply good manners to follow and will reflect well on all involved.”
6. The TC implemented new guidelines for Yondan (4th dan) promotions:
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- Yondan: minimum 4 years after Sandan if a practical test is to be taken; minimum 5 years after Sandan if promotion is to be by recommendation. Yondan testing can only be done by a TC member.
- Shodan, Nidan, Sandan: typically promotions to these ranks are not done by recommendation, unless there is a special case; all people are encouraged to take a practical test for these ranks, and recommendations should generally wait at least 1 year longer than if testing.
7. Membership building, and how to assist dojos in increasing membership and the exposure of Aikido in general – The group discussion at the instructors meeting at camp focused primarily on the difficulty many dojos are experiencing in attracting and keeping new members, and in particular, young adult members. Several instructors volunteered to form a “Social Media” committee to brainstorm and research ideas about how to best use social media, both for the USAF as an organization, and for individual dojos. A report regarding this initial step is expected to be presented to the Board at the Florida Winter Camp meeting in November.
8. Revision of Ethics Guidelines – A committee of the Board is currently working on revising the USAF Ethics Guidelines and expects to finalize the guidelines by year end.
We hope this helps you feel informed and up-to-date regarding the activities of the Board and the TC. As always, we thank you for your support and membership.
Sincerely,
George Kennedy
Chairman of the Board
From Yamada Sensei: Etiquette for Seminar Invitations
August 10, 2018 by
Dear USAF and Sansuikai Instructors:The following are very important procedures I would like you to keep in mind, and it applies whether you are a member of the USAF or Sansuikai International. When it comes to organizing seminars, we must consider the USAF and Sansuikai International 2 separate organizations that must show a mutual respect towards each other.
Whenever you are approached to teach a seminar outside your organization, especially if it is from a country other than your own, please remember to follow this proper etiquette: both you and the dojo inviting you should request permission from me (through the USAF or Sansuikai office) in writing before you accept the invitation. Also, this must be followed in the reverse situation – if you are inviting an instructor from outside your organization and especially from another country, it is your responsibility to not only write to me, but to also request from the person you are inviting that he/she write a letter regarding the invitation before the invitation is accepted. These are the correct steps to take, and when they are followed, everything flows smoothly. When they are not, it often puts my organizations and me in a very difficult situation. These are also simply good manners to follow and will reflect well on all involved.
As long as you are part of the USAF or Sansuikai, you must consider the proper way to proceed in these situations, and not take matters in your own hands. Please follow these correct procedures.
For any circumstances that involve dan testing at a seminar, if this correct path is not followed, the USAF will not or cannot take responsibility to assist with the business of promotions/registrations. Testing should not be given at any dojo or to any members that are not a part of the USAF or Sansuikai, and I should be approached regarding all testing and arrangements well before they occur.
When this respectful process is observed, it will greatly help avoid conflict and create more harmony for everyone.
Y. Yamada
A Message From Yamada Sensei
August 9, 2018 by
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Dear Teachers and Members,SUMMER CAMP DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JULY 1ST
June 22, 2018 by
Good news! Summer camp registration has been extended to July 1st – hotel rooms are going quickly, so please make sure to observe the new deadline if you are hoping to stay on site for a half-week or full-week camp package!
All camp details can be found here:
Let us know if you have any questions, we are always happy to help!
With warm regards,
Laura and Karen
Camp Coordinators
Summer Camp Deadline is 1 Week Away!
June 14, 2018 by
This is a friendly reminder that the deadline for registering for camp and reserving a room at the discounted rate is 1 WEEK AWAY – FRIDAY JUNE 22nd. Please spread the word, and forward to your dojo members and friends.All camp details can be found here:
We hope to see you on the mat!
New Year’s Recommendations 1-1-2018
January 14, 2018 by
The following list comprises the 2018 New Year’s recommendations for 5th dan and above, and Shihan.
The recently posted list on Aikikai Foundation’s website can be found here: Kagamibiraki Grading 2018
Godan
- Maite Azcoitia – Gold Coast Aikikai
- Renee Bean – Chushin Aikido Center
- Driss Benmoussa – Aikido of Park Slope
- Luis Javier Burghi – Aikido of Park Slope
- Christy Calder – Aikido of Santa Barbara
- Anthony Chong – Aikido Curacao
- Michael Clair – Fudoshin Aikikai
- Sean Conley – Martha’s Vineyard Aikido Club
- Tim Cooper – Albany Aikido
- Jerome Curiale – Aikido of Red Bank
- Thomas Davis – Peachtree Aikikai
- Byron Eddy – Litchfield Hills Aikikai
- Wendall Gault – Aikido of Park Slope
- Philip Gendrault – San Francisco Aikikai
- Paul Glavine – Aikido Institute of Newfoundland
- Walter Gonzalez – New York Aikikai
- Colleen Hogan – Aikido Institute of Newfoundland
- Michel Hovan – Granite State Aikido Club
- Richard Morrison – Center Island Aikido
- Oleg Polishevich – Aikido of Park Slope
- David Ross – New York Aikikai
- James Shell – Aberdeen Maryland Aikikai
- Michael Terruso – Vineland Aikikai
- Aristedes Stamatelakey – Southland Aikido
- Alexandre Vieira – Skylands Aikikai
- Giovani Villafane – Chiheisen Aikido
- Mark Voohees – New York Aikikai
- Gennadiy Zolotarov – Aikido of Park Slope
Rokudan
- Elizabeth Albin – New York Aikikai
- David Childers – North Coast Aikikai
- Christopher Clark – Portland Aikido
- Jaime de Jesus – Midwest Aikido Center
- Motier Haskins – Fairfield Iowa Aikikai
- Ayal Joshua – Miami Aikikai
- Thomas Kelly – Midwest Aikido Center
- Eiji Kurashige – North Chatham Aikido Club
- Rock Lazo – Kenoshi Aikikai
- Harry McCormick – Florida Aikikai
- Susan Monroe – Aikido of Cincinnati
- Kenneth Pletcher – Midwest Aikido Center
- Wayne Sherman – Providence Aikikai
- Jeff Shimonski – Florida Aikikai
- James Soviero – Aikido of Red Bank
- Jay Stallman – Peachtree Aikikai
- G. Jeffrey Vernis – Palm Beach Aikikai
- Naomi Wentworth – Midwest Aikido Center
- Robert Whelan – Shodokan
Nanadan
- Raymond Farinato – Aikido of Fairfield County
- Irvin Faust – Albany Aikido
- Dennis Meno – Suncoast Aikido
- Edward Peteroy – USAF Academy Aikido Club
- Gordon Sakamoto – Northern Virginia Aikikai
- Darrell Tangman – Augusta Aikido Club
Shihan
- Josef Birdsong – Aikido of Austin
- David Birt – Davis Aikikai
- Glenn Brooks – Aikido of Scottsdale
- Don Dickie – Ottawa Aikikai
- Edmund Di Marco – Lake County Aikikai
- Chester Griffin – Long Beach Island Aikikai
- Eugene Monteleone – Suffolk Aikikai
- Laura Jacobs Pavlick – Litchfield Hills Aikikai
- Gentil Pennewaert – Newport Beach Aikikai
- Gustavos Ramos – Miami Aikikai
- Eliot Rifkin – Miami Aikikai
- William Xavier Staub – Waianae Coast Aikido
- Geraldine Tremblay – Waianae Coast Aikido
- Art Wise – Evanston Aikido Center
USAF Testing Requirements Effective 8-1-2018
January 3, 2018 by
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Effective August 1, 2018 new guidelines have been implemented regarding yondan promotions by recommendation:
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Click Here To View ALL USAF Testing Requirements
Dan Promotions June 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017
January 3, 2018 by
Test applications mailed to Aikikai Hombu Dojo between June 1st 2017 and December 31st, 2017 (some listings represent applications prior to Hombu approval)
THIS LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE NEW YEAR’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 5TH DAN AND ABOVE
Shodan
- Cesar Balda- Water Oak Aikikai
- Jodi Ann Bocco – Aikido of Red Banks
- Thomas Brazil – Twin Cities Aikido Center
- Benjamin Conroy – Litchfield Hills Aikikai
- George DeMeglio – Peachtree Aikikai
- Adam Di Angelo – Aikido of Red Banks
- Erik Dutton- Water Oak Aikikai
- Steven Ehlen – Center Island Aikido
- Leandro Estrada – Peachtree Aikikai
- Eric Fernandez – NY Eastside Aikikai
- Denis Fitzgerald – Evanston Aikido Center
- Robert Flynn – Aikido of Red Banks
- Derek Foster – Portland Aikikai
- Maiko Frabosilio – Aikido of Dallas
- Clint Harper – Peachtree Aikikai
- Kenneth Harris – Aikikai of Philadelphia
- Smith Holt – Austin Aikikai
- Eduardo Holzer-Torres – Northern Virginia Aikikai
- Lance Hublick – Okolana Aikikai
- Ray Kilby – Asheville Aikikai
- Robert Knudsen – Aikido of Westchester
- Jason Koonce – Heaven and Earth Aikido
- John Koize – Aikido of Cincinnati
- Stan Lumish – Aikido of Red Bank
- Ricardo Manzo – Florida Aikikai
- Caitlyn McLuskie – Water Oak Aikikai
- Mark Miller- Evanston Aikido Center
- Claude Patrick Louvouezo – Portland Aikikai
- Daniel Martincic – North Coast Aikikai
- Mark Pit – Florida Aikikai
- Muhammad Rasheed – New York Aikikai
- Robert Reiss – Aikido of Ramapo Valley
- Robert Schwartz – New York Aikikai
- Luc Senatus – Dairyukai Aikikai
- Ryan Stephens – Aikido of Ramapo Valley
- Michelle Tanigaki – Aikido of Ramapo Valley
- Kalah Thompson – Aikido of Denton
- Thomas Vangi – Long Beach Island Aikikai
Nidan
- Omar Morales Andara – Florida Aikikai
- David Buhner – Asheville Aikikai
- Javier Calduch – Florida Aikikai
- Luc Carey – Montreal Aikikai
- Thomas Carlucci – Skylands Aikikai
- Nicholas DeLillo Jr. – Aikido of Westchester
- Arthur DiRocco – Portland Aikido
- Diana Edenburg – Florida Aikikai
- Edward Estrada – Water Oak Aikikai
- Eric Evenson – Twin Cities Aikido Center
- Joseph Giardina – Aikido of Westchester
- Lawrence Hambrick – Aikido of Cincinnati
- Joe Heim – Kenosha Aikikai
- Scott Fecteau – Lewiston Aikido/Willow
- Yoshi Fujiwara – Midwest Aikido Center
- James Gauthier – Portland Aikido
- Christopher Grimes – North Chatham Aikido
- David Grimes – North Chatham Aikido
- Robert Gutierrez- Twin Cities Aikido Center
- Siavash Haghtalab – New York Aikikai
- James Heggernes- Twin Cities Aikido Center
- Jackson Jarvis – Fairfield Iowa Aikikai
- Avery Jenkins – Litchfield Hills Aikikai
- Shella Keiholz – Aikido Center of Atlanta
- Crystal Kanesaka – New York Aikikai
- John Lawson – Suffolk Aikikai
- Jason Martell – Lunenburg Aikikai
- John Maya – New York Aikikai
- Nicholas Mills – Lunenburg Aikikai
- Stuart Pieloch – Aikido of Scottsdale
- Juan Pinheiros – City Aikido of Los Angeles
- Bruce Piotrowski- Twin Cities Aikido Center
- Clark Pomerleau – Aikido of Denton
- James Reed-Jones – Aikido of Prince Edward Island
- Rey Robles – Southern Maryland Aikikdo
- Abel Ruiz-Diaz – Miami Aikikai
- Andres Samoya – New York Aikikai
- Monica Sasaki – Florida Aikikai
- Christopher Scales – Long Beach Island Aikikai
- Victoria Selep- Twin Cities Aikido Center
- Robert Sinka – Aikido North Jersey
- Takara Suzuki – Portland Aikikai
- Jay Tall – Aikido of Park Slope
- Louis Torres – Palm Beach Aikikai
- John Tuohy – Northern Virginia Aikikai
- Howard Weitzman – Long Island Aikikai
- Jonathan Winterling – Aikido of Chester County
- Christi Wise – Evanston Aikido Center
- Marina Yeravinkina – New York Aikikai
- Mario Zilio – Florida Aikikai
Sandan
- Samiran Banerjee – Aikido Center of Atlanta
- Nicholas Benfaremo – Portland Aikido
- David Breniak – Aikido of Red Bank
- Isabel De La Vega – Florida Aikikai
- Patrick Dougherty – Aikido of Westchester
- Diane Dubois – Lewiston Aikido/Willow
- Charles Ellis – Aikido of Cincinnati
- Robert Groce – Aikido of Westchester
- Carlton Harris – Aikikai of Philadelphia
- Sherwin Heath-Retemyer – New York Aikikai
- Jennifer Henis – New York Aikikai
- Richmond Johnson – Aikido of New Paltz
- Will Kirkpatrick – Monadnock Aikikai
- Michael Klamer – New York Aikikai
- Jason Lambert – McGill Aikido
- Mario Lantandresse – Montreal Aikikai
- Reuven Lirov – Pinellas County Aikikai
- Eric Lopresti – New York Aikikai
- Edgar Martinez – Miami Aikikai
- Michael Napoli – Portland Aikikai
- Thomas Newcomen – New York Aikikai
- Kathleen O’Neill – Northern Virginia Aikikai
- Matthew Roder – Aikido of Fairfield County
- Elly Roland – Northern Virginia Aikikai
- Howard Scott – Montreal Aikikai
- Samantha Taitel – New York Aikikai
- Matthew Wavro – Aikido of Red Bank
- Andrei Yamshchikov – Florida Aikikai
Yondan
- Suliman Abdul Hakeem – Aikido of Greater Philadelphia
- Robert Bergman – Regent Park Community Aikido
- James Brumm – Newport Beach Aikikai
- Michael Cundall – Aikido fo Cincinnati
- Francisco De Los Cobos – Aikido of Dallas
- John Donnelly – Boston Aikikai
- Charles Dubois – Aikido de la Montagne
- David Gardener – Litchfield Hills Aikikai
- John Holt – Aikikai of Philadelphia
- Tom Ito – Southland Aikido
- Roderick Johnson – Aikikai of Philadelphia
- Michael Jones – Roaring Fork Aikikai
- Christopher Kerin – Aikido of Fairfield County
- Michael Livingston – Center Island Aikido
- Daryl Muranaka – Harvard Aikikai
- Clemon Richardson – Aikido of Park Slope
- Steve Sandage – San Francisco Aikikai
- James Shaffer – Long Beach Island Aikikai
- Edgar Shockley – Aikikai of Philadelphia
- Tinka Sloss – Aikido of Santa Barbara
- Rick Watson – Portland Aikikai
- Krzysztof Zawadzki – Aikido of Fairfield County
