Learning To Be Silent

Editors Note: For those who may not know, Sam is leaving us this August, for greener pastures in Atlanta. Sam began training with us in 2007 at the University of North Florida. Before Aikido, he trained in Shorinji-Ryu Karate, and he plans to continue his Aikido training in Georgia. On a parting note, I thought I’d dig through the archives and post an article he wrote. The original can be found in our June 2008 newsletter. Enjoy!

After studying Karate for three years and then moving to Jacksonville, I arrived at the University of North Florida as a post-baccalaureate student in the Fall of 2007.  At that time, I did not know much about Aikido, although I had a sensei back in Gainesville, where I am from, who informed me that Aikido study was amenable for somebody who knew Karate.

My name is Sam McCrea and I am a high school math teacher here in Jacksonville.  When I first set foot in the dojo, I did not know much about Aikido, but I did know what not to look for in a school:  pretense, grandiosity, and promises of “a black-belt within X number of years.”  Instead I knew that one should look for a simple, dedicated school with inhabitants dedicated to their art.  I found that at UNF. 

My maturation as an Aikido student has been very gradual.  During the fall semester last year I generally went to a lesson once a week.  Now I usually go two or three times a week and I can sense a growth in my abilities.  For somebody like me, Aikido study is an excellent way to put my concentrative powers and self discipline to the test.  I am famous for not being able to pay attention, but Aikido forces me to do it. 

I am also impressed by the martial ability of the instructors and students.  I attended a seminar hosted by Brevard Aikikai in January where Tonya was promoted to 2nd kyu, a rank she now shares with Oscar.  I have also recently been made aware of the rank status of our “Aikido Family,” including Karl, Leslie, and David, who are all 4th kyu.  In addition to being impressed by their artistry, the members make the dojo a place where I feel welcome.  I am comfortable here and feel I am among friends.  If I ask Sensei to demonstrate a technique for me, I can rest assured she’ll do it gladly, even if I’m literally asking her for the hundredth time.

I say hats off to the Aikido Center of Jacksonville; as long as I’m a student at UNF, I will continue to train here.

You’ve come a long way in a short time, Sam. (As have the students you mention in your 2008 article!) On behalf of Sensei and the school, congratulations on your new adventure. We’ll miss you!

This past week you may have noticed some…strange happenings here. Briefly put, we (and other websites) were subjected to a code injection exploit that (erroneously) indicated the presence of some bad things online. The good news: There was no malware of any kind on the site. So you can rest easy.

And although it would make a better blog entry to attribute this to some sort of ninja payback, the truth is far more prosaic. In reality, this was most likely an automated attack, which could have originated anywhere. Such is life on the information superhighway.

One other bit of good news: After cleaning up our code, I added some server side rules which should make this type of exploit much more difficult in the future.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

Topper, pictured left, has a weapons case for sale. It’s black, made out of leather, comes with a sturdy shoulder strap and metal buckles, and is roomy enough to carry all your favorite bokken and jo.

Topper paid $17.99, plus shipping and handling, and he’s willing to part, however reluctantly, with the case for a mere $20.00.

If you’re interested, please let Topper know in the comments below or at the dojo.

Grady Lane Sensei of Brevard Aikikai is a dear friend personally, and with Peter Bernath Sensei, one of our seniors in Florida with whom the dojo has established an ongoing relationship. For our newer students, I thought I’d take a moment to make a brief introduction.

Lane Sensei was first introduced to the martial arts in 1972, when he began studying Karate. (He would subsequently earn a black belt.) He came to Aikido in 1975 after watching a class. At the time, Lane Sensei was unimpressed — he saw what he later described as an old man appearing to dance around a bit on the mat. Taking note, the Aikido instructor invited him to participate. With the bravado of youth, and confidence in his Karate skills, Lane Sensei accepted, and prepared for a quick match.

It was.

Within seconds, he found himself painfully pinned in a wrist lock. Lane Sensei immediately joined the class, thereby beginning an Aikido journey that would last more than thirty years.

Lane Sensei is currently ranked 6th dan, and is an Aikikai shidoin, or senior certified instructor. His black belt ranks were awarded by Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei, 8th dan shihan and President of the United States Aikido Federation. He began his Aikido career under Dr. Tom Walker Sensei, 5th dan, and pioneer of Aikido in the United States.

Over the years, Lane Sensei has been a featured instructor at several dojos, including Sand Drift Aikido, Palm Beach Aikikai, and Aikido of Tampa Bay. We’ve been lucky to host Sensei on five occasions, most recently in July of last year. He also regularly appears to support our seminars, and is a familiar and welcome face at Aikido seminars in central and south Florida.

Dee encourages her students to seek out senior instructors in our Federation, to take advantage of the experience they offer. Lane Sensei has that experience in spades.

I remember the first time I saw Tamura Sensei. It was Montreal, May 1997. Sensei was teaching a seminar at Aikido de la Montagne, and to my 4th kyu eyes, it looked like magic.

I remember seeing Sensei call both Peter Bernath and Donovan Waite to demonstrate, as ukes. They each held the end of a jo, with both hands, facing him. And then…something happened. Donovan and Peter went flying.

My memory of Sensei is that of a generous teacher, someone who loved Aikido. More than that, though. He seemed to enjoy Aikido, enjoy helping others. Although I only saw Sensei in seminars, he made a lasting impression on me.

Tamura Sensei passed on July 9, 2010, after a bout with pancreatic cancer.

Rest in peace, Sensei.