Our recent retreat was a great success! Here are a few pictures.

   

   

   

   

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After many years of being the Association's acknowledged Ronin, Sandan Parker has finally settled in one spot long to get a school opened. MASD opened it's doors September 9th to (2) white belts, Cody Crim and Nick Heilman. Both are enthused with classes and progressing well.

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I am pleased to announce the promotions of Rick Downs and Scott Williams of the Rose School of Karate to the rank of 1st Degree Brown Belt. This occurred just after publication of our last newsletter in April.

Though not a "normal" exam, both of these excellent students were able, during a long Thursday night class, to incorporate some very advanced and complex material in a manner far more indicative of IkKyu level. They have both been back studying with me now for a little over 4 years after absences of 15 years after about 2 years training. These are both very seasoned, experienced, and serious practitioners of our art. And since their promotion, they have both proved to be very apt students continuting their hard work. And this to despite Scott's back flare up from a nasty fall onto a chair a year ago, and Rick's continuing issues with a left knee problem. It is so good to see that students who have every "excuse" in the world to slack off or quit keep coming to class, paying attention, going home and practicing the material and then being able to consistently come back into class and apply that material. Congratulations to both Scott and Rick. I hear squeeking about Pending Black Belt in the background so you just never know.

Welcome also to new student Michael Houdek. Mike is a QA Engineer in the Portsmouth area and found the Rose School of Karate on the web and gave us a call! Who said ecommerce was dead. Welcome aboard, Mike!

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The Somersworth School of Self Defense has had a very busy summer. At the beginning of August, Sensei Bruce Vinciguerra and I attended the 2002

C∓S Self Defense Association’s Advanced Retreat in Winter Park, Colorado. This was a great learning and sharing experience for the both of us. We would like to thank every one who helped to make this retreat such a huge success. We are particularly grateful to Robin and Yondan Wilkewitz for their generous hospitality.

The SSSD is proud to announce that our club is growing. We are pleased to welcome three new students. We were joined by 13 yr old Michael Dower in mid-August. Becky Stuart and Jennifer Vachon joined our club in late September. Also, congratulations to Arthur Sourielle, who was recently promoted to Nikkyu.

This past weekend, Sensei Bruce Vinciguerra hosted a Shahai at his home in Somersworth, NH. This "min-retreat" was geared towards the Green Belts in our club. Sensei started off the weekend by talking to us about the importance of "Responsibility," which became the theme for this weekend. Nidan Holman did a presentation on the History of Karate and Sandan House discussed the "Vital Areas of the Body." On Saturday afternoon, I did a presentation on the "Warrior Spirit." It was then Nikkyu Arthur Sourielle’s turn to present to us the Marine Code of Conduct, "Honor, Courage and Commitment." He spoke of its relevance to the study of Karate. Many questions were answered and we all learned a great deal.

We concluded this event with a very enjoyable dinner at Woodski’s in Somersworth, NH. It was an honor to be joined at dinner by retired Sandan, Brian Vinciguerra. At dinner an announcement was made that Sandan Tim House will be leaving us to start his own program. We wish Sandan much success in this new endeavor and thank him for his contributions to the SSSD. Finally, Nidan Holman was named our club’s new Sempai. Congratulations Nidan, we know that you will do a great job as our Sempai.

Here are some pictures taken at Willand Pond in Somersworth, NH. This is were we held a morning workout at our recent Shihai.

   

   

First I would like to say that the Storm Dragon line is very grateful to Grandmaster Dusenbery and all of his students for making the retreat at Winter Park the successful and enjoyable event that it was. I sincerely believe that it will be looked upon as a real milestone for the Association. Bonds were created and strengthened and an appreciation for the quality of people that we have gave real pride to all who were fortunate enough to attend.

As for the Fall season for our line, we are happy to see the approach of more reasonable weather. this has been an unbelievably hot and humid Summer and one of the worst droughts in memory. Now we can have some outdoor workouts and enjoy the beautiful autumn colors.

I hope that everyone will enter the fast approaching holiday season with a sense of appreciation for what we in this country have, and all that it took to create and to defend it. Being true to our commitments, our families, and our communities, is the best thing that we can do to keep our country strong and will in the end make for a holiday this is meaningful and memorable. From all of us in the Storm Dragon line, Be safe and be happy.

It's been a short summer, man how time flies. The highlight of the year was being fortunate enough to attend Master Dusenbery's Colorado retreat, along with five of my students. It was one excellent weekend.

Two weeks later we did our annual class campout. The students all enjoyed the fishing, swimming and hiking, along with the early morning workouts. Master Landers was kind enough to attend the Sunday morning class and share some of his vast knowledge with us.

I would like to announce the following Promotions: Sankyu Stephen Austin, Sankyu Adam Poe, Sankyu Thomas Waldhoff.

I am very happy to announce the beginning of a new karate program. The name of the program is 'Tai Chien Dojo' and the Head Instructor is Sandan Tim House. Tai Chien Dojo has been developed to spread our Art through the auspices of C&S Self Defense Association. The meaning of Tai Chien Dojo is 'A place to learn a way of personal development towards inner peace.

Tai is taken from the 11th hexagram of the I Ching meaning, peace. The peace that we are looking for in a Tai Chien Dojo student is inner peace. Everything is subject to change. It is how we deal with these changes is what gives us peace. This builds character by keeping our inner nature strong and rich.

Chien is taken from the 53rd hexagram of the I Ching meaning, development (slow progress.) Tai Chien Dojo is not about how fast a student gets his/her next rank, rather it is about developing the individual into becoming the best person the student can be. This incorporates many things and above all else the five maxims of: character, sincerity, effort, etiquette, and self-control. Moreover, the emphasis is on the student making the rank not the rank making the student.

Dojo is the school or area to train in. For me, it is not a four-walled building rather it is wherever you are. Do means, the way or path and jo means a place.