A Fun and Successful Trip to Atlanta for the Yamada Sensei Seminar

We had 8 members of our dojo attend the annual USAF Atlanta Seminar featuring Yamada Shihan this past weekend.  I can speak for everyone when I say that the trip went extremely well.  First and foremost, it was great to have such a positive turnout from our dojo support this great seminar where one of our members, Jim Hyde tested and was promoted to Shodan (First Degree Black Belt).  He's been training diligently for the past 5 years and was more than prepared.  Kudos to one of our black belts Toshie Kamae for taking ukemi during Jim's test.  The two of them have been training very intensely and it showed in their performance.  We now have 5 practicing Yudansha (Black Belts) in our Dojo with 1 working abroad now.  As a fellow black belt, it makes me happy to see the quality of our aikido in our dojo as well as good representation to the USAF in the Charlotte area.

It was nice to see so many aikido friends on the mat, great energy and excellent training!  I want to thank our Junior students for demonstrating so many other parts of the Aikido way, through their support, etiquette and attitude.  The trip couldn't have gone any better.

-Jonathan Weiner, 3rd Dan, Fukushidoin

Aikido of Charlotte