2020 ECT Spotlight: Warren Wagler

So another competition is almost approaching, This will be the second consecutive East Coast Seminar and Taikai I’ve been to. This time I will be moving up a division to face more challenging opposition.

We are all busying ourselves to sharpen our swords and polish our technique. All this to showcase our country’s ability to create talented Iaidoka. It is an honour to be selected as one of these individuals and I will do my best show what Canadian Iai is all about.

I have been studying in Oshawa and Peterborough with Wilson-Sensei since the early 2010’s. At Kenshokan dojo we practice interactively with each other to achieve perfect and fluid motion.

In addition to Iaido we also teach Jodo and Karate, both of which I also practice. My goal is to eventually be proficient in all three, and experiences such as this delegation will bring me closer to accomplishing my goal.

What I am going to do different this year is showcase my improvement from one year ago and impress myself on what I have gained. I am also going to network with more of our U.S. neighbours, and introduce myself to those I did not manage to last time.

Most importantly I am going to write more notes so I can recall what I have learned and share them with the rest of my dojo. Last seminar I learned about Tenouchi, when to relax and tighten grip, I am eager to find out what I will learn this time.

Overall last year was a blast I quite enjoyed the thrill of becoming a traveling swordsman, journeying far and wide to find the secret of this art. I believe that participating in a taikai is necessary to grow as a martial artist, to have a goal to work towards other than grading is very refreshing.

2020 ECT Spotlight: Francis Domingo

Being chosen to represent Canada in last year's  competition (Winter 2019) was a great honour and a source of personal pride. In addition to the unique experience, I have learned many things that would not have been possible otherwise.

Through interactions between fellow competitors, I've gained significant understanding of sportsmanship through the spirit of competition.

Through observing the performance of those in the upper ranks, I've come to recognize the amount of growth still possible in my own practice of Iaido.

Since last year's competition I have received the privilege of a higher rank (3rd Dan).

This year I plan to bring the full extent of my training and growth to bear so that I may continue to represent Canada and my fellow Canadian Iaidoka.

2020 ECT Spotlight: Peter Kim

5 years ago I started Iaido which was a little late in my life but I have been practicing Shotokan karate for over 2 decades so I had a martial mindset already instilled in me when I first started.

My first dojo was the Ken-Zen dojo in Manhattan NYC with Pam Parker Sensei, I was living in New Jersey at the time. When I moved back to Canada I already knew many of the Canadian Team because when they competed in the East Coast Regional (which I always attended in my short Iaido experience) they always did very well in the taikai.

For the 2020 EC taikai, I am focusing on keeping my posture from slouching, my head up straight and keeping my cuts big and powerful. It will be, for me, an interesting experience to go back to the ECR as part of the Canadian Team. Although we are all part of the great Iaido family, competition between Canada and USA always brings out a rivalry between competitors.

Hopefully my US Iaido friends still stay friendly to me.

2020 ECT Spotlight: Danny Chan

As we start 2020, we commonly hear about new year resolutions or upcoming goals to achieve.

Yes, we have gradings and taikai competitions that can be thought of as goals. I believe the journey is more important than the destination. Where the way is more important than ticking off the check boxes. As I cast my mind to the past where I recall reading about the three pillars by Paul Shin. He wrote about competing to round out one’s training. I believe the three pillars to success are universal and to summarize his writing.

1. If you want to excel at Iaido or any martial art. You’re going to want to join a Dojo. I joined Mumonkai Iaido Club at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Center in Toronto in January 2019. Your Iaido won’t develop without joining a dojo. Similar to how I joined Toastmasters to improve my public speaking. For others it may be joining a gym. The end result is the same. Nothing happens until you join.

2. The second pillar is to actually goto the gym or attend the Toastmasters meetings or in this case practice your iaido on a regular basis. Without practice your iaido won’t develop. I practice three times a week and at home just about every day.

3. The third pillar that ties into what I hope to learn from participating in the competition, is to go out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to be better than you were the day before. To learn by watching others, to embrace the community and expand my iaido experience. Just as I have competed in international public speaking contests to push myself into being better than I was the day before.

I am a lifelong learner and look to continually improve myself and change is a part of learning.

A way of life to me is more fulfilling than ticking off the check boxes by setting goals.

There is a difference between competing to win vs competing to challenge oneself.

That’s where I’m coming from, how I get there and where I’m going. We are all born, and we are all going to die. It’s what we do between those two checkpoints that matter the most when we are alive. Live a life worth remembering and regret nothing.

Looking ahead at 2020 for Team Canada Iaido

Wow, what a 2019!

We had an amazing year of showcasing what Canadian Iaidoka are capable of.

This wouldn't have been possible without the avid support and effort from so many amazing people in the CKF Iaido community.

Looking back at the past 12 months... 
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1. We selected and sent teams to participate in three 3 International Events

2. We promoted 11 Canadian Iaidoka on our website and facebook page reaching over 20,000 people

3. Our amazing Canadian Iaidoka brought back 13 awards: Two (2) Gold, One (1) Silver, Three (3) Bronze, and Seven (7) Kantosho awards

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All on a budget of $1,000 CAD.

Not bad for our first year in existence!

Competitors came from large cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal; as well as remote jewels in the CKF Iaido community like Peterborough and Thunder Bay.

Our teams not only contributed to raising the awareness of the capability of Canadian Iaido, but also submitted insightful perspectives on how an Iaido community is built through their diverse experiences.

You can read about them here: https://team-canada-iaido.squarespace.com/blog

This inaugural year was about building a foundation. We built a website, a facebook page, and a mailing list. We tested our nomination and selection procedures.

In 2020 we have larger ambitions.

And with greater support from the Canadian Kendo Federation, we hope to both bring the Team Canada Iaido program closer to more Canadians, and bring the Canadian teams further to more tournaments. 

Our goals for this year are as follows:

Base Goals 2020
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2020 will be considered a success if we can...

1. Hold 3 Info Sessions & Training Camps in each of the CKF regions of West, Central, and East

2. Send a team to 2 US Iaido Tournaments: East Coast Iaido Taikai (February) and PNKF Iaido Taikai (September) with members selected from the East and West of Canada, respectively

3. Raise at least $250 through sponsorship and fundraising activities

Stretch Goals 2020
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After achieving our base goals, we will not be satisfied...

1. Send a team to a tournament in Asia

2. Send a team to a tournament in Europe

3. Raise at least $500 through sponsorship and fundraising activities

We hope to have your support as we create more opportunities and encourage selected teams to spend time together outside of the taikai environment, and allowing Canadian Iaidoka to understand and appreciate their fellow practitioners from across the country.

Nominations for 2020 East Coast Iaido Taikai

With the first tournament, East Coast Iaido Taikai, coming up soon (Feb 16, 2020), we would like your nominations for candidates 1-Kyu to 3-Dan to be selected to the team in 3 simple steps:

1) Identify any members of your dojo who might be interested and show strong potential, or nominate yourself.

2) If you/they are willing to participate, please review the Team Canada Iaido Vision & Mandate and FAQ.

3) Finally, send an email to iaidoteam@kendo-canada.com with a short description of why you/they would like to participate.

Additionally, selected candidates will be expected to provide additional material by the requirements deadline. This will include a short written post for the Team Canada Iaido blog, and photos to be used for promoting them.

KEY DATES

• Nomination Deadline: January 11, 2020

• Candidates Selected and Notified of Final Requirements: January 18, 2020

• Candidate Requirements Deadline: January 24, 2020

• Official Team Announcement: January 25, 2020

• Tournament Date: February 16, 2020

As we look forward to another successful year, the goal is to continue improving the depth and breadth of the program. If you or your students have any suggestions and would like to volunteer to help, we would definitely welcome it!

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the team selection process! http://eepurl.com/dxALe9

2019 ECGT Spotlight: Michael Hodge

Insist on Going Beyond 'Shu'

Very recently I had read an excerpt of the Book "Judge's Eye View" in which senior iaido instructor, Ishido Shizufumi, illustrated that the function of the All Japan Federation's (AJKF) mission is to ensure the beginner and intermediate iaido student remain faithful to the 'shu' aspect of personal development. The iaido curriculum of the All Japan Kendo Federation, purposefully designed as a system of 'toho' or sword fundamentals, was meant to teach aspects of sword and body control so as to aid in developing solid understanding of the basics through a largely unchanging curriculum.

How then is the eager student expected to penetrate beyond 'shu', or first of three phases where the beginner and intermediate student strives to accurately replicate a static curriculum taught by their instructor -- to arrive at a point where the seeming material limitations in said curriculum becomes the catalyst for questions, experimentation and perhaps change?

While I believe the ability to do so exists in the AJKF's twelve forms, I am convinced that the greatest share of the conscientious student's conditions for progress beyond 'shu' may be found in the traditional forms of their respective koryu. To that end, the message I would like to communicate to an eager student is to make effort to fully understand their teacher's style of koryu, practice diligently, and aim to eventually develop one's own personal style based on their analysis of what they have learned.

In striving to do so, I do not find it unreasonable to say that this process of going beyond 'shu' should begin at yondan, start to take shape at godan and perhaps conclude at rokudan. Beyond rokudan, one's personal style should then continue to take shape and settle into both an internal and externally harmonious personal expression embodying one's full character.

(Michael will be competing in the 5-Dan division)

2019 ECGT Spotlight: Patrick Suen

Iaido Competition: Take a Look Around

When we talk about the value of Iaido taikai, advocates point to the pressure of being judged in a win/lose situation, while detractors argue that competition conflicts with the individual nature of the practice.

However, what cannot be debated is the amount of energy and effort it takes to host these events, and if you really pay attention, there are lessons to be learned beyond the hantei decision.

Let’s try turning that internal mindfulness outwards and see what we can find.

#1 Watching the shinpan (judges) can help you improve your discernment of what is good Iai

While ZNKR seitei (standards) manual provides technical guidance on what is acceptable, Iaido is about so much more. How do you quantify depth of practice? How do you compare whether a practitioner has an opponent?

As the tournament progresses, you begin to see patterns of success and failure. You can start painting a picture of what makes good Iai. While it’s helpful to confirm your assumptions, it is even more beneficial to figure out why your preferred competitor fails to advance.

Competition is one of the only times you are allowed to chat with your fellow practitioners. Ask others what they liked or disliked about a performance. Ask them what their own Sensei focus on in class to get an idea of what the different judges might be looking for.

This is when you can really get to know what others in the community within the context of an Iaido event, and not just over drinks. Take advantage of this opportunity!

#2 Watching the back court staff can help you improve your time management, coordination, and communication skills

Competitors have enough to worry about. The pressures of competition are as much mental as they are physical, and individuals don’t need additional stress of knowing when and where they need to be for their match. A well-trained and vigilant back court staff can be the difference between a good and bad competition experience.

Gathering too many competitors at one time clogs up the space, while calling them too late will cause delays that ripple through the whole day. As the competition progresses, the brackets also start getting messy. They are no longer pre-built, but emerge as shiai are completed. Sometimes competitors have to go immediately back on for their next match.

Back court managers need to adapt quickly, understand the capabilities and needs of the time-keepers, score-keepers, and ushers, while making sure competitors know what’s ahead.

Observe and participate. Developing these skills can make you more effective in your personal and professional life.

#3 Watching the awards ceremony can help you learn about people and community

Watch the winners. I’m often impressed by winners at all levels in Iaido competition when they receive their awards. There is a humble confidence about them that says “I earned this through hard work”

Watch the crowd. Equally impressive are the participants who celebrate the achievements of their peers, take pride in their dojo’s accomplishments, and appreciate the experience of challenging themselves.

Watch the organizers and volunteers. Do you see bags under their eyes? Do you see a clear release of tension in their bodies? Take time to acknowledge the immense effort it takes to host these events.

the PURPOSE of Kendo

In the final verse of the Purpose of Kendo “…to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples” , we see the goal of turning our internal practice into external actions.

It’s never too early to observe, learn, and imitate.

(Patrick will be competing in the 5-Dan division)

2019 AOIC Spotlight: David Chiu

I started Iaido in 2007 under Tomoko Amgwerd Sensei who taught me Seitei Iaido and how to be graceful while doing it. Later I started to learn Muso Shinden Ryu under my kendo sensei Hiro Okusa Sensei who taught me to appreciate the old style.

In 2009 the Simon Fraser University Kendo Club was very fortunate to have Sandra Jorgenson Sensei join with Okusa Sensei to start the SFU Iaido program. Jorgenson Sensei really elevated my seite iaido in all aspects. I also practice Takeda Ryu Iaido and Battodo under Ling Sensei.

I enjoy practicing Iaido as it complements my Kendo and vice versa. Some exciting iaido experiences has been participating in the First Canadian Iaido Championships and practicing several times with a local club in Japan.

(David will be competing in the 4-Dan division)

2019 ECT Spotlight: Michael Hodge

I began my iaido journey in November of 2001 at what is now known as the Mumonkai Iaido Club at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Center in Toronto, Canada.  My principal teacher is Goyo Ohmi, nanadan kyoshi. Presently my focus, through rigorous training, is to deepen my knowledge of my teacher’s iaido lineage and to continue to solidify my own personal style based on his teachings as I become eligible for my rokudan iaido rank in late 2019.

My favourite experiences in iaido involve travelling for the first time to foreign countries to attend seminars.

As someone who has experienced the bulk of his travelling later in life, my first substantial trip was for an iaido seminar in New Jersey via New York City approximately ten years ago.  I have said that my first time landing in Manhattan from Toronto by bus, and taking the stairs from the city’s Port Authority to the street to be only to greeted by the iconic yellow taxis and the nighttime glow of Time’s Square was an experience I  still consider transcendent. The experience of travelling prompt a very welcome self-reflection in me, since I believe one’s home is intricately woven into who we are as people and seeing new places creates a revitalizing spark in me -- I will likely never tire of the experience.

In the years following, I would regularly travel to other countries that include England and Belgium, to further my iaido studies.

As well, I am relatively new urban photographer of two years. I can be expected to be found around the city photographing the sites and sounds of New Jersey and New York while I am in town for the seminar.

(Michael will be competing in the 5-Dan division)

2019 ECT Spotlight: Catherine Matchuk

I started practicing Iaido at 12 years old, having been introduced to the art by my mother, Marianne Matchuk. I took a break for my education, completing a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, and decided to return to the martial art six years ago.

The decision to return was one of the best choices I ever made. It's very meaningful to me that after all those years I found myself rekindling that past love. This is an art in which I will never stop growing.

I've met an amazing amount of people that I call my Iaido family, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to connect with my mother.

I've known Ohmi Sensei for most of my life now, and I consider him my grandpa. I also have proof that he called me his favourite student. Was this when I stole his phone and pretended to be him? Maybe, maybe not. You have no evidence.

Mu Mon Kai will always remain my home, and my Iaido family will always be in my heart.

(Catherine will be competing in the 3-Dan division)

2019 ECT Spotlight: Kyle Kolodij

I was introduced to Iaido at Rai Un Kai dojo; my teachers are Eric Tribe Sensei and Doug Martin Sensei.  

Iaido is an amazing journey that, I find, brings together your mind, body and spirit.  Currently, I am focusing on the concept of perfection through kikentai ichi and to be able to tell a story through movement and energy. 

Community and personal growth is much of what I have achieved through Iaido.  On the surface, Iaido appears to be about perfecting the use of a sword; however, below the surface, you can see its evolution into something whose intent now is to also bring people together.  It is certainly one part individual and one part community.

I am very passionate about the way of the sword.  I am also a student of Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Jodo (Rai Un Kai dojo) and lead a study group in Yagyu Shinkage Ryu Kenjutsu at Mushin Kenjutsu dojo (a Keiko-Kai of Tokumeikan under the direction of Douglas Tong Sensei).

2019 ECT Spotlight: Philip Benoit

I started iaido in the spring of 2000 or 2001 in Ottawa Ontario under Dave Green Sensei. I've also had the opportunity to train for 3 years with Goyo Ohmi Sensei in Toronto Ontario.

I feel blessed in sharing roots in two different iaido schools. My Iaido family is just that much bigger!

Some of my fondest memories in Iaido involve sharing and learning about Iaido from other students at seminars while not sharing a common language with them.

Both of us could only help each other using very basic sign language to communicate. Using a combination of thumbs up and smiles, or shaking our heads and making an X with our hands, the rest was modifying our iaido to mimic what we thought we saw the other doing, or pausing at certain points to bring focus to different aspects of movement. We both improved a lot that morning and we discovered that we shared a common 'language' after all, despite not being able to 'speak' to each other!

During practice, I've been working on developing proper mindset and exploring the nuances in Ki Ken Tai Ichi and other timing. 

(Philip will be competing in the 5-Dan division)

2019 ECT Spotlight: Hanna Ikeda-Suen

My life would have been very different if I did not step inside the dojo at JCCC on January 7th 2007. I started practicing Iaido under the instruction of Goyo Ohmi-sensei and Sandra Jorgenson-sensei, and I have been practicing under Stephen Cruise-sensei's instruction at the Etobicoke Olympium since 2017.

Through Iaido, I met many friends, role models, and best of all, my husband. Iaido has taught me patience, the importance of perseverance, and helped me reconnect with my Japanese culture and heritage I have abandoned when I was 16 years old.

One thing I am currently focusing on is to trust my sword and not to control it with my hands. I need to trust the weight of the sword instead of forcefully bringing down the sword to cut. I need to listen to the sword to check the angles. My sword has taken me to many great places; dojos across and outside of Canada. My sword has lead me to meet great group of people. My sword and I have participated in many competitions together. I know my sword will continue to guide me to the right path.

I met numerous inspiring senseis from Japan, who kept my motivation to get through all the challenges and slumps. Here are some of the quotes that were shared by them that I use them as my mottos.

"Iaido is not an act of killing. Iaido is an act of protecting the people you love."

"The goal of participating in competitions is not about how many flags you receive. It is about how much your can learn from the experience. Three flags or no flags, if you learned something from the competition, you are a winner."

"Wouldn't it be great to remove the boarders and barriers and spread peace around the world through Iaido?"

(Hanna will be competing in the 4-Dan division)

2019 ECT Spotlight: Warren Wagler

Hi I’m Warren, I started my Iaido journey when I was a teenager with Sensei Wilson, and have now been practicing for 8 years.

I practice Iaido because it is both challenging and fulfilling as you are constantly evolve your skills to achieve perfection, It is well worth the effort. To others Iaido may seem like an individual art, but to me Iaido is my second family.

I have made friends from places I have never been before and I look forward to making more.

(Warren will be competing in the 3-Dan division)

2019 ECT Spotlight: Francis Domingo

I was just a teenager when I began training in Iaido at around 2006 under Ohmi-sensei and Jorgenson-sensei of Mumonkai Dojo which was located at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.

Since the beginning of my iaido training, I have become increasingly absorbed into the philosophies and different styles of iaido. The current focus of my training is to further explore "koryu" and to combine traditional with modern thinking which can be used in the competitive aspects of iaido.

My best memories  of training in iaido is always about being a part of large gatherings like seminars and taikai. I find it very encouraging to see students and teachers from far away lands and from different walks of life meeting and training together.

(Francis will be competing in the 2-Dan division)

2019 ECT Spotlight: Carolina Merizalde

I started Iaido almost 3 years ago with Dean Jolly Sensei, at the Mokuyobi Dojo (Shidokan) in the West Island of Montreal.

Since the beginning Iaido my focus  has been about learning infinite details about the Katas, the meaning and logic behind every cut or turn, the technique basics and discovering the emotions that such a complex art can show us.

The best experience I had so far with Iaido is how it has challenged me to surpass mental and physical limits. It is an art that has shown me a great deal on humility, discipline and respect toward others.

Being part of a community of people who unconditionally share their knowledge and give their very best to others is something hard to find, and I am more than grateful to be part of it.

(Carolina will be competing in the 1-Dan division)

Why Team Canada?

Affiliate nations of the International Kendo Federation (FIK) have held Iaido championships for decades. The All Japan Iaido Championships (53 times), the European Iaido Championships (25 times), and the All US National Iaido Championships (21 times) have led the way, while Canada hosted our first national event in 2013, followed again in 2016. Hong Kong is about to host the first Asia Pacific Iaido Open Championships in March of 2019.

Eventually, there will be a World Championship, and as a federation, we can either wait for it to happen, then react; or be a driving force to its inception; showcasing our world-class Iaido in the process. Our first goal is to prove to the other major centers, specifically Japan, that Iaidoka in Canada and the Americas can rise to the occasion by demonstrating:

• Our willingness and ability to compete,

• Our willingness and ability to travel for competition, and

• Our willingness and ability to organize and host competitions at a world-class level

This demonstration requires time. We’ve already laid the foundation with the inaugural Pan-American Iaido Taikai this year in Toronto; participated by elite teams from Chile, Mexico, USA, and Canada. We’ve proven it can be done. Now it’s time to build momentum and develop a robust national team program to showcase our Iaidoka beyond our borders, and work with the global community to unite our nations in friendly competition.

INITIATE

In Iaido, we use the concept of Jo-Ha-Kyu to describe the progress from initiation to climax of a technique. Progression in the Team Canada and World Iaido Championship initiatives may follow a similar structure:

1. JO (Getting Started) -- A CKF organized PAIGT (2018) and launch of the Team Canada Program (2019)

2. HA (Build Momentum) — Official participation of Team Canada Iaido at an event in Europe or Asia (2020)

3. KYU (Sustain and Accelerate) — Joint FIK announcement of an official World Iaido Championships (2021)

In November 2018, the CKF board of directors approved a budget and line item in the financial statements for supporting the development of an official Team Canada Iaido Program (TCIP) for a minimum of two years. This initiative will be evaluated annually at the CKF board meeting to ensure the actions of the TCIP committee continue to align with the goals of the Canadian Kendo Federation.

2019 AT A GLANCE

The TCIP committee will be driving this initiative, starting with the following 2019 objectives:

1. Recruit TCIP Committee members

2. Define a Terms of Reference (ToR) to outline the purpose and structure of the TCIP

3. Define a Internal Nomination Procedure (INP) to select candidates and identify prospects

4. Define a Competition Action Plan (CAP) to develop, promote, and support delegations

5. Organize test initiatives to provide input for the development of TCIP documents

6. Execute and evaluate the 2019 ToR, INP, and CAP, and incorporate learning into 2020

Please join us in this exciting new journey for the Canadian Kendo Federation.

- Patrick Suen, Program Director