NEWS FROM SHELBYVILLE ZEN JUDO IN TENNESSEE

Here's a Shelbyville Zen Judo update for you. In April I promoted Christal Dennis to yellow. She is 18 and has been coming faithfully since the beginning. On June first I tested and promoted A. J. Trott, age 6 and Lauren Bunte, age 5. They both did really well and had quite a large audience show up for their test. Grandparents and parents as well as the newspaper covered their progress. It hasn't come to print yet but I will forward it to you. Things are still small but cozy. Very family like and everyone seems to be very close. The kids play together and the parents communicate well, too. I do hope that with this next article we will catch a few more participants. For now, I am happy with Way we are going.

SENIOR PROMOTION AT THE WADOKAN

It is a pleasure to report that Jennifer Fisher tested successfully for her brown belt promotion (ikkyu) last month. The testing was very smooth and she showed a remarkable level of competence and maturity in her Judo. It is nice to have students moving up to senior positions in the club. Now the Wadokan has three assistant sensei. In alphabetical order: Frank Curran, Chris Flinn, and Jennifer Fisher. Congratulations Jennie!

SUMMER OLYMPICS AND JUDO

Since Zen Judoka are not involved in sports competition, Olympic Judo may seem a remote event to us. But it is important to remember that Judo was the very first martial art to be included in the Olympic, way back in the 1960s when the games were held in Japan and remained for most of the 20th Century as the only Olympic martial art. Watching Olympic Judo gives us a chance to see both the similarities and differences in our styles and to learn more about the sports side of the art. For those of us in the United States, Olympic coverage of all 35 Summer Olympic sports and live coverage of key U.S. Olympic Trials will be done by NBC. In fact, the webpage NBCOlympics.com gives you a preview of the athletes, action, and drama of the Games in September. You can log on for a complete schedule of Olympic Trials coverage, check in with the U.S. 50+ Olympic hopefuls as they deliver first-person accounts of the road to Sydney through the Athlete's Voice, and check out site features including 3-D course views and data visualization, athlete bios, extensive content, images and expert analysis from NBC commentators.

ZEN JUDO IN BRAZIL

Sensei Keo Cavalcanti just got back from two weeks in his hometown, Recife (Brazil). Besides being very focused on the Brazilian soccer team's qualifying games for the next World Cup, Brazilians also take their martial arts very seriously. I had the pleasure of working out at the Nagai Judo club in Recife. Sensei Nagai has been teaching Judo in Recife for more than 30 years. He holds the rank of 7th Dan with the Kodokan in Japan. He also knew my Sensei Cavalcanti's first Sensei (he's now retired, of course). A Brazilian of Japanese descent, Sensei Nagai has been one of the leaders of the Japanese community in Recife. Three of his children are Sensei also, one living in Japan right now. The Nagai family has 9-10 clubs in Recife alone. Sensei Nagai gave Sensei Cavalcanti a warm welcome, which included borrowing his gi and belt. He sends his greetings to the entire Zen Judo family.

FUTURE TRAINING EVENTS

The Kenshin Do Ryu Summer course is being held again at Rockley Park, Pool, Dorset on Saturday 9th. and Sunday 10th. September. The cost will be £40 adults training, (£32 not training) and £25 for children. There is limited space so book early to avoid disappointment All details and course fees must be paid BY 30th June 2000. For more information contact: Jim Dart, 71 The Cresent, Earley, Reading, Berks RG6 7NW. Tel:01189623623. Or e-mail Jim at: kenshindoryu@compuserve.com.

The Asageiko is the annual international training sponsored by the American Zen Judo family. Every year we've had the pleasure of having high ranking Zen Judoka Sensei from England to provide us with a full day or two of training for all the Zen Judo clubs in America. This year we're delighted to have Jo Winslow as our guest Sensei. All Zen Judo families are invited to the event. It will take place in Richmond, Virginia (we're hoping to hold it at the Wadokan dojo), on Saturday, 14th October. It will be an all-day event.