A Busy 2009 for Northern Kentucky Kendo

Here are some of the highlights for 2009. At the recent Youth Kendo Tournament held at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Justas Jodelle won two medals for third place. He won one medal for individual honors in the 13 to 15 year old age group. His second medal was for team competition. Justas was on a mixed team with members of the Cleveland Japanese School Kendo Club.

The Club performed a number of Kendo demonstrations. We performed for the Kenton County Library's Youth Japanese Club. Most of the events we performed, were recorded for broadcast as a local sports event on Insight Cable TV, in Northern Kentucky, and Columbus Ohio. A number of our regular classes were recorded for broadcast as well. Our thanks to Chris George, and Danessa Smith from the University of Cincinnati Kendo Club for their help. From Northern Kentucky Kendo Club; Bill Baker, Don Collins, Maria Collins, Gerald Meade, Mark Clark, Roland Figgs, and Justas Jodelle.

We had a number of Iaido events as well. Gerald and I performed at the Kenton County Library. Chris and Roland performed with us during taping of our regular class at the Corryville Rec Center in Cincinnati.

I was invited again this year to be a guest instructor for the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) at their regional "March Madness" seminar held at Northern Kentucky University. The SAFD teaches actors stage combat techniques for use on stage, television and movies. Roland and I were invited back for their summer session to teach a class on empty hand techniques.

A couple individual honors: First, Gerald has been granted a teaching license to teach Muso Jikiden Eishen Ryu style of Iaido. He continues to promote this style of Iaido to groups east of the Mississippi.

Second, I was invited by the Kenton County Library to pose for a poster for their READ program. Assisting me in the poster is Bailey Peterson of Premier Martial Arts in Florence Kentucky. Bailey won a scholastic award as one of the top elementary students in the country. The poster will be on display at the library through next year.

Finally, congratulations to everyone who passed testing for rank in 2009!

Jim Atkins

Winter is Coming- Winter hours are back at Corryville

Cooler temperatures are back in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. It's time to go back to winter hours for Wednesday evenings 2009 at the Corryville Recreation Center in Cincinnati. Iaido class starts at 6:00pm until 7:00pm. Kendo class begins at 7:00pm and lasts until 8:45. We need to be out of the building for closing by 9:00pm. We will move back into the dance studio for class.

Class times for Sunday morning at the Step 'N Out studio in Covington KY are the same. No changes.

-Jim