achievements/contributions

• Played a pivotal role in building the BCAF and CAF organizations under Kawahara Shihan’s guidance, held a number of senior leadership roles, including BCAF president 1992-97.
• Provided continuous senior organizational leadership for seminars and summer camps as aikido grew in BC and Canada.
• Taught at summer camps; organized and taught seminars in his own dojos, many with Kawahara Shihan.
• Helped form many generations of aikido students as an outstanding teacher.

Personal Philosophy

• Saw aikido as a true budo, a way to develop the mind and body in unison, and foster friendship rather than strife both on and off the mats.
• Focused on the essence of techniques and discarded all superfluous elements, embodying both the spirit of budo and the spirit of Kawahara Shihan’s teachings.
• Approached practice with a simple, curious and open mind, regardless of whom he was practicing with. Exemplified what Kawahara Shihan once described as “quiet practice”, i.e., practicing silently with a quiet mind and allowing the body to learn by doing techniques attentively, without distractions, pride or worrying about mistakes.
• Focused on effectiveness and purity of execution, never used physical strength as a shortcut to cover for defective technique or to dominate a partner inappropriately.
• His humility and sense of humour helped students relax and thus learn more quickly.
• Was able to continue teaching well into his illness and was an extraordinary example to others of maintaining a positive spirit in the face of adversity.