Martial Arts of Tucson
Kokoro Aikido
December 2019 Newsletter
By Michael Roberts

Best wishes for the holiday season, and for 2020 to our extended dojo community from all of us at Kokoro Aikido! We hope you and your families are all well, and finding time for at least backyard Hitori Waza, if not regular training!


​2019 has been an eventful year for Martial Arts of Tucson, and those of us within Kokoro Aikido.
In March, Eric, Steve and Michael attended a seminar led by Yoshimitsu Yamada and Skip Chapman at Aikido of Scottsdale. This was particularly special as Yamada was one of Sensei Shanstrom’s earliest Aikido instructors.
As many of you know, in May we had the highly unusual and disruptive experience of a dojo fire. This forced us to abandon our Speedway dojo (including our fabulous raised floor that some of you helped us build, by hand) and search for a new home. For sure it was an opportunity for us to stay centered, extend Ki, and enter Irimi into a challenge, as a group.
For a while we trained at a friend’s home dojo on Sixth Street. While a small space, it enabled continuity in the thread of our art for a time. We’ll be forever grateful to Robert for his hospitality during this period. Although an accomplished martial artist in several arts, Robert even joined us for Aikido class and continues to train with us when he can.
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Knowing we needed a bigger space (and not wanting to become the relatives/blow-ins who over-stayed their welcome at someone’s home!), we researched a bunch of options for a dojo location, as did our Rendoryu Judo colleagues.
By September, both schools had selected Kodenkan Center at 3127 North Stone as our new home to train. The folks at Kodenkan Center train Matsunoryu Goshinjitsu. In a demonstration of true budo spirit, they have allowed Rendoryu time on Tuesday evenings for Judo practice, and Kokoro Aikido to train there Saturday mornings.

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We’ve had quite a few changes in our student body and Yudansha lineup this year too. After many years of generous instruction, Fred Ahrens retired from teaching early this year. Matt Hudson left us for colder northern climates mid-year, and now lives and works in Seattle. Then, Eric Britten also found himself drawn northwards, moving to Bend, Oregon during the summer. Longtime Taekwondo coach Scott Meyer decided to retire early in the year. (Though Scott’s legacy continues … a recent black belt, Dion Williams has just been named to the US National Cadet (13-15) boys Taekwondo team).
Our Aikido students progressed too: Aika, Tyler and Jeremy are all now busy in college, but have come in to train when on break. And we had several notable grade progressions. Robert earned 6th kyu, and Cheyenne earned both 4th and 3rd kyu since we left our Speedway location.
At our new location, our student body is starting to re-assemble and grow again. Sensei Shanstrom still leads us and inspires us all to improve and to maintain a beginner’s mind.
George, Jason, Michael, Cheyenne, Steve and Paul F have all been in to train multiple times at our new spot. Most recently, Liz Rosenberg joined us. Liz, who is Sandan, came in from Philadelphia after multiple years of practice at Kokikai Aikido.
We look forward to continuing to re-build and grow in the new year. We will add class times as our numbers increase. We continue to seek sincere students to join us; those few with the patience and fortitude to take on the Aikido journey. Send those people our way as you meet them. Have a great 2020, and whenever you can visit, we hope to see you in to train too!

​Kokoro Aikido – Martial Arts of Tucson; currently training 9-11AM each Saturday at the Kodenkan Center, 3127 North Stone Avenue, Tucson AZ 85705. Maotinfo@gmail.com. (520) 325-0790.