Daigo Newsletter

This section is to feature a student

in the Dojo. Sometimes, we only

know each other in our brief time

at the school but there is more to

all of us than those few hours each

week.

A student picked randomly is

asked a series of questions and

their responses are recorded and

featured here as a way to learn

more about them. Have fun read-

ing.

Name: Samir Belmoufid

Age: 25

Place of Birth: Calgary, AB

Horoscope: Capricorn

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 160 lbs

Marital Status: Married

Where did you grow up?

Longview, AB

What did you want to be when

you grew up? Hotel Manager

Current Job Title: Restaurant Man-

ager (and Bonvivant)!

Dream Job: Independently

Wealthy

Hobbies: Chess, Watching Soccer

Coolest thing you learned/saw in

martial arts? Kimewaza Roppos

Favorite Movie: Scarface

Favorite Music: Rap

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Drink: Water

If you could live anywhere in the

world?

Cuba or somewhere tropical

Most interesting person you ever

met?

Mr. Bottero who was very educat-

ed and lived many interesting lives

Most interesting thing ever done?

Trip to Paris

Best advice? Be honest

Thx Samir!

Student Bio—Samir Belmoufid

Did you know we help the DRCA with

an year round bottle drive?

The Deer Run Out Of School program

is the DRCA’s main money maker.

We proposed a year round bottle drive,

advertised in the DRCA gazette each

month in order to help raise money for

that program.

Dennis and Shaun have been extreme-

ly helpful in spending their time pick-

ing up the bottles from the DRCA

from time to time and bringing them

to a bottle depot. We then return 75 %

of that income to the DRCA and keep

25% of it.

Since it’s inception, we have raised

$960 for the DRCA. The Dojo has

received about $230 which was spent

on 2 brand new heavy weight uniforms

for Dennis and Shaun to thank them

for their hard work.

If the entire community was to be

involved, it would generate a lot of

income. It has only a few main contrib-

utors who regularly donate their bot-

tles. It is all appreciated anyway.

You can always mention to those you

know about the bottle drive. All a

person has to do is bring their bottles

to the DRCA and drop them off. We

do the rest!

The DRCA plans to use the money to

help with new equipment or field trips

etc for the kids.

It is one of many ways we keep good

ties with the community club that has

been so supportive of us.

Thanks again Dennis and Shaun.

Bottle Drive Update

Genbukan Daigo Dojo

December 2014

Summary

Student Bio

Bottle Drive Update

Our long term plans for

the Dojo

How does the 911 sys-

tem work?

Grading Info

Youth Class Update

Written by:

Alan Scofield

Our Long Term Goals for the Dojo

The Dojo has never done well financially. In fact, in only one year out of 12 it made less than $1000 profit which then had to go to the accountant etc

and so we still ended up in the negative.

Why is this, you may ask?

Well, for starters it is a numbers game. We can only reduce our costs by so much and have done everything possible to keep them down. The number

of students training is the balance to this. With more students, we have more money to pay off Dojo debt, pay the bills, and so on. We are at half

strength and have been for a few years now. Half of what we need to make it long term.

So where does the extra money come from to keep the school going? It comes from me. I have spent more than $53000 of my personal income to

keep the place afloat and borrowed another $30000 when I got started. Will I ever see that money back???? Probably not but such is the way it has

been. That could be called Fate I guess—mixed with stupidity early on. I firmly believe in what we are doing, and believe in Soke. Some Dojos have it

a bit better—some do not. Most of us scrimp by, training in small places with few students. We keep going anyway.

Why is it tough to get students? Well the number one reason is lack of money for advertising. We have a very small budget and we are up against well

funded programs whose business model is to try to push competition out of any location it can. He who yells the loudest gets the most students. Sad

but true. There are too many Dojos to count who teach absolute crap but have tons of students. They talk a good game and keep everyone busy and

with lots of ranks to feed their ego. They have birthday parties and competitions. They make it easy to belong because you really only have to show up

and do very little to still get that ego pat. That is the shortcoming of people doing little research and being lazy and easy to fool.

We don’t do any of those things. Martial arts is a serious business, even for the young. We are in essence commissioned to make sure a student in our

Dojo can defend themselves and help others if needed. This requires a lot of work, dedication, practice, study, and a long term view. Without a lot of

ego patting. We do things the way Soke wants them done. The right way. Regardless of how modern and often spoiled people view it. We aren't en-

tertainment or bragging rights. We aren't trophies or birthday cake. We teach real martial arts so people can defend themselves and win.

So, yes we don’t find too many people who have what it takes to do this for real. We get some people who come and go. They usually go because the

realization of what it takes to actually do this for real is more than they are willing to give. Some go due to finances, some to life struggles.

Primarily we exist and we do things the right way, in a quiet way. And if that means a small Dojo then that is what it means. True Grandmasters had

very few real students because it was hard even then to find anyone who could and would do what was necessary to learn and excel in martial arts.

The popularity of martial arts is often a reflection of the society in which one lives. If everyone believes they are safe and do not need to learn how to

defend themselves, then they do not pursue martial arts– not the real stuff anyway. In areas where conflict between people is much greater, so too is

the need for martial arts—especially the stuff that actually works.

So can we be unhappy that people believe they are safe and don't need to train? Well, that is one way of looking at it. Martial arts is about who you are

as a person. Not just how fast you are, what your rank is, and who you can beat. It is fundamentally about facing yourself and all your shortcomings

and learning to overcome them. It is about seeing your strengths and appreciating them. It is about raising yourself up above selfish pettiness and

showing that there are better ways to live, think, and be. By following these teachings, people become leaders not through big

talk but purely through being/doing/shining.

So moving into the 2015 season, the goal of the school is to reduce the training fees in September of 2015. This will be done

regardless, but more students would sure help me cover the costs of the Dojo. As the Dojo grows, we can further reduce costs

as everyone helps to share in the overall expenses. It is a communal thing and my hopes remain unchanged for its success.

Daigo Newsletter

Genbukan Daigo Dojo

How does the 911 system work (and your role in emergencies)?

As a 3 year member of the Police Dispatch for the City of Calgary, I have seen a lot. I had no idea how the system worked and it was a very steep learn-ing curve under tremendous pressure. The hours are long (12) and you work 2 days and 2 nights in succession which messes with your head and body. People yell at you, both citizens and staff. A mistake can cost a life. You can be sued, fired, disciplined, and more often than not singled out and bullied. That is life on the operations floor.

But his article isn't about that. It is about the general way the system works so you will better understand what happens when you call.

I write this article as a person, not in an official capacity for the City of Calgary.

Lets start with basics: Emergency calls are with 911 on your phone. Non emergency calls for police are with 403 266 1234. Both calls come to the oper-ations floor which is housed in the Whitehorn Multipurpose Centre on 36 Street NE near Marlborough.

If the call is a 911 call it goes to a set of phones called the PSAP. This is manned by staff form the Fire and Ambulance side. They will ask if you need Police, Fire, or Ambulance. Often people need more than one of those services but generally, if the person says Police, the call is transferred to the 911 pod on the police side of the floor.

Once in the Pod, the call is handled immediately with a series of questions to determine where you are, and what the issue is. This is all entered into multiple computer screens and relayed to the Dispatchers which sit in another section of the Ops floor. Usually, we stay on the line with the caller until Police arrive as further information may be relayed, heard, and so on. While this is happening, we are also “running” everyone involved in the call. Who is in the house, relatives, which cars are registered to the house, previous calls, criminal records, everything. We need to know everything we can as quick as we can so that officers who respond can have the best information possible when dealing with the emergency situation. So we are both listen-ing to the caller, and also reading a ton of info on multiple screens at the same time and relaying it all to the dispatchers who relay it to the responding officers.

If the call comes through and all the Pod lines are filled, the call spills over to the non emergency side which is basically right beside the pod. These areas are for non emergency calls regularly but emergencies always take precedent.

In the non emergent section we often get calls about advice to do with legal issues, requests for resources, transfers to appropriate departments, and a lot of random stuff. The non emergent calls require a lot of resources and knowledge of how the City works, who to refer them to, and how to deal with non emergency situations. We do this so police officers don’t have to because the don’t have the time and it isn't a good use of their specific set of skills. We also have a few police sergeants on the floor to help us with questions to Canadian criminal code and certain unclear situations.

Even then, we often send units to deal with whatever the issue may be. Especially if we believe there is something more going on or if they demand to see police.

We have 3 priorities or levels of response:

Pri 1 is right now—a crime is being committed now. Usually officers will respond to these calls going lights and sirens and getting there as quick as they can—keeping in mind traffic and road conditions. Examples are Assaults, Robberies, and so on. The ideal response time is within 10 minutes.

Pri 2 is the emergency either has happened and now you’re safe, it is non life threatening and so on. This response is within 20-30 minutes depending on how many Pri 1s we have going. You are put in a queue and when your turn comes up a car is dispatched. An example would be a shoplifter in cus-tody by Loss prevention officers who is awaiting police to arrive and arrest the offender. We don’t keep them waiting too long hanging on to offenders but we don’t go lights and sirens either.

Pri 3 is low tier happened a while ago, no one is hurt, etc. These can often take up to 5 hours to respond to. An example would be a gas drive off that was discovered by staff at a gas station 2 hours ago and who only now got around to calling it in, your car was stolen last night sometime, noise, etc.

At no time, as you can see, do we have teleporters that can magically bring officers to your life threatening emergency right now. It doesn't exist. And if the day is a bad one, with multiple Pri 1s on the board, and the roads are jammed, and we don’t have enough cars to respond, and it is shift change for us or for officers—then you are looking at a longer wait, even in an emergency. Police are your backup—they are not your personal body guards. Call 911 so we know what's going on and we will get there as quick as we can but if you expect the bad guy to stop what they are doing and wait with you– you are a bit...confused with how the system works.

Self Defence is your first line of defence against bad guys. That doesn't mean you go roaring off chasing them or engage in hand to hand combat when it can be avoided. It does mean though that you have to understand that when fighting for your life, YOU personally have to do that—until the police can get there and help you. That 10 minutes or more can be a LONG time to “wait”. That wait is you either saving yourself or becoming a victim. I have never chosen to be a victim and I try very hard to teach everyone in the Dojo to get rid of that mentality. Be aware of what is going on around you, be prepared, be able, and have courage and sense.

My worst calls—the ones that don’t start well or end well—almost always start with a person screaming and beyond reason, who doesn't know where they are, who wont listen to questions, and screams help me help me help me. Those calls suck. Tough to help a person who cant control themselves, has no clue where they are in the city, and has unrealistic expectations of what the police can do for them.

Know where you are—including what quadrant of the city you are in. Try to stay as calm as you can. Answer questions quickly and repeat those an-swers when asked to do so, and then do what you have to do to stay safe until police can respond. Police, and Fire/EMS are there to help you, when they get there. They aren't magic genies who read minds, know your location when you don’t, and who can fly in seconds to your location. You and all citizens have to help in that process.

Self Defence, from a purely physical standpoint is your first and only true weapon against bad guys. Everything else is a back up. People who don’t want to spend the time and energy to learn to stand up for themselves are in essence asking someone else to do that for them. To me, from a quote I read and believe in, it’s sheep asking sheepdogs to fight the wolves while the sheep stand there doing nothing except bleating (bahhh bahhh bahhh).

2223 146 Ave SE — DRCA Community Centre

www.calgaryninja.com

Don’t forget to check the online schedule before

you leave for class!!

Kamae and Kiais are just as important as anything else. Your stance and spirit

show through. If these are lacking, then so will your success when grading.

These things are very important to foster in yourself. In times of real need, they

will be there, well practiced and strong to help defend yourself from a real

threat. These are not to be taken lightly.

Think about your test, practice for your test, study for your test, see yourself

doing the test well. Your mental preparedness is critical for success. Want it.

Then go and get it. Don’t shrink away and make excuses. Face it, run at it, do

it, and leave nothing on the table. Gradings are about going all in—if you don’t

in a grading, how will you in a real fight?

Recover from mistakes with politeness and move on. Do not dwell on things.

WIN = What's important now and What's important next.

Treat your ukes like you would treat Shihan or Soke. Treat them well with

manners and compassion. Failure to do so means failure period.

Whatever the result and score, think about the test and what you could do

better. Enjoy the success or prepare for the retest. Make notes afterwards and

practice each point to master them. Either way, head up, smile in your heart,

shoulders back, steady!

Gradings.

Something truly to look forward to and jump at the chance to do when offered.

A chance to test yourself and prove you have learned and can apply that learning.

Often done in front of your peers and with months and months of work and prac-

tice invested.

So, how can you make a grading go well?

Pay for your grading well in advance of the test date. Never show to a grading

without looking after the grading fees first. Ever!

Know the syllabus. Ultimately that’s really what it boils down to. Know it so well

you can do it in your sleep. Know it so well you can use the confidence that brings

you to help keep calm when the stress and nerves start getting in the way.

Be very polite, never forgetting to use proper titles. People under stress often get

tunnel-vision and the scared self comes out. At that point, they forget social graces

and revert to more “basic” behavior. Totally unacceptable in a grading. This is your

time to shine, not cower. Keep your shoulder back, head up, and spirit happy and

strong. Mistakes happen. How you deal with them really shows your maturity and

quality of self.

If you absolutely have to ask a question, then ask it but this is something you

should have done beforehand. Being prepared ahead of time is what is expected.

Grading Info

403 816 3474

calgaryninja@shaw.ca

www.calgaryninja.com

The Daigo Dojo is a member of the Genbukan

World Ninpo Bugei Federation—GWNBF

Genbukan Daigo Dojo

Youth Class Update

The youth are doing very well in class. We have a small class for certain but the skill level is quite high and the attitude is very

good. Dennis has been doing a great job in helping me with the youth program and it has shown. Emitt scored a 99 %

(highest mark that can be achieved) and Attila with a 97%. The white belts are really getting their rolls down and the whole

program is looking good. Almost everyone in the Dojo, youth and adult alike is testing prior to the December holidays. It is

good times for the skills coming along. Every student has shown progress and things are really looking up for ranks and

more interesting techniques as we move forward. Now if we could just clone all of you – once or twice each would suffice…