SMAA Newsletter, December 2009

 

Dear friends in the Martial Arts,

We’ve been swamped with administrative responsibilities and just trying to survive these difficult times, so we missed the last few month’s newsletters. This one should make up for that, however, as we have a lot of information about our great association to share with you. Let’s get right to it!
 
 
 
Half Price SMAA membership incentives
 
All throughout the month of December, SMAA Life Membership will be reduced to just $29!!! Being an LM was a great deal at only $59, but now, at just $29…well…how could ANYONE rationalize NOT being a member??? This offer is only good until December 31, 2008 so let’s get those memberships going!
 
Also through the end of December, the fee for rank registration has been cut in HALF! That means that if you have a student who would like to register their black belt rank, they may do so (once approved by a SMAA Certified Instructor and Rank Examiner) for just $12.50!!! Under black belt ranks may be registered for just $5.00!!!
 
Please don’t ask us to extend this offer…for obvious reasons, these great deals can only be made available for a limited time, so take advantage of it before the end of the year!
 
 The SMAA is on YouTube!!!

Thanks to the efforts of Ryan Andersen, Sensei Angela Sutton’s newest black belt, the SMAA has its own YouTube Channel. Ryan did this as part of the requirements for promotion to 1st dan, so our congratulations go to him on a job well done…on both the SMAA YouTube Channel and his successful bid for promotion.

On our YouTube channel you will find videos and slideshows of the 2009 SMAA Training Camp as well as some terrific demos from our 2009 SMAA Awards Dinner and the evaluations performed during the event.

Check us out at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SchuckersMA

and if you have video or pictures something you would like to add, please let us know by contacting us at:

ds@smaa-martialarts.com

 

 

The SMAA is now also on Facebook!!!

Thanks to SMAA Kyoju Dairi Joye Petty Zverina, the SMAA has its own Facebook page. We have videos, pictures and other information on the page so be sure to take a look at:

http://www.facebook.com/people/Schuckers-Martial-Arts/100000167199566 .

Add us as a friend and tell other martial artists about us!

 

 

News from our SMAA members

Congratulations to Sensei Angela Sutton and her school, the Academy of Self defense & Combative Arts on their impressive showing at a tournament held in Arkansas on August 1, 2009. Out of nine Academy participants, 25 trophies for first through third places were brought home!!! Two Grappling absolutes were also earned by Michael Culp and Joseph Sutton. Congratulations to all on this impressive accomplishment!
 
There were also several promotions earned by our members at the 2009 SMAA Training Camp - see these below.
 
SMAA Chaplain, MAJ John Sutton, US Army is scheduled for long term deployment to Korea in early 2010. Godspeed to MAJ Sutton and all our best to the family during his time away.
 
 
 
 
SMAA Insurance Program

After over a year of dedicated effort by SMAA Yudansha Taigu, Greg Lawton and others it has been determined that our SMAA Liability Insurance program is not viable. The reasons are many, but in the end we simply weren’t able to put together the program we hoped for.
 
All is not lost, however!!!
 
The SMAA has used Francis L. Dean & Associates for our insurance needs in the past so they may be able to help our SMAA Instructors and Club Leaders as well. You can contact them for information (including rates) by visiting their website at:
 
http://www.fdean.com/
 
This information will be posted on the SMAA website soon.
 
Please tell them you heard about them through the SMAA.
 
 
 
 
SMAA Healing Arts Programs
 
In an effort to make these programs available to our members in the most expeditious way possible, you may now go directly to the source!
 
Dr. Greg Lawton, SMAA Yudansha Taigu and Hachidan (8th degree) in Kosho Ryu Kenpo, long ago established the Blue Heron Academy of Healing Arts & Sciences to offer valuable certification programs for various facets of
the healing arts. Information on training and certification can be found at:
 
http://www.blueheronacademy.com/ .
 
This information will also be posted on the SMAA website soon.
 
Please be sure to state that you heard about them through the SMAA.
 
 
 
SMAA Website
OUR APOLOGIES!!! Our website is sorely overdue for updates due to the resignation of longtime webmaster, Bob Goodwin. After many months of unreliable webmasters and fruitless efforts to recruit a competent replacement, we have finally secured the services of Steve Zalazowski as SMAA Webmaster. This is a big job, but we are confident that Mr. Zalazowski will do a great job. As SMAA Life Member number 1, he has been on board with our great association and its goals from the beginning so we welcome him to his new post.
If you see anything that needs to be changed, updated or modified on the SMAA website:
http://www.smaa-martialarts.com/
please email us so that we can address your request right away. Send your changes to:
ds@smaa-martialarts.com
 
 
SMAA Patches
SMAA patches are now available. The cost is $5.00 each with full info and pictures available at:
http://www.smaa-martialarts.com/merchandise.htm
If you would like to order patches, please send your name, address, phone, email and fee for the number of patches you want to:
Donn Schucker
PO Box 2171
Florissant, MO
63032-2171
 
 
The very best price – we beat any quote by 10% or more
 
Through our dedicated efforts, we have been able to secure an outstanding source for patches, medallions, pins, etc. Our vendor guarantees us that they will beat any written and verified competitor’s quote by at least 10% so if you would like a price quote on patches, please email a full color sketch with size information and we will get a price to you in just a day or so. Send to:
 
ds@smaa-martialarts.com
 
Our source has THE VERY BEST PRICES that I have ever seen, and we will pass that on to our dedicated members, so let us know what patches you need and we get you our best price possible.
 
 
 
 
2009 Training Camp
 
The Training Camp was awesome! Attendance was much better than we expected (in light of the poor economy) and we had a tremendous group of instructors and students participating. The SMAA wishes to thank the following wonderful instructors for their help in making the event a success:
 
Omar Ahmad, Mixed Martial Arts
Frank Corbo, Tai Chi Chuan
Shane Donelson, Jujitsu
Greg Lawton, Martial Sports Medicine
Dave Lewis, Kenjutsu
Mike Makoid, Judo
Joye Petty – Zverina, Martial Arts Business Development
Frank Soto, Karate
Nancy Stokes, Tae Kwon Do
Angela Sutton, Bojutsu
Dean Sutzer, Kenjutsu
Ron D. White, Kickboxing
Clay Worley, Jeet Kune Do Concepts
 
When asked to rate each instructor’s classes from one to one hundred, SMAA members ranked the highest at 96.1 and the lowest at 91.8 – I think this speaks volumes about the winning combination of dedicated individuals we have assembled to lead our training.
 
Pictures and video from the Camp can be found on our SMAA YouTube Channel at:
 
http://www.youtube.com/user/SchuckersMA
 
so be sure to check them out.
 
The following SMAA members were evaluated by the SMAA Certification Board and promoted as follows:
 
Kathrin Sumpter
3rd dan, Tae Kwon Do
 
Christian Sutton
2nd dan, Kobu Jutsu
 
Ryan Kosmatka
1st dan, Kosho Ryu Kenpo
 
Sean Butterworth
1st dan, Kosho Ryu Kenpo
 
2009 SMAA Awards Dinner
 
The 2009 SMAA Awards Dinner saw just two people honored for their outstanding participation in the martial arts. We received a handful of nominations, but after an exhaustive investigation into the backgrounds of all nominees, only these two fit the strict criteria the SMAA has established.
 
No amount of money can buy an SMAA award! There are no fees for award recipients! These individuals didn’t even know they were to receive an award until our SMAA Director of Special Events & Operations, Sensei Tom Belt began to tell the Awards Dinner attendees about the backgrounds of these dedicated martial artists.
 
Criteria for all SMAA awards can be found on our website at:
 
http://www.smaa-martialarts.com/2009_awards_dinner.htm.

As you can see, an individual who receives an SMAA award must truly prove themselves!
 
The two award recipients for 2009 (with appropriate criteria and their qualifications for each award) were:
 
 
SMAA Martial Arts Excellence Award

Awarded to an individual who has 10 years or more in the martial arts, holds the rank of at least 2nd dan (or the equivalent), and has made noteworthy contributions in at least one of the three following areas at the local, regional or state level:

1. competition (years of excellence as a competitor, promoter, director, official, etc.)
2. administration (years of excellence as a leader, motivator, organizer, contributor, active in association operations, events, etc.)
3. technical (advanced level technical skills, advanced level ability as a teacher or coach)

The individual must (of course) be of unquestioned character and ethics and must exemplify the highest possible standards in the martial arts and everyday life.

The recipient of the 2009 SMAA Martial Arts Excellence Award is SMAA Kyoju Dairi Joye Petty – Zverina
 
 
 
 
SMAA Youth Excellence Award

This award is dedicated to the memory of the late Chris Canning, a young martial artist of incredible potential and is presented to an individual who is between the ages of 12 and 22, has 5 years or more in the martial arts and has demonstrated a capacity for excellence in all four of following areas:

1. competition (excellence as a competitor, etc.)
2. technical (excellent technical skills, ability as an assistant to their teacher)
3. academics (3.0 grade point average or better, good conduct, etc.)
4. community service (volunteer work in school, civic, church projects, etc.)

The individual must (of course) be of unquestioned character and ethics and must exemplify the highest possible standards in the martial arts and everyday life.

 The recipient of the 2009 SMAA Youth Excellence Award is Ellen Herrmann!!
 
 
 
 
Thank you for your continued support!
 
 
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
 
 
All the best,
 
Donn Schucker
SMAA Executive Director
(314) 606-7306
www.smaa-martialarts.com
 
Kim Schucker
SMAA Administrator
ks@smaa-martialarts.com