ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY

 

THE ICA STRIKES AGAIN

BEST JAM YET!!!!!

 

   The Harold Long Foundation was supported financially and physically this weekend by its main fund raiser; The Isshin-ryu Cross-Training Alliance. The Alliance has been growing by leaps and bounds and has enabled the HLF to make some plans that will be announced at a later date. These plans will enable Mr. Longs memorabilia and visual documentary of his life to be shown in more events and even placed in some participating dojo’s. There is much more and as I said, I will leave until later.



   Before I get to the positive, productive information, I must address a situation that arose recently. I apologize for wasting time with this but it needs to be said. One of our newest members was told by someone he had trained with and trusted for years, that the funds from the HLF were going to fund Master Joe Laney’s dojo. This is a lie!!!! It insults not only Joe’s integrity, but goes to the heart of mine, the advisory board of the HLF, ICA and especially the Long family. To use this in an attempt to discredit what we are trying to do, is the most mean spirited act our adversaries have dreamed up to date. Why this kind of divisiveness is directed at a group trying only to preserve the memory of our sensei as well as theirs? You would have to ask them. We are working, training and supporting our sensei. Others are doing that too, but in their way. We applaud and support their efforts. There are very good dojo’s in our area that come to mind. Masters; Phil McElroy, David Gabbard and Tommy True as well as some others, are not a member of the foundation or alliance, but they do their part in their way to keep Mr. Longs Memory alive. We wish not to compete or discredit. Every time someone goes into a dojo and trains, they are supporting Mr. Longs work and dream. You don’t need to belong to an association to do that. We have just found a way where it can be demonstrated on a local and national scale to all. It is also the wish of Mr. Longs family to do it in this manner. I’m sure Mr. Long would expect his family to be assisted in any way possible by his Isshin-ryu family.

 

 

  

   Nearly one hundred members assembled at the jam session. The day was an assortment of anything and everything. We were fortunate to have good enough teachers and willing students so we could have such a diverse day. But here lies the wisdom of cross-training. When business or military people want a really well trained operation, they cross-train their people in each others areas of expertise.



   We led off with Master Willie Wilson's demonstration teaching knife defense. This is a much over looked area in most dojo’s. You are just as likely to be attacked with a knife as with hands and feet. Master Wilson pointed out that it is an ongoing process and time did not permit him to teach the process. So he taught a few techniques and concepts. It was a good start. Master Wilson is in very bad shape physically with his neck and future shoulder operations. But there he was with his people; teaching, training and motivating the troops. He’s a warrior.

 

 

   I pointed out, that people we were only being exposed to the possibilities of all the training offered. It is a short course in everything. But it is a start. The good news is, all these people are available to you if you ask. That is part of our alliance brotherhood. As we each continue to expose ourselves to the information then go back and practice, it doesn’t take as long to teach something, as the base is there for learning. We are making sure that our training jams are not demonstration days. I’ve been to many of these where the guy was great, but I learned nothing. It was too much show and not enough tell. We are only demonstrating what we can teach.



   Sensei Jerry Lewis was next with a demo and teaching of kata bunkai that works. I had not seen Jerry teach before and he is very good. Some of the old, (Isshin-ryu kata) can be forever new, when you can teach like Jerry. Jerry is a future master in Isshin-ryu. I hope these Saturdays can help develop future masters. We are going to need them. It would be nice to see more people become masters on merit, instead of because they hung around so long.  

 

 

   I worked everyone through standup grappling, with striking and take down options. I followed it up with street punching and developing better striking techniques for close range fighting. It is built around my Dragon Sen-I style.

 

 

   Masters Butch Hill and James Ogle worked us on ground techniques with transition lessons and options. Little tips just on posting and positioning are things experienced people like them are good at getting across. Butch had, had an operation on his hand but never broke stride during the day.

 

 

   We then paired up and had some free style grappling with coaches; Ogle, Hill, Laney, myself, and special guest Chuck Reynolds. We were cramped on room, but like good Isshin-ryu people, everyone adjusted.

 

 

   Next was the real fun part. Supervision was provided by Butch and James. We had 45 second Pankration matches. You could only strike to the body or legs, but any take down or throw was legal. It demonstrated how easy it is to take some one down in the close clinches. It also demonstrated that people are learning these options and have more weapons and confidence. There were no casualties, give or take a toe, or a rib, or two. We had to keep throwing Tony Williams out of the ring so others could have a turn. He’s a gamer.

 

   Last but not least was Joe Laney. He taught and demonstrated street techniques. He showed how the kata was a great help in close contact, but how a lot was difficult just in itself to be done in the street. He was right. We experimented, and reacting after you are grabbed, takes a lot of reaction training and a technique that works. You need that jujitsu training to go along with your initial move. As tired as everyone was, Joe brought us back to life. It was useful, easy to train on, made all the sense in the world, and was a lot of fun. Although a little young in years to be a ku-dan, Joe certainly carries the sufficient knowledge with him to wear the rank. Let me ask you. Would you rather have a young knowledgeable guy defending you, or an old, worn out coot, who hasn’t learned anything in twenty years. That is why the whole rank thing is such a crock. It is also funny because, the very ones that jump on someone else’s rank couldn’t justify theirs to a real promotion board if they had to. Time in grade is relative to how many hours you have spent in the dojo and how knowledgeable you are. What if you called two electricians. One was young, willing, studied all the time, worked hard and owned his own business. The other guy was much older, hasn’t studied anything new in years and doesn’t have a business. Who would you hire? No brainer. All companies of merit promote on demonstrated ability, not years of service. But we in our wisdom put time constraints on earning potential. Reason is fear of too many high ranking people. OK, so lets get rid of the high ranking people who shouldn’t be high ranking people. What association has the guts to do that? Why? Because some of them would have to eliminate or demote their own people. The good old boy club would implode. There is only one reason anyone with a striped or red belt should still be in charge of anything and not be active, is their health. Otherwise it is a terrible misuse of power and authority. But what of the person that has given years and contributed much and becomes dormant. (not due to health reasons). Then either an honorary belt should be worn above black, or retirement. Let’s proceed with dignity without sacrificing progress and incentive. Maybe this sounds harsh but it rewards effort and protects against cronyism.

 

   We all appreciated the support we got from those who just came to watch and learn. They took no active teaching part except for the support and vote of confidence. It is a real moral boost to all especially the young people. Thanks to Maurice Msarsa, Melbert Lee, William Mason and Cass Cox. Also thanks to Kelly (Bad ribs) Markham . He dropped in to show his support then had to yield to a kumite injury received at his seminar last week.



   Next jam is in Athens, Tennessee, February 21st, with Dennis Thomas as host. Our competition goal is to at some point, to work grappling and Pankration into a tournament, along with the usual point fighting. Maybe to do that, we are going to have to guarantee the tournament organizer a lot of support. I hope in the coming year we will have in excess of two or three hundred members. We are about half way home for that figure now. With this group we can promise support, but much recruiting and training work needs to be done. Joe Laney is not having his tournament this year to give room to others that have been supporting us and lay plans for a tournament with the aforementioned divisions.



   If you would like to join the ICA and support the Harold Long Foundation, you can do so by sending a check for 25.00 to:

HLF
P.O. Box 20
Knoxville, Tenn. 37940
Details are on this site under ICA

 

WARNING: Contributing to this foundation or joining the ICA could result in your finding out who your real friends are.