Technical Advisers
Grand River Aikido enjoys the guidance of two 7th Dans that have been instrumental in the development of all the instructors at our Dojo.
Sensei Fred Haynes (PH.D.), 7th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido
Sensei Fred Haynes, 7th Dan has trained for over 30 years in Aikido and was a direct student for 6 years of the late Gozo Shioda Sensei. Living in Japan, Fred completed the one year, full time professional instructors course, taught to select members of the Tokyo riot police and uchi deshi. First prize winner (with Alister Thomson) of the 1989 All Japan Yoshinkan Aikido Demonstration. One of the founding instructors at the very successful Georgetown Aikido club in Ontario for 14 years, Fred moved to Vancouver Island in 2003.
Sensei Jim Stewart, 7th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido
Sensei Jim Stewart, 7th dan, Yoshinkan Aikido, commenced training in 1973 with Takeshi Kimeda and Mitsugoro Karasawa in Toronto, Canada. He has also trained in Japan (1976, 1997, 2005 and 2006). He co-founded Seidokan, Georgetown, Canada in 1990 together with Fred Haynes, Alister Thomson, and Gordon Blanking. Now, as head instructor at the Seidokan, Jim continues to travel and teach aikido throughout Canada and the United States. Jim’s personal practice of Aikido uses balance, inner awareness and spirituality as it relates to challenges in everyday life. His sensitivity and awareness of creativity in both its inner and outer forms, have influenced and developed his unique and peaceful approach to both art and aikido.
Instructors
John Reel, 1st Dan
John has been training in Yoshinkan Aikido for over 10 years and received his Shodan grading in 1994, issued by the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido, Gozo Shioda. For the first 4-5 years of training at the Seidokan Dojo in Georgetown, John trained between 10-20 hours a week with a wide range of black belt instructors each class. He was greatly influenced by the very gentle techniques of 7th degree black belt, Sensei Jim Stewart.
Lee Darke, 1st Kyu
Lee began training with John Reel at Guelph Aikido in 2001. When the Guelph Dojo closed, Lee travelled to the Georgetown Dojo to continue his training. At Georgetown, he trained with Fred Haynes Sensei, 7th Dan, and Jim Stewart Sensei, 7th Dan, as well as other black belts ranging from 1st to 4th Dan. Lee is the founder/owner of Grand River Aikido.
Guest Instructors
Jack Imhof, 3rd Dan
Jack is an instructor at the Seidokan Dojo in Georgetown. He will be making occasional (perhaps monthly) appearances to teach at Grand River Aikido. Jack is the National Biologist with Trout Canada and works with many organizations including Ministry of Natural Resources and the Grand River Conservation Authority.
Scott
Russell, 2nd Dan
Scott Russell started training in Yoshinkan Aikido in 1990 at the University of Waterloo. He received his nidan (second-degree instructor's certificate)from Sensei Fred Haynes, 6th dan, at the Seidokan dojo in Georgetown, Ont., in 2002. Scott has lots of practical experience using Yoshinkan Aikido. He served 12 years as a correctional officer with the Ontario Ministry of Correctional Services in maximum security facilities in Toronto, Milton, and Guelph; and served more than a year as a youth worker with the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services in an open custody facility in Guelph.