Mary-Joan Bradley
Mary-Joan Bradley is Chief Instructor of the Ojirowashi Dojo. In January
1979, Mary-Joan became interested in Aikido after she saw a demonstration
at a local festival, by a group from the N.Z. Ki Society, led by head instructor,
John Dawn Sensei. The nearest dojo that taught Aikido happened to be about
four blocks from where she lived in Auckland. This dojo was being run by
Eddie Wong and his wife, Mary and they were teaching
Yoshinkai Aikido, as it was known then.
Mary-Joan commenced her training in February 1979 at this dojo in Manukau Road, Epsom. She continued to train and had attained 3rd Kyu by March 1981 when she moved to Nelson to begin her nursing career. In February 1985, Mary-Joan returned to Auckland and resumed training with Eddie and Mary Wong, who had relocated their dojo to Mt. Albert, Auckland.
In September 1987, she was graded by Eddie Wong Sensei and Aiko Sato Sensei, a Yoshinkan Instructor from the Honbu Dojo and awarded shodan by Gozo Shioda Sensei.
In 1988, Mary-Joan moved to Adelaide, South Australia where she decided to establish a Yoshinkai Aikido school, in appreciation for the tuition received from her teachers. On December 21, 1993 she established a Yoshinkan Aikido group that trained at the Western Youth Centre in Marion Road, Cowandilla.
In February 1996, Mary-Joan visited Auckland where she was graded to Nidan by Eddie Wong Sensei. Her Nidan certificate was awarded by Tsutomu Chida Sensei of the Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo.
In October 2006, Mary-Joan visited Auckland where she was graded to Sandan by Eddie Wong Sensei.
One of Mary-Joan's ambitions is to see more women take up Aikido as a martial art.
Martial Art Qualifications.
Yoshinkai Aikido - began training in 1979, attained the following:
- Current Rank - Sandan, (3rd degree blackbelt) Yoshinkan Aikido, 2007
- (IYAF) International Registered Instructor - Level 4 2007
- (IYAF) International Registered Instructor - Level 5 2000
- (IYAF) International Registered Instructor - Level 6 1994
Other Qualifications.
- National Coaching Accreditation Course - Australian Coaching Council Inc.
- Coaching Principles Level 2
- Australian Society of Sports Administrators (ASSA)
- Sports Administrator - Level 1
- Registered General Nurse
- St. John Senior First Aid Certificate
- Associate Diploma in Business Administration
- Assessment & Workplace Training - Certificate IV.
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Aikido Yoshinkan
"House for the Cultivation
of the Spirit."