Looking for college clubs/groups?

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[edutton]

My daughter has just started high school, and we are beginning the long process of looking at colleges... does anyone know of a resource that might list schools that have aikido clubs? (Ideally USAF affiliated... the USAF site lists dojos, but I don't believe that list includes campus groups?)

It's obviously not the determining factor, but it is a piece of information that would be great to add in as we look at our options...

Thanks!
Erik

[Dan Rubin]

In AikiWeb's "dojo search" page type "university" as the dojo name, "usaf" as the affiliation, and you'll get five choices right off the bat.

[Peter Wong]

In Massachusetts. Brandeis (AAA), Harvard (USAF), and MIT (USAF).

[robin_jet_alt]

Meiji University - Kobayashi dojo
Nagoya University of Foreign Studies - generic Hombu style
University of Tasmania - AKI

You might want to narrow your search a little...

[driusan]

I honestly wouldn't even consider it when deciding where to apply.

I mean, I practice at a university dojo and it's a good place to train, but assuming in 5 years your daughter even wants to do Aikido (hands up everyone who, when they went to college and got their first real taste of freedom, their first priority was doing activities that their parents had planned for them.. when they started high school.), why does it have to be at a college club?

Anyone in New York can practice at NY Aikikai. Anyone in Paris can study at Cercle Tissier. Any city that's major enough to have a college probably has at least one dojo. *If* she decides on her own that she wants to do (or keep doing) aikido, she'll make the effort to go to a real dojo. If she doesn't, it won't make a difference if it's on campus or not.

[edutton]

Thanks all for the responses! Dan, thanks for the search tip, it's helpful. Dave, we are also planning to look at dojos near campuses... as I said in the original post, it's just another piece of information, but as she's been training since she was 6 and actually enjoys it now, I'd like her to have the option to continue if she wants to. Also, an on campus club is often more convenient than traveling some longer distance...

[susanmarie]

I'm not aware of any comprehensive list of college groups, but many of them *aren't* on the dojo search engine for whatever reason.

When I was recently looking for jobs at universities, I searched for "aikido + town" after I'd identified a university that I was interested in, and I also searched the university website to see if they had an off-the-radar club. The radius search on aikiweb is also useful.

[Dan Rubin]

And if you enter "club" instead of "university" you'll get a few more.

[Malicat]

Thanks all for the responses! Dan, thanks for the search tip, it's helpful. Dave, we are also planning to look at dojos near campuses... as I said in the original post, it's just another piece of information, but as she's been training since she was 6 and actually enjoys it now, I'd like her to have the option to continue if she wants to. Also, an on campus club is often more convenient than traveling some longer distance...

Hi Erik,

If I may, I'd recommend working backwards in this case. I picked my graduate school based on dojo locations, but I'm in an organization where I actually know every dojo cho (owner of the school) personally, and I knew where to look. What you can do is pick a list of schools that look like they have good programs that your daughter would be interested in, and then go to the school's website to see what kind of clubs they have available. Usually schools have club listings on their web pages as a way to entice people to come to that school. After you get a listing and see an Aikido club, I would then recommend emailing the faculty advisor for that club and making sure that they are still active, and checking affiliations and the like.

--Ashley

[edutton]

Hi Erik,

If I may, I'd recommend working backwards in this case.

Oh, I expect that's what we'll wind up doing... right now I'm just curious to get a general idea of what might be out there.

Thanks!
Erik

[Susan Dalton]

Erik,
If your daughter is looking at in-state schools, NC State has an aikido club, as does UNC-W. UNC usually has one, though sometimes it's USAF and sometimes it's Tomiki. UNC-A has a USAF dojo nearby. My dojo is within walking distance of Guilford College (but we aren't USAF) and I am advisor for an aikido club at Alamance Community College. App used to have a USAF club, but I think the instructor retired. Elon is trying to get a club going. In the spring, State sponsors a one day seminar for college clubs, something they've done for the last 4 or 5 years. Good luck!
Susan

[Adam Huss]

I've visited a small handful of college aikido clubs. I've noticed classes tend to be low on the experience side due to the high turnover rate of students, and the teachers don't stray too far from that mold either. Often the teacher is also a prof, or somehow works at university, and doesn't necessarily put their training and teaching as a first priority in their life.

[lbb]

I've visited a small handful of college aikido clubs. I've noticed classes tend to be low on the experience side due to the high turnover rate of students, and the teachers don't stray too far from that mold either. Often the teacher is also a prof, or somehow works at university, and doesn't necessarily put their training and teaching as a first priority in their life.

True, and (while there are notable exceptions) continuity also suffers due to the turnover rate. With a four-year churn, it's very hard to predict what your daughter might find in four years.

[Malicat]

True, and (while there are notable exceptions) continuity also suffers due to the turnover rate. With a four-year churn, it's very hard to predict what your daughter might find in four years.

While the turnover is higher in a club dojo, I will also say that some schools allow alumni to continue in clubs. I stayed with my college club for 2 years after I graduated, for example. We have 3 active college clubs in our organization, and in one, the instructor isn't part of the college, but made arrangements to keep the club active with an outside dojo cho. The other two have a sandan and godan who are employees who aren't going to be leaving.

--Ashley

[Susan Dalton]

I've visited a small handful of college aikido clubs. I've noticed classes tend to be low on the experience side due to the high turnover rate of students, and the teachers don't stray too far from that mold either. Often the teacher is also a prof, or somehow works at university, and doesn't necessarily put their training and teaching as a first priority in their life.

Adam, Just like when choosing a dojo, one needs to observe an instructor and the class before one decides if the club is a good fit, but you can't make assumptions about the quality of aikido teaching just because a person teaches in a college. I have been teaching at my college for 23 years, and I've been doing aikido for 23 years. I love both teaching my subject area and training, as do the other college aikido instructors I know. You are correct about turn over, and most college clubs spend quite a bit of time on basics.
Susan

[Adam Huss]

Adam, Just like when choosing a dojo, one needs to observe an instructor and the class before one decides if the club is a good fit, but you can't make assumptions about the quality of aikido teaching just because a person teaches in a college. I have been teaching at my college for 23 years, and I've been doing aikido for 23 years. I love both teaching my subject area and training, as do the other college aikido instructors I know. You are correct about turn over, and most college clubs spend quite a bit of time on basics.
Susan

of course there are outliers, but I feel like my observations are relatively accurate - high turnover rates causing mostly junior level students and a Sensei that has priorities outside the dojo. Now if it's a beginner, I feel like it's an awesome thing. College is meant to expose people to new experiences, but from my point of view I just wanted to identify the possibility of what a college club may or may not be suitable toward. I'm not against them at all and have, in fact, donated money to a college club that was part of the university's Japanese Cultural Club because I believed in what they were doing and want more people to experience other cultures. College clubs aren't a bad thing, just not right for everyone - training wise.

[heathererandolph]

Aikido can definitely be a way to meet new people and do something familiar, if she loves it. I don't think it's a good idea to consider on campus Aikido dojos in your search. The only sure thing in life is change they say. There are far too many variables. Is she still going to be interested in Aikido in even two years, let alone four? Not everyone "makes" the transition to another dojo, even if it's the same affiliation. Different Sensei, different people. She may find some other activity she wants to do more. The times might not fit in with her schedule. Anyhow, she can still work out at home on breaks, so all is not lost if she does not have an kn campus dojo. Schoolwork is also important. And, things could possibly change between now and then as far as the prospective dojo is concerned. Is this your concern, or her concern? If this is not her concern, then just let it go for now. See what happens in the next two years at least. Kids start getting more independent around this age. They don't always stick with parent oriented things.
It's great your this involved in helping her look at college options. Try to keep an open mind.