View Single Post
Old 01-09-2005, 03:23 PM   #24
Jorge Garcia
Dojo: Shudokan School of Aikido
Location: Houston
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 608
Offline
Re: Poll: Do you think your aikido organization would surive without its chief instructor(s)?

I think we have all had the experience in some low level job of having to train our supervisor that the company just hired. That just doesn't give you any respect for him and it would be worse if he was a kid with the family name because people resent the feeling that being born of privilege has its perks- especially in America. In the case that John mentioned, if the kid started young and spent 30 years as a student in class, the older ones that helped him would know that at least he paid his dues and if the dad died suddenly, they would be more than glad to help finish the job because they would know that if all things had been perfect, he would have finished in the ordinary way. When they try to fast track a kid that didn't show any previous interest, the death of the dad seems a poor reason to invest all that authority and responsibility on someone who can't possibly know what 30 years on the mat really means.

"It is the philosophy that gives meaning to the method of training."
  Reply With Quote