Aikido      Judo      Jujitsu     

Home

Class Schedule

Events

Instructors

Photos

Newsletter

Martial Arts Links

Map to Dojo

Contact Us

Voice of the Fox
The Newsletter of the Martial Arts Training Service

MATS Grand Opening
Pat Browne Memorial Jujitsu Convention
by Alex Jovanovic
Autumn 1997

For weeks before our new dojo opened, the uchi deshi made sure that no one was thrown on the new mat. We wanted our senseis, John Gussman and Maureen Browne, to be the first to throw and be thrown, as a way of thanking them for giving us our new home.

With that accomplished, we officially opened the dojo with the first Pat Browne Memorial jujitsu convention, June 12-15, 1997. Pat was Maureen Sensei's brother and jujitsu teacher. He died on May 23 last year, and this seminar is our way to honor his memory, by getting together to practice what he taught. A number of students took shodan tests over the course of the seminar, and I'm happy to report that everyone passed.

We started Saturday morning with the opening ceremony. The line of jujitsuka wrapped around the sides and back wall of the dojo, but there was room enough for everyone to train. All the upper ranks demonstrated techniques, including our guests, Professor T. Jenkins. Professor H. LaGue, and Sensei Robert Krull.

The instructors were informative, and the atmosphere was pleasant and friendly. Bob Krull's weapon defense classes were particularly interesting. If you haven't attended any of Bob's knife or gun classes, you should consider participating in one when he returns to MATS. I can understand why he and Pat go along so well.

We finished a perfect day of jujitsu with promotions and demonstrations of all the arts taught at MATS. Aaron Starr, Peter Zalinski, Scott Moore, and Barbara Young demonstrated aikido. Jason Gussman and Karen Kerfoot, as well as the new shodans, demonstrated jujitsu. John's son Jim Gussman demonstrated judo and was pleasantly surprised to be promoted to nidan that day. Finally, John, Maureen, and Paul Tarrant demonstrated all their arts.

Following the demonstrations, several members and guests spoke about Pat Browne and how much he meant to everybody. Tom Jenkins spoke about Pat's great influence. Herb LaGue told the participants, "He's here. I can feel his presence." And Bob Krull simply said, "He was my friend."

I've never had this much fun and pleasure at a jujitsu convention before. I hope to see everyone from our dojo at next year's convention, not only to honor Pat's memory, but to show our support for John and Maureen's dedication to our dojo.

Home | Schedule | Events | Instructors | Photos | Newsletter | Links | Map