LETTERS & THOUGHTS

Good morning Soke,

...I think I mentioned once that when I started down this path of martial arts it wasn't to "be a black belt." I started down this path to make martial arts an major part of my life and "health." I look at my progress toward the black belt as being similar to climbing a mountain, if there were no other plateaus to reach, my progress would be over. Honestly I have no idea what is involved in reaching the peak of my mountain but I am here to do just that and running a Dojo would be an honor. I could not have been more fortunate than to have found a home in your DoJo and I am very grateful for your guidance, instruction and this opportunity to fulfill one of the things I have wanted to do since I was old enough to knock over a vase on my moms end table. ....we really miss your style of teaching which I would like to model my teaching style after. Tell Sharon hello for me too and give her my congratulations as well, she is an awesome gal.

Kindest regards,

Lenny Martin, Nikyu

I have been interested in martial arts since I was a very little kid watching martial arts movies. When I was in third grade my parents enrolled my in a Taekwondo class. I stayed with Taekwondo for a few years until another martial art caught my eye. I saw some Steven Seagal movies where he was throwing his opponents around with ease. That made me decide to take Aikido. I enjoyed the art of Aikido very much, and I was very disappointed when my instructor ended up moving. After that I took a break from martial arts training for quite a while. I moved to Fort Collins after I graduated high school and while I was there, I took a mixed martial art class that focused mainly on Combat Hapkido. After two years I decided to move to Laramie (where school was much cheaper!), and I started to look for a martial arts school to join. This is when I found the Seiyo No Shorin Ryu Karate Club. I was amazed at the power and focus that Soke Hausel showed the students in his techniques. This power and focus is what drew me into the club. The club has provided me with so much over the years. I have learned great self defense techniques, discipline, self-control, and respect for all things. I also made some wonderful friendships in the club....

Brett Philbrick, Shodan

I was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland on April 22nd, 1963 and have both Swiss and US citizenships and speak English, French, German, Italian, Indonesian and Mandarin. I currently live in Laramie Wyoming, but have lived in Switzerland, Indonesia and Singapore. I received a BA degree in Film/TV Production from the University of Kansas, and now work as Assistant Producer/Director of the University of Wyoming Television (UWTV), and currently serve as the Sensei of the Campus Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate Club, the Coach for the All Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate Team, and Assistant Coach for the University of Wyoming Fencing Club. I have trained in Japanese/Okinawan Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate & Kobudo, Shito-Ryu Karate, Yoseikan Budo, Judo, Kendo, Korean Tae Kwon Do (ITF & ATA), Chinese Chang-Chuan (Long Fist), Zui-Chuan (Drunken Fist) and Yung-Chuan (Wing Chun)Gung Fu as well as Olympic-style Fencing (Foil, Epee & Sabre). In addition to a 5th dan rank in Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo, I have a 1st dan in Tae Kwon Do ATA, 1st kyu in Judo and USFA Ratings of D06 Foil, D05 Epee, E06 Sabre.

I have won many titles including: Vice-Champion (Silver medal)--Men's Open Forms Division--1997 Swiss National Wushu Kung-Fu Championships; 1st place (Gold medal)--Men's Kata (3rd-4th degree Blackbelt Division)--2005 State Games of America National Championships; 1st place (Gold medal)--2005 Wyoming State Games champion in Foil, Epee --1st place (Gold medal)--2006 Wyoming State Games champion in Epee, Sabre --1st place (Gold medal)--2005, 2006 Wyoming State Divisional champion in Foil. I train in Martial arts, Gymnastics, Yoga, Basketball, Table tennis, Snowboarding, and Mountain & Rock-climbing. His hobbies include International culture (language, travel, cuisine), cinema, photography and magic.

My Goals include lifelong study, practice and competition in martial arts, and I look to eventually open the first European branch of Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate & Kobudo in Switzerland and travel to and visit renowned international martial arts schools and fencing salles throughout Europe and Asia. I believe that "The purpose of practicing martial arts is to mold the mind and body, to cultivate a vigorous spirit, and through correct and rigid training, to strive for improvement in the martial arts, to hold in esteem human courtesy and honor, to associate with others with sincerity, and to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself, and thus make one be able to love his/her country and society, to contribute to the development of culture and to promote peace, prosperity and tolerance among all people”. “One can always share whatever little he/she has."

– Ben Froidevaux, 5th dan.