Undetermined Time!!

[The Pred]

Has any shindokan students broken away and found their own style?

[MatsuShinshii]

Sensei8,

I understand your point of view and it does seem somewhat the same in some respects.

I was approached by my Shinshii (He never took a title such as Soke, Kaicho, etc.) about stepping up when his first and second in line turned him down as I am the third highest rank and actually senior to the second in line in time.

Being only a Rokudan and not had the time I felt was needed to assume a role like this, I also turned him down. Later I regretted this decision as we ended up loosing most of our student and instructor body. Some just went independent and others joined other organizations.

Eventually I accepted a different role as Soshi instead of Soke in order to rebuild and stop the blood letting. At no time did I feel worthy of the position and was quite relieved when Shinshii's first and second in line came back.

Neither took on the role of head of organization but rather split the responsibility across 8 members of our current board.

It is a shame that it took so long for any of us to step up to the plate for the sake of the student body and it cost the organization dearly in membership. We actually lost a lot of instructors that I truly respected for their skill, knowledge and dedication.

If you are a Kudan, you have our highest rank as we do not use Judan. This rank is reserved for our Soke and as such we do not presently have anyone holding this rank. However, and more to the point, you are able to promote all Kodansha with out witness signatures. You could do this alone if you so chose based on our traditions.

Obviously you can not stand in for all board positions but this also does not mean that you necessarily have to have Kodansha sitting on your board. They would derive the power to implement and amend with you approval.

This may be uncomfortable for the hierarchy that turned down the positions, having lower ranks running the organization under your direction and leadership, however this may be just the kick in the tush that they need to step up. If they don't you have still stalled the exodus and saved the organization.

If you are 10k strong, wow by the way, you must have enough Godan/Rokudan that someone would be willing to stand in for the sake of the membership body.

According to tradition your rank and position as president is all the power you need to save the organization. No one said it must stay this way but sometimes you have to do what you must, even if that means going against tradition, to do what's best for your students/organization. You can always return back to the board led format once some step up.

You have to follow your heart and do what you think is best. However I would hate to see anyone go through the utter turmoil that we did. It all but destroyed what our Shinshii had spent a life time building. Not a very honorable tribute to him. I'm sure you feel the same way about your Soke.

[sensei8]

Has any shindokan students broken away and found their own style?

To my knowledge, no!!

Last I heard, our San Dai-Soke, was trying to found a new governing body, but not a new style. Which, we're fine with, just as long as he doesn't use the Shindokan Shield; it's protected, and as long as he doesn't use things that are proprietary exclusively to the SKKA.

[sensei8]

Sensei8,

I understand your point of view and it does seem somewhat the same in some respects.

I was approached by my Shinshii (He never took a title such as Soke, Kaicho, etc.) about stepping up when his first and second in line turned him down as I am the third highest rank and actually senior to the second in line in time.

Being only a Rokudan and not had the time I felt was needed to assume a role like this, I also turned him down. Later I regretted this decision as we ended up loosing most of our student and instructor body. Some just went independent and others joined other organizations.

Eventually I accepted a different role as Soshi instead of Soke in order to rebuild and stop the blood letting. At no time did I feel worthy of the position and was quite relieved when Shinshii's first and second in line came back.

Neither took on the role of head of organization but rather split the responsibility across 8 members of our current board.

It is a shame that it took so long for any of us to step up to the plate for the sake of the student body and it cost the organization dearly in membership. We actually lost a lot of instructors that I truly respected for their skill, knowledge and dedication.

If you are a Kudan, you have our highest rank as we do not use Judan. This rank is reserved for our Soke and as such we do not presently have anyone holding this rank. However, and more to the point, you are able to promote all Kodansha with out witness signatures. You could do this alone if you so chose based on our traditions.

Obviously you can not stand in for all board positions but this also does not mean that you necessarily have to have Kodansha sitting on your board. They would derive the power to implement and amend with you approval.

This may be uncomfortable for the hierarchy that turned down the positions, having lower ranks running the organization under your direction and leadership, however this may be just the kick in the tush that they need to step up. If they don't you have still stalled the exodus and saved the organization.

If you are 10k strong, wow by the way, you must have enough Godan/Rokudan that someone would be willing to stand in for the sake of the membership body.

According to tradition your rank and position as president is all the power you need to save the organization. No one said it must stay this way but sometimes you have to do what you must, even if that means going against tradition, to do what's best for your students/organization. You can always return back to the board led format once some step up.

You have to follow your heart and do what you think is best. However I would hate to see anyone go through the utter turmoil that we did. It all but destroyed what our Shinshii had spent a life time building. Not a very honorable tribute to him. I'm sure you feel the same way about your Soke.

Let me just say this once again...our governing bodies are quite similar in many ways...gives me goose pimples!!

Your proposals have weighed heavy on my heart and mind; you've given me quite a lot to consider, and much to present to our Legal Team as well as those within the SKKA.

I've already taken the necessary steps to convene a Testing Cycle panel with the appropriate number of certified examiners within the SKKA, and it's network.

Following letters will be mailed out tomorrow morning to each, and every qualified candidate:

1. Petition of Testing Cycle

2. Approval of Testing Cycle

3. Invitation of Testing Cycle

4. Date of Testing Cycle

5. Letter from the Desk of Kaicho as to the reason(s) and/or explanations of such measure(s)

6. Letters of Positional Invitations to those who are already qualified to hold vacant positions within both the Executive and Administrative Teams

7. Letters to each dojo within the SKKA Network, explaining and providing an update with an State of SKKA address

Date of Testing Cycle: August 29 - September 3 2016

Phone calls will also be placed and made accordingly to those Testing Cycle candidates tomorrow, as well; this will be a video conference call. Those I've touched with so far, have all agreed to move forward in the direction that I've decided upon.

No, I'm not trying to rush to conclusions, not at all. Nor do I feel that I'm acting like a desperate and irrational wild man; a man with no touch of reality. Nor do I feel like it's too soon to make these necessary steps. Nor do I want to elevate myself to a position in the hopes that I can stroke my ego. Nor do I want what's best for me, and not for the Student Body. NO!! And if need be, for the sake of the Student Body, I'll step down without delay in order for the SKKA, and it's networked student body to have that renewed sense of security and the like.

After the dust settles down, the SKKA will have either a brand new landscape with a redesigned Higher Hierarchy model, or the same SKKA/Hombu model, but with new officers. Either way, as far as the SKKA is concerned, it'll be business as usual, or as usual as it can be considering what we've all experienced these past recent weeks.

[The Pred]

Sensei8

Was the testing cycle a success?