Ko Fu Dojo - Aikido Club in New Lenox

Promotion certificates arrived. Congratulations to Jasmin Rosalie, Emmett, Craig, Mike, Adam, Brian, and Daniel on your rank advancement and continued growth in Aikido. 

Congratulations to Dale Sensei on a spectacular nidan test. Thank you Lake county Aikikai for hosting.

Jo work inside.

Our annual visit to the Chicago sword show and lunch at Mitsuwa, always an enjoyable experience.

Randori, practice last night. Photos never do it justice. 

Bloomington Aikido hosted Messores Shihan seminar last weekend. It was fantastic training an exceptional company.

Spectacular class tonight. Great to see everyone on the mat.

We spend time together on and off the mat. We are a community not a gym. 

Congratulations to everyone who was appointed to Shihan.

2026 Shihan Appointments

We are pleased to announce that the following ASU members have been appointed Shihan by the Examination Committee for the Appointment of Shihan at Aikikai Hombu Dojo. Congratulations to all!

Jim Alvarez, Aikido of Livermore
Lee Crawford, Bond Street Dojo
Robert Deppe, Aikido Shobukan Dojo
Eugene Lee, Aikido Shobukan Dojo
Chetan Prakash, Redlands Aikikai
Gary Small, Aikido of Maine
Marsha Turner, Chicago Aikikai

This honor reflects their deep experience, technical mastery, and long-standing dedication to the transmission of Aikido and its values through their leadership, engagement, and support of ASU.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Saotome Sensei, whose vision and lifelong commitment to Aikido continue to guide and inspire our community. We also offer our sincere thanks to Doshu and the Aikikai Foundation for this recognition.

Please join us in congratulating these outstanding leaders in our community.

For over 15 years, George Carroll Sensei nurtured and grew KoFu Dojo. He built and maintained a Dojo at his place of business, Dunham Designs. For the first five years class was led by Wendy Whited Sensei or George Sensei, including a children's class once a week. Over the last ten years George Sensei has been the sole instructor, incorporating adult students' children into classes, creating a unique dynamic within KoFu Dojo. In October 2025, George Sensei realized that he needed to retire from his business and step back from teaching in order to focus on his health. Dale Hauser Sensei, who happened to be KoFu Dojo's first student, stepped up to teach classes while also managing to secure a new location of the Dojo to continue practicing, obtain insurance, and purchase additional materials needed for the Dojo to practice at its new location. On Monday, March 30, 2026, KoFu students disassembled the Dojo they've known and loved for years. On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Dale Sensei led the first class at the new Dojo location. All of us at KoFu Dojo look forward to witnessing the growth and development of the Dojo under Dale Sensei's tenure.