Russell Alan Lawrence - 2003
| Inducted into the
A.M.A.H.O.F.(Inc) for 2003INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR – BUDOKAN
BUJUTSU
Inducted into the W.K.U.H.O.F. for 2003INSTRUCTOR
OF THE YEAR – BUDOKAN BUJUTSU
|
|
Shidoin Russell Lawrence was born 27th September 1964
in Cottesloe, Western Australia.
His father, Ramon Lawrence, was then serving in the
Royal Australian Navy. The family was posted to England
in 1965 for five years before returning to Australia
in 1970. After two years back in Australia, the family
was again posted to England for another three years.
It was during this second posting that Russell had
his first taste of Judo in 1973, obtaining the grade
of 2nd Mon White Belt at a dojo in Waterlooville,
England.
His martial arts really started in detail in
January 1980 when he joined the HMAS Penguin dojo
of Jishukan
Ryu Jujitsu. He trained at the school for one year
until the family was posted back to Perth, Western
Australia. In
1982, he helped his father establish the Jishukan
dojo “Riki
Gun Shiba” at HMAS Leeuwin in Fremantle.
In 1984 he was awarded his Shodan in Jishukan.
In
1986, he commenced training in Kendo with the West
Australian Kendo Renmei and became the inaugural
Treasurer
for the newly formed association – a position
he still holds in 2003. He was awarded his Shodan
in Kendo in 1989 at the Australian Kendo Championships
held in Canberra.
In 1987, he helped his father
to set up the Budokan Academy Dojo at Canning Vale,
Perth, Western Australia,
where both Jishukan and Kendo were taught.
In 1988
he went on his first trip to Japan for advanced Jishukan
training. He again returned to Japan in
1990 for
more advanced Jishukan training at the Hombu
in Yokosuka under the training of Okamoto and Yano
Sensei’s.
In 1993, he commenced training
with Sensei Derek Woodhouse in Shindo Muso Ryu
Jodo and not long
after commenced
training in Seitei Iaido.
In 2000, Russell became
the first person in Australia to obtain his Yondan
in Jishukan via a physical
grading conducted within Australia (all previous
gradings
within Australia had been awarded on merit
by a panel of senior
grades).
In January 2001 Russell was placed
Second in the Australian Iaido Team Championships
whilst heading
the Western
Australia “B” Team, giving Western
Australia both first and second places in
the Australian Teams
Event.
In January 2002 he partnered his father
Ramon for the first time and this formidable
pair
went on
to win
the Australian Jodo Pairs Championship in
Hobart. He was selected into both the Inaugural
Australian
Jodo
Team and the Inaugural Australian Iaido Team
for 2002.
In January 2003 he was placed third,
again partnering with Ramon, in the Australian
Jodo Pairs Championships
held on the Gold Coast of Queensland. He
represented Australia in an International
Goodwill Team
Competition against New Zealand which Australia
won 3-0.
He was also selected into the 2003 Australian
Jodo
and Iaido
Teams.
Russell’s current grades are
as follows:
Kempo, Jujitsu and Jojitsu:
Yondan with a title of Shidoin
Iaido: Sandan
Jodo:
Sandan
Kendo:
Shodan (currently inactive)
He also holds the following positions:
-
State Treasurer for Jishukan Australia
Inc (WA Branch)
State Treasurer for the
West Australian Kendo Renmei Inc
Secretary of the
Jodo Board – Australian Kendo
Renmei
He currently teaches both Jishukan
and Jodo at the Budokan Academy and
assists
with the
teaching
of
Iaido. Russell has just started studying
the ancient Japanese
sword art of Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu. |
