Testimonials
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Highest praise go out to Sensei Mike for his endless creativity, patience, and kindness towards my 8-year old daughter. She has been attending private instruction at the East Wind Budo Life Centre for the past nine months, under the direct tutelage of Sensei Mike. Eve has a global LD, which affects all aspects of her being. Sensei Mike’s dynamic teaching methods have allowed Eve to follow basic martial arts movements, and to participate in an individualized program that she would otherwise be unable to follow.
Motor planning/coordination, spatial awareness, sequencing, focusing, and self-discipline have always been a challenge for Eve. Through ongoing instruction at East Wind Budo Life Centre, she now views her challenges as something that can be overcome. She believes in herself and her abilities, and has discovered strengths, where once she saw only weakness. The confidence, discipline and self-awareness that she has gained over these short months is incredibly awe inspiring, and a true testimony to Sensei Mike’s compassion and talent, as a martial arts instructor and as a human being.
Thank you most sincerely.
Michele Piironen
Personal Chef
Sensei Mike and Laura:
I wanted to send a note to thank you both for providing such an enriching experience for my daughter Morgana at Eastwind Budo Martial Arts.
Morgana started Karate just after she turned seven, and worked her way up to the level of green belt six months before her ninth birthday. Recently another parent commented that Morgana must be a "natural athlete", which I don't think many children (including Morgana) are. This parent was seeing the direct benefits that attending twice-weekly Karate classes have given Morgana, including confidence, focus, and a sense of accomplishment. In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, she also learned how to "open the door with her mind", and let negative comments that some children make at school pass right through without bothering her. She has a sense of discipline that she applies to her school work, and to her other favourite sport: competitive swimming. These are true life lessons that will continue to benefit her for the rest of her life. More recently Sensei Laura introduced the concept of "goal setting" to the students at the dojo. Morgana thought this was "cool" and immediately started to think about different goals she had for herself this year. Morgana told me that her ultimate goal was to eventually become a junior black belt, something she knows she will have to continue to work hard for. She clearly realizes that the end reward is worth it!
Warmest Regards,
Charlene Laporte
(Morgana McKenzie's Mom)
I recently left home to attend Queen’s University and to partake in the Arts and Science Under-Graduate society declaring psychology as my main area of study. While packing up one day and getting ready to leave, I came across my old notebook that I had started when I received my junior brown belt. I remember how I used to write down everything I had learned in order to make sure that I never forgot anything that Sensei had ever taught me; all the way from my stances and techniques to how to properly use my chopsticks. It got me thinking about everything that had happened to me since I had joined East Wind at the age of seven.
I had come from England, leaving behind friends and family but keeping with me my love of the martial arts. I searched high and low (well actually my parents did because I didn’t know how to use the phonebook yet) for the perfect place to continue my training. Luckily we found this little tiny place in the corner of a parking lot that was incredible. I met Sensei Mike and Sensei Laura and instantly decided this was the place I wanted to be. The training atmosphere that they had created was unbelievable. I felt such a sense of pride and joy training with them and all of the other members in the dojo. With their help and guidance I continued to train and improve my skills. I traveled to Okinawa with them to further my training and to help prepare myself for the World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then I have been back to Okinawa for a second time and it just keeps getting better and better. Training on the beautiful beaches with the masters was just a dream come true.
Sitting there in my room that day, holding onto that old notebook, I realized just how important karate has been to me. It had transformed from this tiny little girl into a strong, independent woman, and it was all because of their help and guidance. Karate was not only was a great way of staying healthy and feeling safe; it was a way of life, a way of existing. I am so incredibly honored to be a part of such an amazing family and I can’t thank them all enough for how much they all mean to me. Thank you guys!
Hannah Johnson
Queen's University Student and founding member of EWBLC
My three children have been members of EWBLC for more than four years now and I could not have chosen a better martial arts family to belong to.
The first visit to the dojo left us all with such a warm feeling of belonging - that has not changed over the years.
Sensei Mike and Sensei Laura devote endless hours of their time to teach and pass on their knowledge to their students. Both are always full of encouragement when needed. It certainly brings things home when, coming from school after a tumble in the playground, your child can say " It would have been worse if I'd not break fall. " This is a special way to fall that you learn in karate and the knowledge goes with the children, even to the playground.
We all go through difficult times in life but belonging to EWBLC makes those difficult times easier to cope with. There is always someone there to offer support, lend a hand if needed and maybe some advice as well.The EWBLC karate family are always there.
Yvonne Valentine
Private Health care nurse
I have been studying martial arts for over seven years now, and it
has truly been a blessing for me. The development I have
experienced in my physical, mental and spiritual health has
convinced me that it is truly worth the time that I have invested
in it.
Physically, I am stronger and more flexible, I have more
endurance, better balance, improved posture and far more control
over my body than I did before starting my martial training. I
have also improved my coordination, lowered my stress level and
reduced the frequency and severity of the various aches and pains
from which I once suffered.
My mental health has also improved greatly, as I have developed
my concentration, my focus and my mental endurance. I have a
much better understanding of the human body and how to care for
it, and I am constantly being challenged by what I learn about
human interaction. Now that I am a senior student in my dojo, I
am even learning about the art of teaching, and how
important--and powerful--such knowledge can be.
Where I feel I benefit the most from my martial experience
however, is the area of spiritual growth. A dedicated,
traditional martial arts teacher knows how to inspire their
students to want to become better people, to learn that success
is earned through service, and to understand that all people are
capable of great things. As a person dedicated to his Christian
faith, I cherish all of this, and feel that my spiritual
development has been greatly enhanced by my experiences with the
traditional martial arts.
With all that I have received from my martial experience, I know
that my time is always well spent when spent in the dojo. I am
thankful for the time, talent and resolute guidance that I have
received from those who have taught and helped me, and I am
committed to helping everyone I can benefit as I have. I am
especially thankful for the world-class quality of the people
within the Y.K.K.F. organisation. I hope that I will have the
opportunity to continue to meet and train with people from around
the globe, and who are among the best martial artists in the
world.
Mark H Bonnet
Nortel Employee
Nearly six years ago, as a father of four in his early 50s, I was looking for a sporting activity for my youngest son who, at the time, exhibited a remarkable ability to convert food into body mass. A wise friend recommended the East Wind dojo, and along we went. My son took to it instantly, and soon persuaded his sister to give it a try as well. This left me sitting alone in the parents' gallery, watching them train. Silently I recognized how badly I needed to re-gain some of the rather limited flexibility that I once had. But I was embarrassed, and had concerns over the whole idea of learning about how to punch and kick other people. On the other hand, I could not imagine myself sweating into the plastic seat of an exercise cycle pedalling up imaginary electronic hills in front of a blaring t.v. in an exercise gym. Perhaps my boredom with being a spectator tipped the balance; Sensei Laura calmly assuaged my concerns about the fighting aspect (I still think she mainly wanted me to free up that seat in the waiting area), and I took the plunge. Shortly afterwards, seeing the pleasure on our faces as we returned from the dojo, my wife agreed that she would risk life and limb and give it a try. So for five years we have been family members at East Wind. I have no natural ability for karate and, unlike the kids, take an inordinate time to learn the kata and the Japanese terms. But the great thing is that this does not matter: there are never any negative words, only encouragement. Even better, every visit to the dojo is different; I cannot recall a time when I have not learned something new and interesting. It really does combine training for body and mind, and it is a wonderful setting in which the whole family can pursue an activity on an equal footing. Well, actually, not really equal: the kids are WAY better than the parents -- but learning from each other makes us all feel good.
Ian McDowell
University Professor
On Sept 26th, 2003, I started my karate training at Eastwind Budo Life
Centre. I met my new Sensei's, Mike and Laura, who were very polite and
helpful, all the time. I decided a couple weeks before I joined that I
wanted to get into better shape and learn self-defence. Also, I needed some
more confidence in my life. I have now been training for over a year now,
and I really enjoy being taught by Sensei Mike and Sensei Laura. I have
realized that my grades have improved and that I have become a much happier
person. I feel that karate made me a much better person. I now train almost
every day a week and I am currently an orange belt. I have learned that
karate is not about rank, how good you are, or how strong you are, I
realized that karate strengthens your body, improves your mind and creates
better spirit. I am very thankful for the YKKF, (Yudansha Kobujitsu
Karate-Doh Federation) the best organization in the world. I will never
regret joining Eastwind and the YKKF. Thank you Sensei Mike and Laura for
spreading your great knowledge to me.
Mike Valenti
Grade 10 High School Student
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