Anyone know where Mike Fizeseri is these days? He used to head a group in Austin, Texas back in the 80s.
Anyone know where Mike Fizeseri is these days? He used to head a group in Austin, Texas back in the 80s.
Brian Hodges
Renshi
GWNBF/KJJR
Fudoshin Dojo-cho
I haven't seen him since the 80's, but when I lived in Austin back in the 90's, someone that trained under him said that he became a police officer for Austin (or around the area).
George Kohler
Genbukan Kusakage dojo
Dojo-cho
I went to a seminar at his dojo when Bud came in 95. I heard he had moved to Colorado a few years ago but don't know for sure.
Hey guys anyone ever heard of Scott Grenz of the Bujinkan? I think he has gone his own route now? I'm not sure lots of rumors flying around about him. He used to train with Ralph Severe down in Texas and I think he used to travel to Japan frequently as well. He's supposed to be pretty damn good from what I understand. I've never seen him personally, but if you train Budo long enough in Richmond, Va you will hear of him.
Anyone got any info on him and if he still trains?
Thanks,
Josh Putney
I've spoken to Scott several times over the past year. He told me several times that he had joined the Jinenkan. However, I seapk to the honbu just about weekely, and Kato-San informs me that he never heard from Scott. I'm not sure why someone would lie about something like that, but there it is. At any rate, Scott has a dojo in Richmond, VA. His website is available at: http://seirindojo.com/training.html
Ev
a professor?. Interesting. Brian was one of Ed Sones most loyal students from memory,took a lot of punishment, he also had a young student who I remember meeting in Japan who was quite skilled. Good to hear about Kelly, he to me was one of the most intelligent and skilled tacticians I have ever come across.There weren't many people in the early years who I would consider had real fighting ability but Kelly was one of the few. The other was Greg Kowalski - probably the most dangerous exponent of 'live' muto dori(knife) in the Bujinkan .
Training was crap all those yrs ago but we should be fortunate that we were all part of something special - the birth of Ninjutsu in america. I have being in the shadows for many years, well since the whole crazy wind warrior cult thing with Dave and Darryl - we were young and stupid. Thank God, we have evolved into better people. Sadly, the memories live on, on film and dvd
Gambatte,
Roger Stapleton
Dr. Kelly Hill was my first teacher. John Lindsey, Bob Higginbotham, Robert Norduft were all like 3rd kyu. Mark Harper was like 5th kyu. And Ed Sones was 6th or 7th kyu.
My first time showing up at the dojo Dr. Hill was not there yet, so the first person that introduced himself and explained about the dojo was John Lindsey.
George Kohler
Genbukan Kusakage dojo
Dojo-cho
Re: Darryl Caldwell
Recently, for some inexplicable reason, the name 'Darryl Caldwell' came to mind. I trained with him for a few years in the late 80s.
I found Darryl's Facebook page and was very surprised to find out that he has passed on to the next realm.
Here's Darryl's facebook memorialized page.
R.I.P. Darryl
I found a post that Darryl made in a forum in 2003. Darryl's kutaki.org forum post link
"As for Killshots, chalk it up to youthful indiscretions. Someday it will quietly go away."
Speaking of Killshots, I found all 4 videos on Youtube
On Darryl's facebook page I found photos of him doing stand-up comedy. Darryl was also a writer and wrote the "The Shadow Warrior" column in Black Belt Magazine.
Just found Darryl's obituary:
Darryl James Caldwell was a renaissance man. He lived to grow his mind and experiences, discovering and mastering many interests and passions while always holding onto his family values and all of the connections he made along the way. Darryl passed away surrounded by his family on May 22, 2016 after a 6-year battle with cancer. He was 54 years old.
Darryl was born in Joliet, IL on September 28, 1961 to Karen (Matthews) and Ronnie Caldwell. He grew up in Joliet with his three younger siblings - Rodney, Priscilla, and Joellyn - who remember him as the family entertainer: a magician, comedian, and a martial artist. All recall a sweet son and brother, always eager to please his parents and encourage his siblings.
Darryl's love for the martial arts started early, after his father took his brother and him to a Bruce Lee movie and he began his study of karate and taekwondo. In the early 1980s, Darryl embarked on his warrior pilgrimage that led him into the exotic world of Ninjutsu martial arts, as taught by the world-famous ninja and author Stephen K. Hayes. After years of focused training, sustenance living and media appearances, he earned a black belt and license to teach.
While writing the hugely popular The Shadow Warrior column for Black Belt Magazine, he traveled North America teaching Ninjutsu seminars to aspiring students, CIA staff, law enforcement officers, and comic book editors. His life, training, and writing are widely regarded as inspiring and thought-provoking.
In the later 1980s Darryl's journey led him to Washington where he continued to train and teach, while working at the Spokane Public Library and at Auntie's, an independent bookstore. There he launched its successful Author Events Program. At Auntie's, Darryl met coworker Amy Morrison, who shared his love of books and the outdoors and whom he would later marry. Their daughter Malaïka Elizabeth was born in 1995 and she joined Amy and Darryl's two cats and five wild turkeys in the family's yard. During this time Darryl was a movie critic for the Spokesman-Review newspaper and was also an early enthusiast and adopter of the internet frontier.
Though the family moved west in 1997, Darryl held dear his roots in Spokane, visiting his in-laws and reconnecting with friends at least once a year. Darryl, Amy and Malaïka moved to the Seattle area where Darryl began his career in technology and non-profits. Their second daughter Siona Rose Genevieve (named Genevieve in memory of Darryl's grandmother, "Nana") was born at the family's home on Cove Road on Vashon Island in 1999. Darryl and Amy amicably separated in 2008.
Darryl's friends remember him for his infectious laugh and curiosity. He was a "regular" on the daily passenger ferry commute to downtown Seattle, reading Wired magazine with a chai, and ready for conversation. Darryl was a founding board member of the Vashon YMCA. Together with his partner Sherry Evans, he enjoyed gourmet cooking, salsa dancing, and blues festivals. Darryl was always caught up on the latest movie releases, technology, and current events. Stand-up comedy and foreign language are yet other examples of his growing and changing interests across the years. He launched the Vashon Comedy Night for local comedians.
Over the past years, Darryl's love for travel took him to France, Mexico and Spain, and - closer to home - Vancouver and Portland. His interest in genealogy took him on an even wilder adventure when in a twist of fate, he discovered his first-born daughter, Erinn Greetis. Some of Darryl's greatest moments this last year were with his three daughters: celebrating Siona's dance performances, sharing in Malaïka's experiences studying in New York, and being introduced by Erinn to his four grandsons.
Darryl once wrote in his magazine column, "One thing about a ninja - they have a great knack for survival." Clearly, it was this determined spirit that empowered him to far outlive his prognosis when diagnosed with cancer in 2010. Darryl's parents, Ronnie and Karen, wish to thank all of his dispersed network of family and friends. "There isn't enough paper or thoughts in the world to express our love for our son, Darryl."