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Acknowledgments

This book is the culmination of many people’s efforts and support for which I am extremely grateful. These simple “acknowledgments” just don’t do enough to fully express my thanks, but it’s a start.

A huge thank you to Chris Olson, my right hand man who dutifully allowed me to work through all my concepts as I wrote, only to have to do it all again for the camera then spend hours upon hours picking out the shots that best conveyed the action (as well as his own pain).

Ed Hiscoe Hanshi, my Sensei, deserves thanks, but so much more. I always look to his example for his passion for teaching self-defense but also helping people grow. He stood behind me throughout all my early training years, even those difficult upstart years while I moved from the impetuousness of adolescence into the reckoning of adulthood.

Steve Hiscoe Shihan picked up where he left off after I moved to British Columbia. He has continued to guide me in my development with the soft hand of a benevolent leader. I am thankful for all his advice and support, as well as his continued commitment to uniting all the practitioners of our style.

Professor Georges Sylvain, founder of Can-ryu, deserves the utmost gratitude, from me and all the students who have felt his influence directly or indirectly, for his decades of devotion to the development of our style. It was Professor Sylvain who once took me aside after a black belt training session to tell me my potential as a martial artist, a conversation which touched me deeply and has continued to motivate me to be the best I can be.

Thank you to Glenn Chow (glennjitsu@gmail.com) for being the eye behind the camera and spending many hours getting the right shots to convey my vision. Thank you also to his family for giving him up during all those valuable weekend hours.

Kevin MacDonald is truly deserving of a shout-out as one of the attackers, having instructed me to apply some of the more painful techniques with gusto to get the right reactions from him since he is, in his words, “not much of an actor.”

Thank you to Jennifer Weintz who in a few short training sessions, taught me a number of concepts that helped me even the odds against much bigger grappling opponents, which served to refine my approach to ground defense. Her example is an inspiration to martial artists everywhere, male or female.

I also want to thank all the other instructors who have taught me over the years and inspired me to continually progress, with special mentions going out to Robert Mustard Sensei, Andy Dobie Sensei, Michael Seamark Shihan, and Perry William Kelly Sensei.

Thanks to all my training buddies who made themselves available to help me work on my book by asking questions, putting pressure on my concepts, and play testing them, including Jonathan Jamnik, Stu Cooke, Jon Thompson and Matt Der.

My students have also been a rock of support through the writing of my book, cheerleading me on as I finished each chapter, reminding me who it’s all for.

A big thank you also goes out to Bud Sperry, who “found” me, believed in my vision, and supported my book from proposal, to editing, and all the way through to publication.

Last, but not least, I want to thank my parents who raised me to be driven, strong-willed and compassionate. I may not have followed the path of a “traditional” woman, and they may not understand all that I do, but they have always stood behind me and been excited to share in my joys and successes.