University of Wollongong Kendo Club Members

Wollongong Kendo Club
Kendo, Iaido and Jodo Practitioners

Ted Rixon

Now retired from regular Kendo, Sensei Ted Rixon introduced the study of Kendo to the Illawarra. He achieved his Yondan at Easter 1996 before a high level panel of Japanese visitors at the Australian National Championships in Perth. A former Australian Open champion He has represented Australia at the world titles and has been captain/coach of the Australian national team.

2011 NSWKA Kyu squad coach, past President of the NSW Kendo Association 1997-2001, and Chairman of the Australian Kendo Technical Board he completed a level two qualification in coaching Kendo accredited by the Australian Insititute of Sport (the highest level currently available in Australia) and a level three qualification in sports general.

He converted from karate to kendo in the mid 1970s.

David Bunder

Dojo steward since the early 1990s, graded to Godan in April 2014 (Perth), the first of Sensei Rixon's students to reach that level in Kendo, David has been practicing kendo since 1989. At one point he was the only regular student practicing in the club, a tribute to his dedication. Currently he is club Treasurer and was NSW Kendo association Treasurer from 1997 to January 2001.

Kendo highlights -
2007 Nationals, member of the gold medal winning NSW Dan team.
2001 Ulladulla Games, Member of Gold Medal winning Wollongong Team.
2000 Nationals, member of the gold medal winning NSW Dan team.
1999 Nationals, fought in the preliminary round for the silver medal winning NSW Dan team at the Australian Championships.
1995 and 1996 Australian National Kendo championships, a member of the back to back gold medal winning NSW kyu team.
1996 - 3rd place Australian National kyu individual competition.
1996 - NSW State Championships, a member of the silver medal winning Wollongong team.

Shoko Bunder

Originally with UOWKC from February 1997 untill her return to Japan in July 1997 first as a language student at the Wollongong English Language Centre (WELC) and then as a student at the University of Wollongong, who was a very active member of the UoW Kendo Club for the duration of her stay, and our 1997 President. She came back to Wollongong in February 1999 and resumed training with the club. 2006 NSW Womens Kendo Champion. Shoko is a Godan in Kendo (Melbourne, April 2010)

Robert Brown

The longest surviving student of the Wollongong Kendo Club, from its Buxton days in the early 1980s, Robert graded to Nidan in Kendo in Perth in January 2001. He is the dojo's Iaido instructor (Godan, ZNKR Iaido, Sendai Japan, November 2012), leading the Sunday Iaido training. He is also our ZNKR Jodo Instructor (Godan, Seitei Jodo, Sendai, Japan, June 2012).

Competition highlights: 2012 National Iaido and Jodo Championships, finalist 4 Dan individual Iaido Championship, 2009 National Iaido and Jodo Championships, finalist 4 Dan individual Iaido Championship, 2006 National Iaido and Jodo Championships, finalist 3 Dan and above individual Iaido Championship, finalist Iaido Open Teams Championship, Semi finalist Jodo Open Pairs Championship.

National Secretary of the AKR Iaido Technical Board 2009-2012. National Secretary of the AKR Jodo Technical Board 2012-2015. Member NSWKA Jodo Technical Committee from foundation to present. Member and Chair NSWKA Iaido Technical Committee.

Aden Steinke

Commenced the study of Kendo in early 1994 at the advanced age of 32, he graded to Nidan in Kendo in Sydney in August 2000. Currently club secretary, a position he has occupied since 1995, he was NSW Kendo Association Secretary from 1997 to 2000. He holds a Godan in ZNKR Jodo, (Akita Japan, November 2017) and a Yondan in ZNKR Iaido (ACT, January 2015). National Secretary of the AKR Jodo Technical Board 2009-2012. Chair, NSWKA Jodo Technical Committee, member NSWKA Iaido Technical Committee. He also holds a Nikyu in SMR jodo from the Sei Ryu Kai (Saitama 2007).

Competition and Training Highlights -
1996 - NSW State Kendo Championships, Sydney, a member of the silver medal winning Wollongong team.
1996 - Australian National Kendo Championships, Perth, was reserve for the gold medal winning NSW kyu team.
1997 - Australian National Kendo Championships, Melbourne, a member of the silver medal winning NSW kyu team.
1997 - Kendo trip to Japan.
1998 - Australian National Kendo Championships, Wollongong, a member of the silver medal winning NSW kyu team. Founders Cup, Newcastle, fighting spirit award.
2000 - 2000 Australian Kendo Foundation International Open Tournament, Picton, presented with the Geurillot Sensei Shield for spirit of kendo by Ron Bennett Sensei.
2000 - 3 weeks training with the Tokyo Police.
2002 - 2nd National Jodo Championships, 3rd place in kyu pairs.
2002 - University of Wollongong URAC Club Recognition Award.
2003-2004 6 months in Japan training in Jodo (Nishioka Sensei`s Sei Ryu Kai) and Iaido (Kokubunji Iaido under Komera Sensei) where he graded to 2nd kyu.
2006 - National Iaido and Jodo Championships, member of the second placed NSW Iaido Open Team, Semi finalist Jodo Open Pairs Championship.
2007 - Sei Ryu Kai Gasshuku, Saitama Japan, introduction to the last of the omote set of SMR and the last of Shinto Ryu kenjutsu.
2009 - Sei Ryu Kai / IJF Gasshuku, Nagano Japan, introduction to last of the chudan set of SMR, introduction to tachi ranai and first 5 of Uchida Ryu tanjojutsu.
2010 - Sei Ryu Kai Gasshuku, Nasu Shiobara Japan, introduction to the last of the tanjojutsu set, introduced to kodachi ranai and to the kage set.
2015 - National Iaido and Jodo Championships, member of the second placed NSW Iaido Open Team
2017 - National Iaido and Jodo Championships, Taisho of the Namitome Shield (Jodo) winning Team Poland.