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An Aikido Program for Girl Scouts by Jeanne Shepard |
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the past year, Puget Sound Aikikai in Seattle has offered Aikido workshops
to local Girl Scouts. For Girl Scouts of middle-school age, there is a special interest badge called "Your Best Defense." To gain the badge, girls explore assertive-ness training and safety awareness as wellas basic self defense. One of the badge's requirements, which Puget Sound Aikikai's afternoon workshops help the Scouts meet, is to learn something about a martial art. In the workshops, girls learn about the philosophy of Aikido, the basics of unbalancing, a little about ukemi, and a few self defense techniques. Most of the Scouts come to the workshops with no prior knowledge of Aikido. By the end of the workshop they are able to explain what makes Aikido different from other martial arts. The new slogan of Girl Scouts of America is "Girl Scouts, where girls grow strong." The organization now encourages girls to become physically active, believing that exercise is one of the most direct ways to increase girls' physical and emotional confidence and general well-being. 'Aikido and Girl Scouts are a good match. The workshop participants |
find
that Aikido, with its counter-offensive techniques, iscongruent with their
personal values. Most of the girls comment that they like the idea of
being able to take care of themselves without having to beat someone else
up. Totem Girl Scout Council, which serves most of western Washington, hears many positive comments from girls, parents, and leaders about the Aikido program. In fact, the project has become so popular that Totem Council has asked the dojo to expand the program for younger girls — and, this spring, additional workshops were added. 
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