AIKIDO
School of Self Defense
Covington, GA 30016
Instructors
Sensei Michael A. Stabile - San-Dan
Sensei Michael A. Stabile is the Head Instructor at the Aikido School of Self Defense in Conyers, Georgia and ranked a San-Dan (Third Degree Black Belt) in Nihon Goshin Aikido. He opened the Dojo in December of 1997. His goal is to spread the teaching of Nihon Goshin Aikido under the direct supervision of Sensei Robert B. MacEwen, Jr. and Shihan Richard A. Bowe.
Sensei Stabile grew up in The Bronx, New York where he had more then his share of fights. He lived there for over thirty years. It is this time in The Bronx that has taught him what works and does not work in the street. When Sensei Stabile moved to upstate New York for a job, he met Sensei Robert B. MacEwen Jr. and started on the path of Nihon Goshin Aikido. Ever since the first day Sensei Stabile stepped on the mat at the Middletown Dojo his loyalty has been to first his Sensei and second to the art.
Sensei Stabile has written a book called “Escape With Your Life”. He has been on many television networks both local and around the world such as CNN, CBS and the list goes on. Sensei Stabile has trained National, State and Local Law Enforcement and Security Personnel all over the east coast.
Sensei Stabile opened the Conyers, Georgia Dojo with three main rules that he lives by Honor, Loyalty and Respect. Without these three things there can be no true Martial Art.
Sensei Ginger Stabile - Ni-Dan
Sensei Ginger Stabile is currently the Assistant Head Instructor at the Aikido School of Self Defense. She is ranked a Ni-Dan (Second Degree Black Belt) in the art of Nihon Goshin Aikido. She helped her husband open the Dojo in 1997 after they moved to Georgia from Upstate New York. Sensei Ginger also teaches and trains under the direct supervision of Sensei Robert B. MacEwen, Jr. and Shihan Richard A. Bowe.
Sensei Ginger enjoys teaching children as well as adults. She also enjoys doing demonstrations, seminars and anything to spread the teaching of Nihon Goshin Aikido. One of the greatest pleasures she gets from aikido is that she gets to do this with her husband, Sensei Michael A. Stabile and her daughter, D. J. Stabile.
Sensei Bob Morrison - Sho-Dan
Sensei Bob Morrison is a Sho-Dan (First Degree
Black Belt) in the Nihon Goshin Aikido Association. He trains directly under
Sensei Michael A. Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile. Sensei Morrison became a student of Aikido in
1999 after learning of the art and its value as a highly practical form of self
defense. He enjoys teaching others and watching their
confidence and skill levels grow as they learn to master and art, which
conditions both the mind and the body. As an attorney, Sensei Morrison also serves as
legal counsel to the dojo.
Sensei Joseph Monaco - Sho-Dan
When Sensei Joseph Monaco was living in Indiana, he began training at the American Aikido Institute under Sensei Garry Howard. He was 8 years old when he started and eventually attained the rank of brown belt after four years of training.
When he moved down to Georgia in 1999, he discovered the Aikido School of Self-Defense. At the age of 12, he began training under Sensei Michael A. Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile. He earned the rank of Sho-Dan (First Degree Black Belt) in July of 2005.
He enjoys teaching both junior and senior students.
Sensei Steven Williams - Sho-Dan
Sensei Steven Q. Williams began training in Nihon Goshin Aikido under Sensei
Michael Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile in January 2001. His goal when joining
the Conyers, GA dojo was to learn a martial art that he could use in his every
day life and a martial art he would feel proud to pass on to others. Sensei
Williams earned his Sho-Dan (First Degree Black Belt) in November of 2005.
He plans to continue helping other members of the dojo reach their goal and
hopes to open a dojo of his own one day. Sensei Williams would like to thank
Sensei Michael Stabile, Sensei Ginger Stabile and all the members of the Conyers
and Covington Dojos for helping him reach the rank of Sho-Dan.
Sensei David Gibson - Sho-Dan
Sensei David R. Gibson began his training in Nihon Goshin Aikido under Sensei
Michael A. Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile in March 2000. He earned his
Sho-Dan (First Degree Black Belt) in July 2006. Sensei Gibson’s main focus is on
the biomechanics of Aikido techniques and the aikido philosophy of the
interrelations between life and nature. “There are many things I have learned in Aikido which I strive to use in
everyday life. Aikido is not rigid, and so an Aikidokai must not be. Aikido is
flexible, Aikido is change, Aikido is adapting. A true Aikidokai must be able to
make this a part of their being, not just their technique. Technique is but a
part of the true Aikido Circle. Following and redirecting the flow of energy,
being like water, being like the moon on the water, are all examples of
Aikido’s universal birth from nature.” Sensei Gibson enjoys teaching and training and looks forward to sharing it
with others who join our Aikido family. “Confusion Finds Clarity in Pain” Sensei David R. Gibson. Sensei Gil Kandrac - Sho-Dan
Sensei Gil Kandrac began his training in May of 2000 at the Aikido School of
Self Defense in Conyers, Georgia. Sensei Kandrac earned his Sho-Dan (First
Degree Black Belt) in August, 2006. His continues to train and teach under the
direction of Sensei Michael A. Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile. Sensei Kandrac enjoys teaching and promotes weapons self defense. Sensei
Kandrac practices as an anesthetist and enjoys sharing anatomy and physiology
knowledge of the human body with all the students.
Sensei Jeff Schnier - Sho-Dan
Sensei Jeff Schnier started his training in
Nihon Goshin aikido in March of 2000 under the direction of Sensei Michael A.
Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile. Sensei Schnier has trained in many of Sensei
Robert B. MacEwen’s seminars. Sensei Schnier’s loyalty and dedication not only
in the dojo, but to the Art go without question. He earned his Sho-Dan (First
Degree Black Belt) in August of 2006. He plans to continue his training and teaching
so he can help others obtain their goals in Nihon Goshin Aikido. Sensei Mike Morgan - Sho-Dan
Sensei Michael A. Morgan began his training in Nihon Goshin Aikido under Sensei
Michael A. Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile in August of 2001. He earned his
Sho-Dan (First Degree Black Belt) in March of 2007. Sensei Morgan believes that anyone regardless of size, age or gender can
learn Nihon Goshin Aikido as a very effective means of self defense. He
particularly enjoys teaching children and looks forward to helping others down
their own path in Aikido. Sensei Joel Wheelus
Sensei Joel Wheelus has been in the martial arts for many years. He has trained
in fencing, Kung-Fu, and Tang-su-do. Sensei Wheelus started his Nihon Goshin
Aikido training under Sensei Michael Stabile and Sensei Ginger Stabile in 2001
and earned his Sho-Dan (First Degree Black Belt) in September, 2007 at the age
of 47, demonstrating that you are never too old to learn Aikido. Sensei Wheelus looks forward to bringing his knowledge and skill level to all
the students of the Aikido School of Self Defense, passing on the art to all
that train in the dojo. Sensei D. J. Stabile
D. J. Stabile started her training in Nihon Goshin Aikido when she was 3 ½
years old in July, 1998 under Sensei Michael A. Stabile and Sensei Ginger
Stabile. She has trained 2 to 5 days a week since she started training. She has
over 6 years teaching junior students in the dojo and now will start teaching
adults. She has trained in Sensei Robert B. MacEwen, Jr. Seminars twice a year
for 9 years and has participated in numerous demonstrations. D. J. Stabile’s Black Belt line was done in front of Sensei Robert B.
MacEwen, Jr. during the March 2008 Seminar at the age of 13. She is the first
student to hold the rank of Kohai Sho-Dan in the Conyers Dojo. We look forward
to her teaching for many years and one day taking over the day to day running of
the Dojo. She brings a very different style of teaching to the Dojo and Nihon Goshin
Aikido. It is an honor to have a young spirit teaching and with all her energy,
we can only hope that the older students will be able to keep up with her.