Instructors | capefearaikido

Experienced Instructors

Our instructors are talented teachers and experienced martial artists. With over fifty years of collective experience in aikido, they conduct classes that are both thoughtful and reflective as well as powerful and energetic.

Instruction in aikido is a team effort. As students build new skills and gain new insights, they pass these on to newer students. The dojo is more than just a place, it is a community based on mutual respect.

At the beginning of each class, we repeat the phrase "onegaeshimasu," which means "please share/please teach." This ritual signifies our commitment to the responsibility of teaching and learning.

John Lothes, Yondan, is a faculty member at UNC Wilmington where he teaches in both the Psychology and Health and Applied Human Sciences departments. John conducts research on aikido training, well-being, mindfulness, sports performance anxiety and other aspects of wellness. He has written articles for US Combat Sports as well as other publications about Sports Performance Anxiety and effectively dealing with this anxiety. John continues to research, write and publish on various aspects of mindfulness, martial arts and well-being.

He has a private psychological practice where he specializes in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and takes a holistic approach to well-being understanding that the mind, body, and spirit all interact. He is very aware of the mind-body connection and tries to help his clients build a life worth living with this in mind.

John is the founder & faculty advisor of the the UNCW Aikido Club & the faculty advisor to the UNCW BJJ club. John was awarded Blue through Brown belts in BJJ under Renato Verissimo and his Black Belt in BJJ under Brian Mingia.

Tony Ventimiglia, Sandan, is one of the founding members of the UNCW Aikido Club. Tony also holds a black belt in karate.

Joseph Nash, Sandan, has been training in aikido since 2007. He started with the UNCW Aikido Club while pursuing a bachelors degree in marine biology. He currently works as Special Activities Instructor at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

Tony

Jessica Gaffney, Nidan, Jessica is a full time faculty at Cape Fear Community College and also teaches part time at UNCW. Jessica has traveled to numerous aikido seminars around the country. Jessica regularly teaches the Monday evening class.

Richard Price Sensei, Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt), Retired/Emeritus instructor. Price Sensei specializes in aikido for self defense and law enforcement. Price Sensei is the founder of Kure Beach Aikido.