Steve Mitchell
Aikidkids Instructor, Griffith Aikido
Steve Mitchell currently works as a Naturopath, but has a previous work history of working for prominent Queensland and Federal Government ministers. He hopes that this isn’t held against him! Working in the political sphere came to a rather abrupt halt when Steve was diagnosed with Leukaemia in 1993. He underwent a Bone Marrow Transplant and relapsed 2 years later, requiring a second transplant.
Steve consulted a naturopath and combined orthodox treatment with natural therapies, achieving impressive results. As a result of his very positive experience with natural therapies, Steve decided to change his life direction after treatment, commencing study in Naturopathy while still recovering from treatment. He also compiled and edited the Leukaemia Foundation book “Leukaemia and Beyond” during this time.
Steve recovered well, but hit the age of 40 with a very strong appreciation for life, and a desperate need to get fitter. This was complicated by an aversion to what he regards as the ‘boredom of the gym’. He felt aikido provided the right balance of being interesting and learning a skill. The non-competitiveness and non-reliance on aggression and strength was attractive, but aikido also provided cardio-vascular fitness, flexibility, fun and social interaction. Being able to throw people around the mat regularly continues to be a nice bonus.
Steve combines the roles of club secretary and teaching our club’s popular Saturday aikikids class. He also runs our schools program, which disseminates aikido to primary and secondary schools through a series of classes and workshops. Steve derives a great deal of satisfaction from contributing to and being a part of the development of young people through learning aikido.
