Special Needs
This organization has a "Special Needs" Division headed by Prof. Ed McLachlan. Prof. McLachlan has over 60 years of this type of Instruction under his belt! And Prof. McLachlan himself is hearing impaired.
Professor McLachlan began training in the martial arts at the age of 10 and has been training and teaching for 60+ years beginning in Scotland where he was born and then came to Canada where he continues his passion. He is the owner and head instructor of E & T Martial Arts and Founder of Dora-Ryu Jiu-Jitsu (Tiger Jiu Jitsu). In 1984, he underwent a quadruple heart bypass and in 1997 was part of a new research procedure called `Transmyocardial Revascularization` which is now a common surgery to many.
In the year 2000, he started a team of five physically and mentally challenged adults, teaching them the basics of the Martial Arts, and they have just recently received their black belts, presented to them at the "Arnold Classic" in Columbus, Ohio, USA by Governor Schwartzenegger and World Champion Shihan Tokey Hill. They named their team “The 5 Dragons” and perform demonstrations all over Ontario, Canada. In March 2005 & 2006, they had the opportunity to perform demo’s and compete in the Arnold Schwarzeneggar Martial Arts Festival held in Columbus, Ohio, USA. They were invited back for 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Prof. McLachlan has also created programs on “Street Awareness” for adults, children and the physically challenged and runs seminars for groups of children and adults all over Ontario.
We have found that there are numerous small "groups" of Martial Artists throughout the World with different physical challenges. Most have no, or very little association with other Martial Arts organizations. Their instructors would attempt to teach these practitioners (some with great results) but lack an outlet to fall back to for assistance in teaching "Special Needs Techniques".
Prof McLachlan was named the Canadian Representative to the International Martial Arts Federation of the Deaf in 2009.
If you are interested in joining to help us to unite all of these small groups of practitioners or request guidance in teaching these special or physically challenged martial artists, please contact:
Prof Ed McLachlan
Phone / TTY: 519-631-7239
THE FIVE DRAGONS
The “Five Dragons” are five Adults with Special Needs who have been training in the Martial Arts since the year 2000 and have come a very long way. They now hold the rank of Black Belt.
These Special People were told that they were incapable of learning Martial Arts. This made them determined to prove they could. They contacted Prof Ed McLachlan and told him they wished to learn the art. Prof Ed took the challenge and formed a class of these 5 students at no charge to them. Soon after they began taking classes they decided to give themselves a name. They wanted to be called “The 5 Dragons”.
Friends and supporters of Ed and Special People were very generous. They were given new GIs with a large dragon on the back, made and donated by friends who own an embroidery company; they received leather Canada jackets from another group and Prof Ed provides them with equipment to train and donates his time. They meet once a week and train hard. Their assistant Instructor, Renshi Rob Short and Prof Ed work with them and they now do demos all over Ontario and in Ohio.
The “Five Dragons” have done several demonstrations all over Ontario, including the Canadian Nationals in Acton, a Martial Arts event at the Fairview Mall in Kitchener, at several Association for Community Living Fall Family Dinners and at Canada Day in Pinafore Park, in St. Thomas. December 1/06 they went to Niagara Falls to perform a demo for Active Living Alliance which is a group of people with special needs. In 2005, 2006, & 2007! And again in 2008! The Dragons did a special demo for Gov. Arnold Swartzenegger, at Arnold’s Martial Arts Festival in Columbus Ohio, USA.
