Copyright Kate Wurtzel
Copyright Kate Wurtzel
Copyright Kate Wurtzel
Dojo-Cho: Dojo Manager
Angel Walker Murphy began studying aikido at Aikido of San Antonio in January of 1994. She received all of her kyu ranks from the late Akira Tohei Sensei. After a year-long moratorium following his passing, she received her shodan (1st degree Black Belt) from Hayato Osawa Sensei at the M.A.F. Summer Camp in 2000. At the 2004 Florida Winter Camp, Angel received her nidan (2nd) from a panel that included Y. Yamada Sensei, S. Sugano Sensei and M. Kanai Sensei.
Angel Sensei received her sandan (3rd) in October 2012 from Harvey Konigsberg Sensei, a United States Aikido Federation Technical Comittee member. Angel Sensei helped run the Alamo Heights Aikido Club (est. 2000-2017) for several years before becoming Dojo-cho of Alamo Heights Aikido (2011-2017). She has since received the title of Shidoin (certified instructor) and was promoted to the rank of godan (5th degree) in January 2022. She currently serves as Dojo-cho at Alamo Area Aikikai.
Founding Teacher: Alamo Area Aikikai
Noel Murphy began studying aikido in 1992, and received all his kyu ranks from the late Akira Tohei Sensei. In 1998, he received his shodan (1st degree Black Belt) from Tohei Sensei at the Midwest Aikido Center in Chicago. He later received his nidan at Florida Winter Camp from a panel that included Y. Yamada Sensei, S. Sugano Sensei, and M. Kanai Sensei in 2002. Noel Sensei and his partner, Angel Walker Murphy Sensei, opened the Alamo Area Aikikai at a small rug store in Monte Vista with a handful of dedicated students that had been training with him at a high school club (Alamo Heights Aikido Club (2000-2017)). It gradually grew to include a full programming for adults and kids at the D.R. Semmes YMCA in San Antonio, TX. Noel Murphy currently holds the rank of godan (5th degree Black Belt) and continues to pursue his personal Aikido practice, although his professional career has taken him out of our dojo for the time being. We are forever grateful for his contributions to the Alamo Area Aikikai.
