What parents are saying about our kids classes

Today, we took the kids for a hike. At the top of the trail, Zainab said she wanted a moment to enjoy the view and the nature. Then, to our surprise, she clambered up to the top of the hill to a meadow off the trail and sat down and began her silent meditation exercise. Her explanation was that karate is not just something that is practiced on the mat, but throughout all parts of life. I was so proud of her and how she has matured through TKC. I just wanted to say thank you.

Hi, i'm Riley, Reece and Avas Dad, David.

I thought that I would just say a little about what I, as a parent came away with from the Black Belt test.

I believe that my kids realized that their limits are far higher than they thought. I see that they understand that being a Black Belt is more than just a belt and lessons and tests.

I hope they understand that Black Belt is a way of living, not just a way of life. They understand that they will always be learning, provided they leave themselves open to the knowledge that is available to them from their instructors, classmates and parents.

Last, I believe profoundly that their experiences will influence all that they do for all their lives.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Our family became involved with Team Karate centers when our son was just five years old and was invited to a birthday party at the studio that changed our lives forever.Right after that party Jared joined the little kids program and stayed there until he was promoted to the teen classes.He has trained consistently without stopping and now he is fourteen years old and a second degree black belt in the adult classes .His training inspired my husband Bill ,my daughter, Ava and I to join one after the other and ultimately we all got our black belts and became a martial arts family.we have been changed by the experience and as parents it has enabled us to stay connected to our kids and to have a common family interest together which also fostered individual growth. It is true that we have concentrated on fighting and primarily wanted to be able to defend ourselves and what we got as a bonus were some very useful tools for living. Mr.Fariborz has been our master instructor and has enabled us to learn mixed martial arts and has introduced us to concepts and people that have been valuable and enriching .Although all of us in our family have different goals and aspirations for practicing martial arts i think we could all agree that the experience has been one that has shaped each one of us in a positive way.

My two boys got their junior black belts at TKC two years ago. We did not think about them becoming black belt martial artists when they started at ages 5 and 7. We just wanted them in a good program that was fun for kids, got them moving and taught them some discipline.

When they were days away from receiving their black belts I told Mr. Fariborz that if they absorbed and retained only 1/10th of what he aimed to teach them, from self-respect, self-confidence and discipline, to respect and tolerance for others, to the power of leading by example, being physically fit, and having a "can-do" spirit, they would be blessed. That in addition to all that they learned about the physical/mechanical aspects of martial arts.

I am providing this review not only as an experienced and long-time practitioner of martial arts, but as a parent as well...

My wife and I enrolled our pre-Kindergarten son in this academy-like setting in part because a close family member was attending, and in part because we were immediately struck by the professionalism and family-like atmosphere which Fariborz and the staff cultivate.

The staff was extremely attentive and welcoming during my son's trial class, even assigning a black belt student to work with him even though he already had a years worth of martial arts training under his belt. This apparently is standard practice, at least for the children classes, with a highly experienced lead instructor always assisted by several more junior instructors, ensuring a very good teacher-to-student ratio. While the school is demanding in terms of its expectations for students, it is not abusive or irresponsible, unlike some other programs that my wife and/or I have witnessed.

The teachers especially stress the character-building aspects of the martial arts and the self-confidence, poise, discipline, focus, knowledge, humility and other important traits which a martial artist should take "off the training mat."

The children's classes are organized by age and rank, which helps prevent wildly divergent skills and ages being thrown together, which can be frustrating and even dangerous for all involved. Furthermore, students are encouraged to achieve their personal best, and at least at the younger ages, are not competing directly with each other. The facilities are clean and modern, and the venue is quite spacious. The training itself is largely Hapkido based, although it is blended with aspects of several other styles in fairly progressive and from what I have seen, non-dogmatic style.

While I cannot as of yet speak directly to the quality of the adult programs (my current training regimen is Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu and Krav Maga), I would expect based on what I have seen that they are rigorous and well-run. The economics of running a successful martial arts business can be challenging and many instructors are either tempted or forced to take shortcuts, but none of that is in evidence at Team Karate Center.

While the name to some might seem a bit generic, do not be fooled by this, for the leadership and students are passionate and committed, and I would not hesitate to recommend those interested in beginning, augmenting or continuing their training to take a trial class and see for themselves.