Future Leaders Of America in Training
The human life span typically goes to about eighty years, if done right the first twenty should be building a foundation of success.
When I was a child I was deprived of the benefits of formal education. As I grew to adulthood I realized how well I had done despite it. In my early twenties, I realized my deficiency and spent the majority of those years doing what I should have done when I was young, getting an education. All those years I could have spent building for retirement, I was doing what I should have done when I was young. Even today I sometimes wonder how my life would be different if I had done it right. My theory is that if I’m doing okay now, I can only imagine where I might be if I was educated early. To that end, I have committed myself to never let a child go through what I did if I can help it.
From “Tiny Tigers” to Black Belts.
On Saturday, March 28, 2020, we will be having a tournament in honor of children who have joined WCRB Karate as “Tiny Tigers” and made it through our program as it is designed to do.
Before I introduce you to the kids, let me take a moment to describe how my program is designed to work:
Step one – Children aged 2 ½ to 4 join our “Tiny Tiger “ program. The “Tiny Tigers “ program is designed to be a martial arts version of “Sesame Street” because kids at that age have limited cognitive durability the class is designed to allow them to “play as they learn”. The classes are filled with martial arts related lead follow games, singing, counting, and puzzle-solving.
Step two – Children who graduate from the “Tiny Tiger” program are encouraged to enroll in our “Concentration Station” program. In “Concentration Station” they are introduced do structure and discipline in a fun and friendly fashion. “Concentration Station” has three (3) levels of increased focus and attention: reflex sparring, traditional blocks and counters, and the “Circle of doom”. Once a child makes it through those three levels of increased focus and attention they are ready to move to the regular class where they are introduced to out DAGPAW Means Success, Success Skills Training. The goal of the program is to infuse in children a deep appreciation and respect for learning, achieving, and succeeding.
Meet Miranda
Miranda started at the tender age of two-and-half years old and is now 10. She is now getting straight A’s. She says that she wants to be an archeologist. Her hobbies are reading, and softball. She likes the A’s and B’s part of DAGPAW the most. She says that getting good grades make her proud of herself. She has a STORM BADGE, is a Girl Scout and got coding, and honor roll badges. She has participated in tournaments but has yet to win first place. She says that tournaments are “really fun”.
M
eet “The General”
Sebastian started at three and is now 12 and is getting all A, s in school. He says that he wants to be a musician when he grows up. He plays drums, clarinet, and guitar. Besides karate, his hobbies are skateboarding, videos, and music. He likes the success and works ethic parts of DAGPAW the most. He says that it has taught him to not stop something once he starts it, and be focused on what you are doing. He has STORM, Black belt club badges. He participated in WCRB TOURNAMENT and got first place in patterns. He says that tournaments are a great way to see how you would do in a real-life situation.
Meet Mya
Mya started when she was 3 1/2 years old she will have a twelfth birthday next month. She is getting straight A’s. She is still thinking about what she wants to be when she grows up. Aside from karate, she likes to swim, writing and math. She likes the discipline part of DAGPAW most. She is a STORM recipient, black belt club member, honor roll recipient, and student of the month recipient. She has won a first-place trophy for fighting in our tournament. She says that she likes tournaments because it shows how she has mastered her skills.
Meet Simon
Simon was 4 1/2 when he started and is now also ten. He is getting A’s in school. He plays the piano and spike ball. He says that he wants to be a musician when he grows up but he’s not sure what he wants to play at this time. He says that work ethic and perseverance are the two DAGPAW skills that he likes the most. His badges include student of the month, courtesy, and perfect kick. He has participated in two tournaments and has won gold and silver medals in sparring and patterns respectively. He says that when he gets to a tournament he is nervous, but when things get started he feels good. He says that if it weren’t for tournaments he would not put his maximum amount into training.
Meet Andrea
Andrea started at age five and is now ten. She is getting straight A’s in school. She doesn’t know yet what she wants to be when she grows up. At this time karate is the only sport that she does although she enjoys learning and speaking Mandarin. She says that she likes the discipline part of DAGPAW the most, because out of all the skills you will need it the most. She is a STORM recipient and has earned community service awards. She has participated is WCRB tournaments and has won Grand Champion. She says that tournaments are a fun way to show off your talents to classes that you are not in.