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Review content:
A martial arts dojo can be intimidating. People, young and less young, are afraid of looking silly while learning something new. I've seen kids and I've seen grown men all but tiptoe the first time they enter a dojo. What's impressive about USA Karate is how many of those kids, men (and also, women, teens, and families), tiptoe in the first time, and stay for years. I think that's the best measure of a martial arts dojo, the number of members who stay beyond the initial excitement, beyond the phase of "I'm going to be able to kick butt/defend myself/look like Bruce Lee/impress my friends with my black belt."
Why do so many continue at USA Karate for years? In part, because head instructor Joni Wilson Sharrah, has won international medals in sport karate, the rank of 6th-degree black belt, and the title of Shihan (master instructor). But mostly because Shihan Joni brings a combination of passion and compassion that's rare in any field of instruction, including martial arts.
One moment, I'll be watching Shihan Joni demonstrate the form that brought her rank and medals; minutes later, I'll see her bend down to instruct a six-year-old who just joined the dojo. Shihan Joni is as dedicated to beginners as she is to black belts. She'll expend as much effort with someone who's struggling as she does with medal-winners. I've never seen Shihan Joni give up on anyone and I think that she deeply believes that anyone, given sufficient effort, can excel.
My favorite aspect of USA Karate is that teenaged senior students, who have shown dedication, maturity, and qualities of leadership, are given the opportunity to work at the dojo and become assistant instructors. I think this is a superior experience to most other pt jobs available to young people.
At USA Karate and you or your children will get in shape, learn discipline, self defense, and best of all, the satisfaction of getting good at something that's difficult.
Pros: Instruction, ambience
Cons: None
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