Instructor Spotlight: Mr. Kory

   

Mr. Kory is AWESOME! 

He achieved his Junior Black Belt and continues our training in the teens program on our adult curriculum. Now he is sharing that knowledge and his awesome sense of humor with another generation of Little Warriors! 

Mr. Kory strives to teach our Little Warriors:

"To work hard and get it done."

The kiddos love Mr. Kory because:

      He is high energy and always down to work on more sparring techniques! His excitement carries over into them and gets them so pumped to train. Mr. Kory knows that the hard drills is where those big leaps of growth happen and he isn't afraid of a bit of work to see his goals happen He actually earned his Junior Black Belt in less time than expected due to his can do attitude. We love the example of hard work he sets for them. Mr. Kory is also one of those awesome big brother figures who genuinely loves to catch up on what's new and deepen his relationships with those around him.

A few of Mr. Kory's favorite things:

     Mr. Kory loves to train and is constantly learning and growing along with the Little Warriors. Because he's only been with us for a few years he still easily gets excited with new material and by seeing the kiddos succeed. He has a great sense of humor and is unapologetically himself. In fact he is the first one to make redhead jokes (which his fellow redheads loves) and even came to martial arts class dressed like a leprechaun for an epic Halloween class last year. Mr. Kory is a busy bee. He is usually thinking about food and complaining about his mountains of homework. In fact of if he were to have any super power in the world he wished for the ability to freeze time as it would allow him to get all the homework done and still have time for fun and mischief before dinner. 

A little bit more about Mr. Kory:

     Mr. Kory's life currently revolves around his family, school and martial arts. In his free time Mr. Kory loves Anime! His current favorite shows are K-on and Saiki K. The other instructors have recently just got him hooked on a new one called Cowboy Bebop who's martial arts style is actually based off of the Jeet Kune Do which we study in the children's martial arts classes. We love that his training bleeds into his other interests. Mr. Kory isn't quite sure what he wants to be when he grows up but he dreams of going to the plot of land he owns in Scotland that makes him officially "Lord Kory." No matter what this young man sets his heart to we know Mr. Kory can achieve it! He's demonstrated his dedication, self discipline, and hard work goal setting formula in his training and beyond.

Mr. Kory we love seeing your confidence grow in this new role! Your skills are helping future generations of Warriors achieve their goal of Junior Black Belt. We love that you are so willing to help and be a leader.

Here's bonus pictures of Mr. Kory testing for Junior Black Belt!

Mr. Kory's awesome family and support system

Mr. Kory is always smiling

#RaiseAWarrior 

Instructor Spotlight: Mr. Luka

  

Mr. Luka is AWESOME! 

He has been in our Little Warrior's program for over 9 years and is now using his Junior Black Belt Leadership skills to help show future Little Warrior's the Warrior's Way! 

Mr. Luka strives to teach our Little Warriors:

"That thinking outside the box is a useful skill."

The kiddos love Mr. Luka because:

      He is a bit of a nerd and has similar interests to them. Don't even get him started on Yu Gi oh or you'll get an education. He is also amazing during day camps because he loves to get on their level, play the games, and create epic k'nex weapons for them to battle with. He really is a big kid with an amazing heart who wants to help them have the most fun possible while still learning and crushing their goals.

A few of Mr. Luka's favorite things:

     In addition to a deep love Yu Gi Oh Mr. Luka loves other games and can often be found playing cards with his friends during his off time. He is also a budding artist, creator, and a bit of a tinkerer. His favorite show of all time is "How It's Made." This young man is always creating and learning. Mr. Luka used to astound us with his creations as Little Warrior and continues to do so today. His goal is to one day build his very own robot! No surprise to us since his favorite movie of all time, Pacific Rim, has epic robotic fighters in it. We expect Mr. Luka's robot to be just as amazing and can't wait to see how far this creative and hard working young man can go!

A little bit more about Mr. Luka:

     Mr. Luka Bearswitch as our staff endearingly calls him has been with us since he was just a little tyke (so small he couldn't say his last name correctly and he forever earned the nickname Bearswitch or Bear). He has always been light hearted, funny and kind and we love that he now gets to share that with future generations of Warrior's. He continues his training and is currently loving working on weaponry like stick and dagger in the teens class. And although he can be a bit of a prankster, Mr. Luka tries to emphasize the importance of empathy and honesty in all interactions and we think this is a true strength both on and off the mat. He looks up to his dad as his hero because "he's achieved a lot, and we're very similar." We know that no matter what Mr. Luka puts his heart to he will achieve because he is willing to do the work and have fun along the way.

Mr. Luka you bring such a fun energy to our classes! You are always ready to lend a helping hand and try something new. Your go for it attitude makes our team stronger. We can't wait to see how far you can go! 

Here's some Little Warrior pictures of Mr. Luka at his Junior Black Belt Test in 2015 just for fun

Serious Warriors Only

Working hard

Junior Black Belt Achieved!

#RaiseAWarrior 

Why The Right Mom & Dad Friends Matter

     We've always heard choose your friends wisely and any of us who remember high school can say how true that statement is; for the people we spent the most time with really have the power to impact our life in big ways. We know our closest friends can influence our attitudes and actions (as a parent and spouse), but their power truly goes beyond that. For many of us parents, being a part of my life also means you're a part of my child's life. So who are the adults and friends we welcome into our homes regularly? When choosing your friends do you seek them only for yourself or are you seeking good people who will help you raise up your child and influence them in the very best ways.

      Growing up my parent's closest friends were always like family. We went to stay at their houses regularly, called them our Aunts/Uncles and they never missed a birthday party or big milestone. And they came from all walks of life. Some were police officers, martial arts school owners, some were stay at home parents, some worked at the movie theater, some graduated college and some had not. Their value, wasn't determined by their job title or education status, but that they were men and women who loved us, looked out for us, worked hard and were always kind to others.

     So who are the adults and friends in your life? Do these bonds only benefit you or do they also extend to enriching your child's life? No matter how you choose to view your friendships or include them in your families life here are some things your choice in friends teaches your child about good friends.

It Teaches Them To Seek Out Good Character

       The quality of an individual and the values and ideals they embody will affect your child much more than their successfulness or status within society. So whether your children are involved in your adult friend's lives or just hear you speak of them make sure to emphasize what really matters. Point out and praise their strengths of character in front of your child. Your child (especially during the early years) wants to be like you and soaks that stuff right up. So teach them to seek friends of exemplary character who push them to be better and do the right thing.

It Teaches Them To Seek Out Dependability

      Seek out friends who stand by you and aren't only there out of convenience or for fun. We know life is full of unexpected curveballs so teach your child to seek out friends who are there through thick and thin no matter what. The kind of people you can turn to when life gets hard. And who better to exemplify this than the friend within our spouse or significant other? However, dependability is a two way street. Let them see you prioritize your relationships and consistently follow through with your plans. Dependability is one of those priceless traits in any relationship so teach your child to be dependable and seek it out in others.

It Teaches Them To Seek Wise Council

     Our friends and peers can have a strong impact on our attitudes and the important decisions we make. It's important to gather around you a group of people you trust, who share your values and see life through a similar lens as you do. It's also important to have friends who won't pull their punches and are willing to correct and steer you back to the right path if it's required. The world will bombard us with many voices- the voices of ambition, power, wealth, greed, and selfishness. We need to surround ourselves with people who consistently speak the truth. So let your child see you show some emotion and let them see you be open with yourself and your relationships concerning present obstacles. Let them see you weigh those hard decisions. Seeing this process and a bit of vulnerability will teach them to also seek good council and weigh the pros and cons of any big decision.

     So there you have it. Your friends are yours, it's true, but they also can have a bigger impact on your growing Little Warrior than you would first suspect. So seek out friends and relationships who lift you up and also teach your child to seek the very best. Happy parenting! Keep being awesome Warrior parents!

#RaiseAWarrior