September 2018 by MASuccess

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MASS ENROLLMENTS Over the course of the first five years, James Lee Karate grew rapidly. He rented out more of the space above the dance studio and began to broaden his visibility and reputation in the community. To that objective, he held summer camps and after-school programs at the local elementary schools. Lee says he grew so much that he tore down walls and expanded his location three times, occupying four of the six upstairs units. In 2001, after lots of negotiating, he moved the school to a more centrally located, 3,500 square foot building in the heart of downtown Eagle.

A UNIQUE CHARACTER-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Today, that school is packed with karate students from five years old and up, and he also has a second school in Glenwood Springs, about a 35-minute drive to the west. Lee’s main Eagle location averages between 140–170 students, with the summer months being a little slower. His Glenwood Springs location averages between 80–100 students.

He personally teaches up to six classes a day with the help of just one black belt, a teenager who has been with him since the age of nine. Lee’s wife, Amanda, helps run the school. He says she’s “the backbone of all the administration, design work, all the important stuff.” Together,

Even though James Lee took his first karate lesson at the age of seven, he didn’t get past yellow belt until he was 13. No, it wasn’t because he was a slow learner. It was because he was moved from city to city as a child due to his parents’ work schedule. In spite of the moving around, he begged his parents to find a new martial arts school in each new city. According to him, he was so enthusiastic that he’d start his new classes before they even unpacked their boxed possessions! Finally, Lee was able to earn those first few colored belts in Mandeville, Louisiana, where he trained for several years as a young teenager. In 1992, at the age of 19, and after a couple semesters of college, he moved once again. This time, however, it was to be out on his own to begin a new life adventure in Colorado. By then, Lee was a brown belt and, in between enjoying the ski slopes, he continued to practice with the goal of going back to Louisiana to earn his black belt. Then, his plan was to return to the renowned ski resort town of Vail, CO, to teach martial arts. He accomplished that goal in 1997.

STARTING IN A DANCE STUDIO He started out with no capital investment. All he had was a single kicking shield he’d brought with him from Louisiana — and a dream: The dream of living in Vail, having the freedom to snowboard everyday while teaching karate as a full-time career. “Those first two or three years, I taught at two athletic clubs and at a Catholic school,” Lee remembers. “Once I got up to 50 or 60 students, it was time to consolidate all three programs into one place. I rented space in a dance studio in Eagle, about 25 miles west of Vail.” Lee chose Eagle because it was more of a family community suitable for a martial arts studio, rather than a tourist destination like Vail. He was still working as a chef during the day, but he had his heart set on teaching karate full-time. “I was just a 28-year-old, second-degree black belt. I was a seasoned competitor, but with very little business experience,” he admits. “It was a big decision to go full-time and pay $700 a month in rent. I just had my first child and was just beginning my life as a husband and a new parent. But it was what I had dreamed about for years.”

74 SEPTEMBER 2018

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14625 Fitness Spread Section_1_OL.indd 6 maSuccess.indd 1

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Protecting your business is our business Markel Specialty insurance for martial arts schools Are you protected? Get a quote online today! martialartsinsurance.com 800-866-7403 /markelsportsfitness Markel Specialty Commercialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s insurance products and services are offered through Markel Specialty, a business division of Markel Service Incorporated. Policies are written by one or more Markel insurance companies. Terms and conditions for rate and coverage may vary.

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â&#x20AC;&#x201D; OG MANDINO, AMERICAN AUTHOR

MARTIAL ARTS TRIVIA 1

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YOU ASKED WHAT IS YOUR TEACHER TO STUDENT RATIO? White belts: 6-8 students to 1 instructor/leader. Green belts: 8-10 students to 1 instructor/leader. Black belts: 20 students to 1 instructor/leader.â&#x20AC;? R O N D Y M C K E E , W H I T E T I G E R T A E K W O N D O & M A R T I A L A R T S , C A R Y, N C

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GRANDMASTER RHEEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHILDREN AT THE CEMETERY: (LEFT TO RIGHT) JIMMY, MEME AN D CHUN RHEE. IM A G E C O U R T E S Y O F S T E P H A N L E W I S

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeking writers MASUCCESS is looking for freelance writers to join our dynamic team of U.S. correspondents. We pay some of the best rates in the industry and all payments are upon acceptance. Writers should have some knowledge of the martial arts school business. When responding, please feel free to pitch your story ideas (4 to 5 paragraphs including the type of photos/images that you can supply to accompany your idea). We prefer email responses. Do NOT send any completed manuscripts. We do NOT have time to read completed articles and they typically do not t our standards or editorial format. Please email your reply or story pitch to John Corcoran, Managing Editor, at jcorcoran@masuccess.com

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeking story leads MASUCCESS is seeking reader tips and leads to nd successful school owners in the U.S. and Canada. If you know of a highly successful single- or multi-school owner who you believe can teach our readers the tricks of the trade, please submit his or her name, a brief description of his or her degree of success and his or her contact information. We will follow up on all legitimate leads. Please email your leads to John Corcoran, Managing Editor, at jcorcoran@masuccess.com. jc

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Clean Mats = A Full House Getting new students and keeping the ones you have is always on the mind of a martial arts school owner. And in this age of virulent super bugs like MRSA that can have potentially very serious and even fatal consequences, you must have a good hygiene protocol in place to protect your athletes as well as yourself and your school. Kenclean Plus is a hospital use disinfectant cleaner that kills the germs you need to kill while leaving behind a clean, fresh fragrance that lets your students know your school is clean, Kennedy Clean!

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ARE YOU A PASSIONATE, DRIVEN, AND CREATIVE INDIVIDUAL?

CENTURY WANTS YOU! Century Martial Arts is looking for new people to join our growing company! We’re the world’s largest martial arts supplier, and an industry leader in innovation.

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Check out all available Century careers at http://www.centurymartialarts.com/careers Send your resume to aleewright@centurymartialarts.com and mention this ad! Join the Century Martial Arts Talent Network today and stay up-to-date on our openings as they continue to become available! Please visit http://www.jobs.net/jobs/centurymartialarts/en-us/

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THANK YOU, EXHIBITORS 20/20 Armor

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THANK YOU, SPEAKERS Mario Avila Robby Beard Billy Blanks Abid Benwali Kelly Bullard JD Caputo Mike Chat Bill Clark Katarina Conrad Fred DePalma Robin DePalma Jason Flame Marcelo Garcia Damon Gilbert Guilermo Gomez Nguyen “Tom” Griggs

John Hackleman Jason Han Stephen Hayes Aaron Hensley Darren Jacobson Annika Kahn Kurt Klingenmeyer Dave Kovar Apolo Ladra Ricardo Liborio Rondy McKee Bruno Malfacine Mike Metzger Adam Parman Tom Patire Herb Perez

Chris Rappold Stephen Reinstein Jackson Rudolph Eric Santamaria Tom Scott Melody Shuman Robyn Silverman Harinder Singh Shane Tassoul Eric The Trainer Josh Tyler Benny Urquidez Barry Van Over Bill Wallace Eyal Yanilov

We want to express our sincere thanks to our phenomenal roster of speakers who gave their time and shared their expertise to deliver great seminars at the 2018 MASuperShow.

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ASF is a leading technology company providing software, complete payment solutions and customer support to the martial arts industry. As your partner, we focus on producing tools that streamline your daily operations so you can spend more time with your students.

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Last month, we informed our readers about the “Safe Sport Act,” a new federal law enacted to protect minors from sexual abuse in youthserving organizations and businesses. Pedophiles commonly target their prey in youth-based activities, including the martial arts, where children collectively represent over 50% of our industry’s active student body. In this important follow-up article from a past issue of MASuccess, we turned to Dr. Anna Salter, a leading authority on the subject for advice. She teaches us how school owners can protect their young students from pedophilia. BY HAE WON SHIN

Reprinted from April 2014 MASuccess

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KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE

he numbers don’t lie: According to some of the latest U.S. statistics, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys are victims of child sexual abuse. Headlines and news stories abound about how pedophiles have sought their victims in all aspects of modern society, especially in youth-based activities and organizations. The situation erupted into a national crisis with the highly publicized arrest and recent criminal conviction of Larry Nassar, the former medical doctor for USA Gymnastics. Astoundingly, some 265 female gymnasts, among them famous Olympic champions, have accused Nassar of sexual abuse when they were minors. And now, Congress has enacted a new law to enhance the protection from sexual abuse of minors involved in youth-serving businesses. (See August 2018 MASuccess, “How the New “Safe Sport Act” Impacts You and Your School.”) Though all categories of youth-serving businesses are required to establish reasonable procedures to protect young athletes, the new legislation on this point is somewhat weak. Clearly, the intent is for youth sport/activity organizations and businesses to establish policies and procedures that prevent abuse. But the Safe Sport Act provides little direct guidance. To fill in that gap, MASuccess approached one of the leading authorities on the subject — author, lecturer and consultant Dr. Anna Salter. Her insights in this article will equip owners with a set of standards to enhance the safety of their schools while protecting the students in their care. Dr. Salter holds a Masters Degree in Child Study from Tufts University and received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Public

Practice from Harvard University. She’s been called upon to testify as an expert witness at numerous courts cases involving the abuse of children. In addition, she lectures and consults on the subject of sex offenders and sexual offenses throughout the U.S. and abroad. As an author, Dr. Salter has written pivotal works on the subject of pedophilia including Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, and Other Sex Offenders.

SPOTTING THE OFFENDER Many people hold onto the mistaken belief that a pedophile is easily spotted in a crowd. They believe that if they were to see a pedophile attempting to target children under their care, they would quickly be able to identify and isolate that individual and immediately separate him or her from the children. Dr. Salter warns that this is not the case, however. “It is dangerous to think that you can pick them out of a crowd because, as has been witnessed time and time again, pedophiles easily blend in,” she explains. Consequently, martial arts school owners must rethink their ability to immediately identify someone who has illicit intentions for the students under their care. “We have to cut down on opportunities for offenders to get access to kids,” Dr. Salter warns. “We have to accept the fact that they’re going to look and talk and act like the rest of us. Many of them are going to be congenial, successful in other areas, and easy to get along with.” Salter recalls a case of a very well-respected medical doctor who was found to have been molesting children for up to 40 years

Dr. Anna Salter holds a Masters Degree in Child Study from Tufts University and received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Public Practice from Harvard University.

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before his actions were finally revealed. In fact, among other ruses he used to find his victims, he actually set up a quasi-clinical test that he called a “Growth Study.” Using this test, he was actually able to gain access to a martial arts studio in order to recruit young students as participants. From this simple example, school owners can quickly learn a key lesson. Simply because an individual has a professional credential, it does not necessarily make him or her safe around children.

LIKEABILITY AND PUBLIC BEHAVIOR As we now understand, pedophiles are commonly not the trench coat-wearing deviants that the mainstream media once portrayed them to be. They walk among us and blend in quite readily. Dr. Salter states, “We tend to think that if someone is likeable, that means he or she is also trustworthy. But this is not always the case. To actually be able to identify and deal with the threat of sex offenders, you must separate those two things: likeability and trustworthiness. “You have to understand that you may not be able to recognize them. Simply because they are likeable does not make them safe to leave alone with children. In fact, the real pros in abusing children make sure that they are very likeable.” Even seasoned black belts, trained to read signals emitted by those with bad or dangerous intentions, can be fooled. “To successfully deal with the threat that sex offenders pose,” Dr. Salter explains, “you have to really understand that you won’t

necessarily recognize them. You have to build your child-protection program knowing that.”

SCREENING EMPLOYEES To keep children safe, Dr. Salter believes that background checks on any potential instructors, and even volunteers, at your school are a must. Unfortunately, according to MASuccess legal columnist Phil Goss, Jr., that’s not a foolproof measure in and of itself. “There’s no background test or report available that is infallible in determining if someone you employ is a sexual predator,” Goss warns. Dr. Salter admits such due diligence will fail to catch most of them. But still, it’s the first line of defense to safeguard your students and to protect your business in the unfortunate event of a future abuse incident. Dr. Salter also believes it’s essential to state the purpose of the protection of children as one of every school owner’s primary goals to any potential employee and volunteer. It should be done when that person is hired, before he or she is ever allowed on the mat. “You have to tell people when they apply for a job that children’s safety is paramount in your school. You really want to screen potentially dangerous people out, or have them screen themselves out, before you ever hire them.” Such declaration places any deviant on notice that he’ll be watched very closely. (Editor’s note: Per the new federal law, U.S. school owners are now required to do a lot more than that. Please consult the August 2018 MASuccess article, “How the New Safe Sport Act Impacts You and Your School,” for specific details.)

" We have to cut down on opportunities for offenders to get access to kids. Pedophiles easily blend in. We have to accept the fact that they are going to look and talk and act like the rest of us. Many of them are going to be congenial, successful in other areas, and easy to get along with."”

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KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE

" We tend to think that if someone is likeable, that means he or she is also trustworthy. Simply because they are likeable does not make them safe to leave alone with children. In fact, the real pros in abusing children make sure that they are very likeable."

NO CHILD LEFT ALONE In the world of martial arts training, there is commonly a lot of physical contact between the students. This is particularly true in grappling arts such jiu-jitsu, judo and wrestling, where physical contact cannot be avoided. But, owners must set boundaries and monitor the degree to which any interpersonal contact is used between a teacher and a young student. “Most coaches or trainers are not going to abuse kids,” Dr. Salter states. “But what all of us must understand is that the ones who will are going to look just like the ones who won’t. So, a school owner must take precautions with everybody. That means instigating school rules such as, ‘No one alone with a child.’” School owners who institute this policy should actually spell it out to new students and their parents. Parents in particular will be impressed with the precautionary measure. Dr. Salter is very specific about which areas should be covered by a school’s policy toward the interaction between adults and children. “To keep our children safe, we have to make rules that do not allow coaches to be alone with kids,” she says. “They can’t drive them to practice alone. They can’t drive them home from practice alone. It should be required that there should always be at least two adults with a child at all times. Two-deep leadership is the only way.”

TWO SIDES OF A COIN: VICTIMS WHO SPEAK OUT AND THOSE WHO REMAIN SILENT More often than not, according to media reports, a child who is being abused is afraid to tell her or his story to adults. “You must tell kids that if they are uncomfortable with a coach for any reason, they must tell someone about it,” Dr. Salter asserts. She knows, of course, that simply telling people will not always stop a predator. As an example, she recalls the story of one pedophile she spoke with who had been molesting children for over 20 years before he was finally caught. “He literally told me he had molested 1,250 children!” she says, still shocked by that confession today. “Several kids told their parents during that time period, but no one took the kids seriously because he was such a likeable individual.” The takeaway for school owners from this anecdote is to take seriously any such claim made by a student. Don’t dismiss it simply because the instructor named is part of your staff. Pedophiles are cunning. They employ masterful manipulation techniques that often keep a young victims silent. “Pedophiles have a whole variety of ways to keep children from speaking out to adults,” Dr. Salter explains. “First of all, they are very, very good at spotting vulnerable kids — kids who don’t have a father or a father that’s too busy to be present in the child’s life.”

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" To keep our children safe, we have to make rules that don’t allow coaches to be alone with kids. They can’t drive them to practice alone. They can’t drive them home from practice alone. It should be required that there should always be at least two adults with a child at all times. Two-deep leadership is the only way."

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KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE

“They will move in on these kids and make them care about them. These kids will open up their hearts to these offenders and then will actually protect them. In some cases, they actually come to love them. The offender may not be genuine, but the child is.” That’s the cruel irony of these incidents. Once manipulated, children often believe they’re doing the right thing by keeping the molestation secret and protecting their abuser from disclosure. Speaking of cruelty, pedophiles will often threaten their victims into silence. Dr. Salter explains, “They may say to kids, ‘You’ll be in trouble or you’ll go to jail if you tell anyone.’ If the kid doesn’t report the abuse right away or if they stimulate a young boy into having an erection, they will tell him, ‘You liked it.’ And then the kid will be thinking, ‘How am I going to explain that?’” Long before anything bad potentially happens to a child, Dr. Salter believes parents must explain to their children that, if something does happen, they can come to them and disclose it. “Children must know that they will not be punished for the actions of others,” explains Salter. “I think what we have to tell our kids is that, if anything ever happens to them or someone ever touches them or hurts them in any way, we must let them know, ‘I will believe you. I will take care of you no matter what the circumstances are, no matter how it happened or how long its been going on.’”

STRICTLY FORBID INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT DATING More common within our industry are cases of an 18- or 19-year-old junior instructor being attracted to a 15- or 16-year-old student of the opposite sex and inviting them out on a date after class. The reality is, in most states a 15- or 16-year-old is legally a minor. Any intimate contact between a minor and an adult is a

" Pedophiles have a whole variety of ways to keep children from speaking out to adults. They’re very good at spotting vulnerable kids — kids who don’t have a father or a father that is too busy to be present in the child’s life. They will move in on these kids and make them care about them."

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crime. Clearly, such behavior does cross the line into abuse and each school owner must be aware of and address this issue with teenage staff members. “I certainly support rules against this,” says Dr. Salter. “[Employees] should find people to date outside of the school. I have seen guys in prison for having sex with 15-year-olds. That 15-year-old is a minor. Her parents are most likely going to be quite upset if they find their daughter going out with an 18- or 19-year-old instructor that they met while taking martial arts lessons. “If you get an impressionable high-school freshman or sophomore in your class, the instructor is in a position of authority,” she adds. “So, I would fire them if they were looking for dates within my school.” To avoid any notion of impropriety, owners should institute a strict, non-dating policy between staff and students.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT The ultimate responsibility of protecting young students within the walls of a martial arts academy rests solely on the shoulders of the school owner and the instructors. But students need to be educated that they, too, can reach out and seek help from others if they witness inappropriate advances or believe that something unfitting is taking place between on instructor or school owner one of their classmates. “If something is going wrong within the school, what’s a young student going to get by complaining to the school owner?” Dr. Salter asks. “I can guarantee that he is not going to say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s

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" Employees] should find people to date outside of the school. If you get an impressionable high-school freshman or sophomore in your class, the instructor is in a position of authority [and, thus, influence]. So, I would fire them if they were looking for dates within my school."

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KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE

what I’ve been doing.’ Instead, he’s going to get angry and chastise the student. Don’t go to the instructor. Call the police!”

RUINED REPUTATIONS Of course, there’s the other side of the issue. There have been countless cases of people who have had their reputations ruined by accusation that were later proved false. Some peoplehave even lost their businesses due to the untrue accusations of someone who has ulterior motives. It is for this reason that implementing school rules such as the previously discussed “No one alone with a child” is so critical. Ultimately, Dr. Salter believes that one must always rule on the side of caution. “Remember this,” she states. “If you believe that something is going on, that some form of abuse is taking place, on one side, sure, you can ruin a person’s reputation. But, on the other side, you can enable that person to continue to molest a child. If you have to make an error, it’s better to make that error on the side of protecting the child.”

ACTION VERSUS INACTION From a martial arts business perspective, school owners can understand the financial liability that would be incurred if a young child were to fall prey to abuse within their school or at the hands

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of one of their instructors or staff. If nothing else, that should drive home the point that this issue must be understood, defined and studied. Plans must be devised to never let anything inappropriate happen within the walls of a martial arts business. Dr. Salter has spent her life developing methods that truly protect children. “We can stop a lot of abuse from happening by taking one simple measure,” she points out. “If we see warning signs, we must act on them immediately.” This, too, must be the case across the board in our industry. Our schools’ first responsibility must be to protect the students in our care. Set up strict guidelines that instructors, staff members and students must adhere to. Stop it before it happens! e Please consult the August 2018 MASuccess article, “How the New Safe Sport Act Impacts You and Your School,” for specific details on what’s required of school owners to follow this federal law. m Dr. Anna Salter’s impressive resume and credentials are as vast as they are substantial. For more information about her superb body of work, check her website at www.annasalter.com/annasalter/ Welcome.html. To read hundreds of articles and columns vital to your school business, visit the Martial Arts Industry Association’s website at www.maiahub.com. Through this constantly enhanced website, members can access an enormous quantity of useful information on just about any topic from A to Z.

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DID YOU KNOW...?

AT AGES 4-6, MOST CHILDREN ARE NOT DEVELOPMENTALLY READY FOR MARTIAL ARTS?

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C hild ex per t , Melod y S hum an , h a s

de v elope d a c ur r ic ulum t h a t no t onl y te ache s childr en eigh t sk ill s t o f i t t heir men t al and phy sic al s t age, bu t al s o inc or por a t e s m ar t ial ar t s mo v e s t h a t t hey C A N le ar n and r e t ain!

INTRODUCING THE U LT I M AT E C H I L D R E N ’ S C U R R I C U L U M

B e t he f ir s t to t r an s f or m your clas s e s . V isi t Pr e SK IL L Z .c om today.

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ANYTHING ELSE IS CHILDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLAY.

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September 2018

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September 2018

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM PRODUCES MASS ENROLLMENTS James Lee of Eagle, Colorado, has developed a unique way to funnel 30-40 public elementary-school kids right into his commercial school. So effective is his program that public-schools come to him year after year to do it again! Check out what he does differently and why it works.

By Keith D. Yates

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MASS ENROLLMENTS

MASUCCESS

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Over the course of the first five years, James Lee Karate grew rapidly. He rented out more of the space above the dance studio and began to broaden his visibility and reputation in the community. To that objective, he held summer camps and after-school programs at the local elementary schools. Lee says he grew so much that he tore down walls and expanded his location three times, occupying four of the six upstairs units. In 2001, after lots of negotiating, he moved the school to a more centrally located, 3,500 square foot building in the heart of downtown Eagle.

A UNIQUE CHARACTER-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Today, that school is packed with karate students from five years old and up, and he also has a second school in Glenwood Springs, about a 35-minute drive to the west. Lee’s main Eagle location averages between 140–170 students, with the summer months being a little slower. His Glenwood Springs location averages between 80–100 students. He personally teaches up to six classes a day with the help of just one black belt, a teenager who has been with him since the age of nine. Lee’s wife, Amanda, helps run the school. He says she’s “the backbone of all the administration, design work, all the important stuff.” Together, they have four teenage children and make time for boating, camping

SEPTEMBER 2018

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“In 2001, Lee moved the school to a more centrally-located, 3,500-square-foot building in the heart of downtown Eagle. Today, that school is packed with 140-179 karate students from five-years-old and up. He also has a second school in Glenwood Springs that averages between 80–100 students.”

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and skiing (it is Colorado, after all). Dean Sarver, one of his other black belts, runs the second location. Students at one location can train at either facility at no additional charge. “But it’s through a mountain-canyon pass and the weather isn’t always good,” Lee admits. “Anyone in our business realizes that it’s hard to sign up adults, or even teenagers,” Lee points out. “I can’t remember the last time I enrolled a new teenager as a white belt. There are just too many options for them to do high school sports and other things.” Conversely, his elementary school-age enrollment is constantly going and growing. Lee says the “bloodline” of both locations is the public elementary school character development program he has developed. Eagle is a small community with only about 8,500 people. There are just four elementary schools in the immediate area. But all of them regularly call Lee to see when he can come to their campuses to conduct his program. “I simply don’t have the time to do all four schools each year,” he says. “So, I have to rotate each school every other year.” What is it in his program that has physical education teachers and even school principals begging Lee to come in? It’s the emphasis he places on character-building and how it all ties into a fundraiser for the school itself. He teaches respect, manners and goal-setting in a fun and exciting lesson that he shares with the kids. He does it in a non-threatening, enjoyable manner to keep them excited to learn more.

THE BENEFITS FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL But it’s not just his teaching of life skills to kids that makes the public schools love Lee’s program. He explains it in just one sentence. “I don’t charge for my teaching,” he says. “In fact, I make sure it actually turns into a financial benefit for the school.” He does charge the students’ parents $20 for the after-school classes. But the checks are made out directly to the public school. The school then applies the money toward its physical education department or wherever else the administration chooses. Lee also donates his time as well as things like trophies, medallions and all support materials. “A typical [public] school in our small town usually has 350 students or so. If we’ll have 70–100 of them sign up for the after-school program, that could be as much as $2,000 for that school,” he states. Over the eight years Lee has been doing this, he estimates

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MASS ENROLLMENTS

that he has raised more than $10,000 for each academic school in the area. First, Lee arranges to teach the PE classes for several days or sometimes for an entire week. He aims to reach each and every student in the school. “I don’t teach kicking or punching,” he points out. “So, there isn’t the fear of the kids trying out their moves on each other on the playground or during school. Instead, it’s all about character-building. We do fun, martial arts-based activities and games, to teach them about manners, focus, goal-setting and respect for others. We do basic blocking, jumping and ducking drills, and the kids love it.” He incorporates some other fun games such as cat-and-mouse and a blocking-drill contest. “I get them actively involved with loud ‘Yes Sir’ responses, tell some cool stories and make them laugh,” Lee adds. “After the fun activities comes the most important part,” he claims. “Selling the program the right way at the right time and with the perfect pitch.” To do this, Lee conducts a “sit-down” session, where he gives out homework. “I have six assignments, including things like showing respect for teachers and parents, not fighting with brothers or sisters, and having ultimate focus with eyes, ears, mind and body while in the classroom.” Teachers and parents both tell Lee they are surprised at how their kids are paying attention more closely. They even are do their homework and household chores without being asked. “Parents cannot believe that martial arts can teach that kind of discipline,” he says. “It’s a real win-win.”

BUILDING AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM Lee then moves to Phase 2 of his approach. He returns to the public school to offer his after-school program. He’ll teach six more lessons in the gym, where the children now learn some basic martial arts moves plus the assignment of the day. “We make it a contest,” he explains. “Each child earns points by doing an assignment, like showing more respect to teachers and classmates in school. Or by practicing ‘self-discipline;’: that is, doing chores at home without being told.” They can even earn extra points for doing things that aren’t on his assignment handouts, such as having the neatest handwriting or doing random acts of kindness. Lee says that, out of the over 350 students in the entire public school, he’ll only have room for about 60 students in his after-school program. The first 60 to bring back the registration form and the $20 school donation will get into the program. He says they almost always fill up the program in the first day or two. At the end of the after-school classes, Lee brings out a four-foottall trophy and a championship medallion. He explains to the kids how those with ‘ultimate focus and good manners’ will win that trophy and medallion. “That really gets them excited,” he says. Then, Lee invites the students, parents and friends to the “graduation ceremony” at his martial arts school. “We’ll pack it in with 60 or 70 students, along with the parents and siblings,” he says. “The dojo explodes with energy! Kids are demonstrating their combinations, the parents are clapping and the value of the martial arts is apparent.” SEPTEMBER 2018

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MASS ENROLLMENTS There, Lee encourages parents to share stories about the new self-discipline and respect they have witnessed from their child. He has his tournament champions perform demos to display some high-level martial arts skills. He then presents the trophies and medallions to the kids who have earned the most points for their lessons. At this juncture, Lee offers a $99 monthly package. He waives the usual $200 start-up fee, and gives out a free uniform, team t-shirt, and assignment sheets for the skill stripes new students will earn. He also guarantees the parents that tuition will stay at $99 a month for the basic beginner program, instead of increasing to the usual $149. He says up to half of those kids will sign up. “I don’t use any high-pressure tactics,” he insists. “I’ll also offer a deal to parents and siblings that want to try it out with their kids. If two family members sign up, then everyone else in the family can come at no charge.”

THE ULTIMATE BENEFIT FOR HIS BUSINESS

“Each graduation ceremony generates a new student enrollment of from 30 or 40 children. Lee offers a $99 monthly package. He waves the usual $200 start-up fee, and gives out a free uniform, team t-shirt, and assignment sheets for the skill stripes new students will earn.”

Each graduation ceremony generates a new student enrollment of 30 or 40 children. Lee has designed his basic beginner’s program with a fun, excitement-oriented curriculum. “We work on ‘skill stripes’ and teach them the fundamentals of karate, including blocking, kicking and self-defense drills. We work a different skill each week and they get one skill stripe each week,” he says. After eight weeks, they test for the next colored striped on a white belt. “If I just want to do a few kicks and combos and then have a fun game working on rolls or flying kicks, then we can do that,” Lee explains. “That’s because I’m not in that time crunch, where they have to learn a lot of material to get ready for the next rank belt.” He admits it is a shortened curriculum — just eight stripes on a white belt. But he says the 16-month program is a great introduction into his more comprehensive Black Belt Club. The students must be invited into that program. “There’s a whole application process where the parents and even teachers have to fill out a questionnaire. They have to commit to working on an eventual black belt,” he says. Many in the basic program want to upgrade right away, but Lee makes them wait for that invitation. “You could actually go over a year in that beginner’s program,” he points out. “But most will be invited and sign up for the Black Belt Club quicker than that. “I do wait until they show me the proper amount of focus, commitment, dedication and enthusiasm before inviting them into the Black Belt Club,” he says. “Then, they learn a couple of forms and test for a solid-colored yellow belt. It works out well because now I have a really good yellow belt! “And here’s the kicker,” Lee adds. “We have a 100-percent conversion rate from our beginner program students into the Black Belt Club at our dojo. The kids are so excited to have finally been invited and the parents have already seen the benefits. Everyone is dying to sign up! I’ve never had anyone who didn’t want to upgrade even though it costs more.” SEPTEMBER 2018

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MASS ENROLLMENTS He charges $214 a month for his Black Belt Club program.

SAVVY ADVICE Lee has some simple advice for newer martial arts school owners trying to break into the public school system. “Do it because you love it,” he says bluntly. “Don’t be afraid to go into a public school and show them what you can do for them. Then, of course, you have to then deliver the results. “Sometimes, it’s just as easy as walking through the front door and asking to meet with the PE coach,” he explains. “Once you get the coach excited about what you can do for the students—and especially the fundraiser part—they will sell the principle on the idea for you. “Once the school staff, students and parents see what you can do — and that you really care about them — they will want to be part of your circle,” James Lee concludes. That’s why he continues to be in demand at each of the public elementary schools in his area. e m Master-level black belt Keith D. Yates of Garland, TX, has been teaching for over five decades and is a prolific martial arts author. He can be reached at www.akato.org. To read many more insider tips about becoming a better instructor and successful school owner, visit the Martial Arts Industry Association’s website at www.maiahub.com. Through this constantly enhanced website, members can access a massive amount of useful information on just about any topic from A to Z.

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“We have a 100-percent conversion rate from our beginner-program students into the Black Belt Club at our dojo. The kids are so excited to have finally been invited and the parents have already seen the benefits. Everyone is dying to sign up! I’ve never had anyone who didn’t want to upgrade even though it costs more.”

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