They said it wouldn't last, but here it is, 31 years later, and Merrickville Karate Club is still going strong.
Back in February of 1985, my husband and young son joined the class when it first opened here. I went up to watch, and really liked what I saw. The instructor had a way of pushing people beyond the limits they had set for themselves, and that was a great confidence builder. Once you know you can do something you never thought you could do, you are more willing to try other things without worrying about failing.
The instructor was from out of town and needed someone local to take calls from prospective students, and unlock the door to the dojo for when they arrived. I took on the volunteer position and when my husband and I took over the club four years later, I automatically took on the rolls of Coordinator, PR person, and accountant.
The club runs smoothly, and successfully and has had an ongoing waiting list for more than twenty years. People like that it's a family club, with adults and children in the same class.
I had a couple of openings this spring and mentioned that on Facebook. Within seconds, those spaces were filled by two 11 year old boys. A couple of days later, the father of one, and the mother of the other had also decided to join the class. Before week was out, I had eleven people wanting to join. Some will have to wait until September, but I am always warning people not to wait until the last minute. Spaces always fill quickly.
It's been an honour to watch so many people progress, not just in their martial arts skills, but in their life skills over the years. It really is true that once you discover you can do something you didn't think you could do, you find you can succeed at all kinds of other things. Though I have never actually joined the karate class, I did get heavily involved in tai chi for many years, and have managed to have accumulated a few accomplishments of my own along the way.
The funny thing is, I've never been interested in sports of any kind. Who would ever have guessed that I would own and operate a karate club, let alone for so many years. Life leads us down some interesting paths, if we are brave enough to follow them.
Back in February of 1985, my husband and young son joined the class when it first opened here. I went up to watch, and really liked what I saw. The instructor had a way of pushing people beyond the limits they had set for themselves, and that was a great confidence builder. Once you know you can do something you never thought you could do, you are more willing to try other things without worrying about failing.The instructor was from out of town and needed someone local to take calls from prospective students, and unlock the door to the dojo for when they arrived. I took on the volunteer position and when my husband and I took over the club four years later, I automatically took on the rolls of Coordinator, PR person, and accountant.
The club runs smoothly, and successfully and has had an ongoing waiting list for more than twenty years. People like that it's a family club, with adults and children in the same class.
I had a couple of openings this spring and mentioned that on Facebook. Within seconds, those spaces were filled by two 11 year old boys. A couple of days later, the father of one, and the mother of the other had also decided to join the class. Before week was out, I had eleven people wanting to join. Some will have to wait until September, but I am always warning people not to wait until the last minute. Spaces always fill quickly.
It's been an honour to watch so many people progress, not just in their martial arts skills, but in their life skills over the years. It really is true that once you discover you can do something you didn't think you could do, you find you can succeed at all kinds of other things. Though I have never actually joined the karate class, I did get heavily involved in tai chi for many years, and have managed to have accumulated a few accomplishments of my own along the way.
The funny thing is, I've never been interested in sports of any kind. Who would ever have guessed that I would own and operate a karate club, let alone for so many years. Life leads us down some interesting paths, if we are brave enough to follow them.
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