Any martial arts people here

[todpod]

So here is the story, we live in a small, small town. Before we moved here my son took Judo, once we got here the principle taught Tae Kwon Do. (the school has a total enrolment of about 250 kids k-12). He then got a job in the big city (State College, PA). Son had gotten his yellow belt. A new instructor stood up but it was WuShu, no problem all went well until last night and he announced he was leaving the area after about 9 months. So now no instructor, son is really bummed.

Here is what we can't do, Move just not an option. The nearest classes are about 30 miles one way and we have only 1 car. I work in the town 30 miles away so that would mean running home and turning around and going back, assuming we get there in time for the class gas $$ would be an issue as well. Car pooling could be an option, but we can't haul to many kids in our car.

An Option we are considering is form a local martial arts club and try to bring in an instructor once a week assuming we can find one and can afford one. The previous instructors were charging about $20 a month per kid, that didn't pay for much more then the building, so we will have to improvise and find additional funding, to help cover expenses.

Any thoughts or suggestions.

BTW we are in Western PA about 100 miles from Pittsburgh.

 

[TallBill]

Yikes, thats a tough one. I'm lucky to be in a crowded area sometimes. Plenty of schools, and mine has probably 10+ instructors as it is. How many nights a week would you have to drive? Could you set up a car pool with other interested kids?

Edit, when I was younger me and 2 other kids had to go 45 minutes to volleyball practice 3-4 times a week. The parents split up car pool responsabilities.

 

[joesmoke]

Include boxing and kickboxing schools in your search... possibly one closer than the martial arts schools and would probably satisfy most or all of the requirements that your son thought was enjoyable about martial arts.

 

[todpod]

The judo and Kung FU classes are 2x a week when the college is open, There is Tang So Do at the Y but I am unsure of there schedule. The problem with car pooling is we only have 1 car by the time I get home its to late to turn around and go back, so we would be relying on everybody else.

 

[todpod]

Originally posted by: joesmoke
Include boxing and kickboxing schools in your search... possibly one closer than the martial arts schools and would probably satisfy most or all of the requirements that your son thought was enjoyable about martial arts.

There are no formal schools within probably a 1.5hr drive, most of the classes are at places like the college or the Y.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: todpod
The judo and Kung FU classes are 2x a week when the college is open, There is Tang So Do at the Y but I am unsure of there schedule. The problem with car pooling is we only have 1 car by the time I get home its to late to turn around and go back, so we would be relying on everybody else.

You could be the pick up dad?

 

[joesmoke]

Hmmm...

Only other thing I can think of is possibly take a few private lessons by yourself with the best instructor available to get down some of the basics (if you told this to the instructor Im sure hed tailor the material to your needs) and then work with your son at home. That would save on gas and time in the long run...

 

[MotionMan]

Try online training.

Start with this video (SFW and NOT a RickRoll).

MotionMan

 

[PrinceofWands]

Schools are pretty tough to open, but if one exists that's capable of staying afloat there are always a lot of people who would love the opportunity to run it. The problem is usually the costs involved in moving and getting started. Here's what I suggest:

Contact other locations where the same style is taught. Inform the instructors there that there is an existing school with a lot of public interest that is about to lose its instructor. Work with some of the other people interested in the school to set up a move-in assistance program for a student from one of these other schools who is ready to teach on his own but doesn't have the ability to start their own school. Find someone who can offer the new instructor a room (and maybe board) until they're able to find their own place. If everyone at the school chips in a little extra each month for say, three months, it should be enough to keep the new instructor alive while he/she gets settled.

This is very similar to how things used work so it should work out. It just takes a little cooperation, and some trust..

 

[todpod]

I really don't think the area would support a school, I am thinking If we can find someone quailified to teach we can arrange the building and such and pay them to come like once a week.