Many of our parents enroll their kids for different reasons…discipline, behavioral, physical exercise, bullying situations, socialization skills, impulse control, respect…etc. However, by far, the #1 reason why our parents enroll the kids here is to improve their Self-Confidence. It’s an astonishing 75%!! Whatever your “why” for enrolling was, at the end of the day the most important ingredient is consistent attendance of a minimum of 2 classes/week month after month after month. Self-Confidence is built from the consistency of the routine. Class by class, they begin to realize they are way more capable than they thought! Remember, once a week does not work and actually does more harm than good. Without consistency, none of the above can be learned and implemented, plus lack of consistency breeds lack of interest.
Imagine our confidence is a bank account. When we first start out training, the account confidence balance may be very low. Through consistent training we make weekly deposits in our confidence accounts, increasing the balance (confidence). Weekly deposits come in the form of classes and training. Withdrawals take place when we get bullied, called names, fail a test, etc…the key is to never let the withdrawals outweigh the deposits that lead to the “red zone”. We all need to beef up our accounts so that even if there are withdrawals along the way we are still good to go.
The confidence we all seek is not the final destination. The things that give us confidence need to be sharpened everyday. And, the things that shake our confidence need to be re-conquered everyday. The journey never ends and it’s in the journey where you’ll find your most and least confident days. Enjoy them all!
In the end, I care way more about developing confidence, respect, focus, strength, strong work ethic, resilience, and indomitable spirit than I do about developing good technique. BUT….once these intangible life skills begin to take shape, you can be certain I’m going to hold the kids accountable for proper execution of everything…submissions, escapes, sweeps, passes, strikes, pushups, squats, standing up straight, eye contact, tucking in their shirt, saying hello and goodbye. It’s about pride. Technical proficiency built on a strong foundation of the core life skills is a strong unbreakable combo that will serve the kids well for any endeavor they decide to pursue. Awesome ability and technique built on a shaky foundation is recipe for disaster. I take the foundation seriously. We will be proud before we punch.
