Children's Karate camp

[meguro]

When the school year comes to an end, parents scramble to find summer activities for their kids. I struggled to find a karate day camp in the area, but was disappointed with the slim pickings. I did find excellent tennis camps, fencing camps, art & music, dance and gymnastics day camps. I enrolled my kids in tennis and fencing camps.

The reason I mention this is that summer day camps in my area cost a pretty penny. Anyone running a dojo of their own would do well to consider running a summer day camp for children. You'll need to fill the day with non-karate activities as well as teach the basics. Maybe include outings, movies and games. You've got to make it fun so that the children enjoy themselves. Happy children make for repeat customers and future black belts.

Osu!

[satodojo]

Osu,
FYI,
World Oyama Karate has summer camp program at their Matsumoto Dojo in Midtown.
I heard that there are still some room available at this point.
Osu.

????????????????? - info-fresh.com

[meguro]

Osu! satodojo, that looks great. I'll file that away for future reference. I wish I'd found out about it earlier, though. When I was searching for camps before the summer break, I didn't find much karate related.

[Brad]

Osu.

All they have here in the way of Karate. Is kungfu, which cost alot to send the kids in the summer. I had to settle for soccer.

[Dent]

Osu!

Some of the bigger schools have the staff for camps, but most Karate instructors aren't full time, so that makes it tough for them.

Osu!

[Nix]

Aside from the regular summer camp, our dojo organizes an annual weekend camp for children every spring. This has always been a smashing success, and despite that our dojo has a lot of space, we are forced to turn down children every year, as we have limited it to max. 70 students. The classes consists mostly of karate, but also other karate-related things that are outside the curriculum, such as self-defence. We might even take some time off to play fun and games, or watch a movie.

More about it in the thread Kids Training!

Osu!

[meguro]

Osu! Besides teaching kids, I was also thinking of the business opportunity in running a summer day camp. Just to let you know, day camps where I live can run up to $100/day. For a struggling dojo/small dojo this is a tremendous opportunity to provide a needed service, recruit future black belts as well as pay the the rent.

In the Starkodama's thread as well as the recent one on starting a dojo, there were requests for advice on how to grow a karate business. With mma and Crossfit gyms sprouting like weeds on disturbed ground, I am frankly appalled at the lack of growth in Kyokushin. It saddens me.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by meguro

Osu! Besides teaching kids, I was also thinking of the business opportunity in running a summer day camp. Just to let you know, day camps where I live can run up to $100/day. For a struggling dojo/small dojo this is a tremendous opportunity to provide a needed service, recruit future black belts as well as pay the the rent.

In the Starkodama's thread as well as the recent one on starting a dojo, there were requests for advice on how to grow a karate business. With mma and Crossfit gyms sprouting like weeds on disturbed ground, I am frankly appalled at the lack of growth in Kyokushin. It saddens me.

Our local mega-schools are making bank off these camps, and indoctrinating the heck out of the kids at the same time.

Regarding the explosive growth of some activities, Meguro, care to make a separate thread about it? I think it's worthy of distinct discussion.

Osu!

[meguro]

Osu! Sure Dent, how do we start? I've already got a working title: Don't Let Shugyo Get in the Way of Good Business." Or you can suggest another.

[Dent]

Osu!

Maybe, "The Questionable Practices of the Business Manifesto"?

Osu!

[meguro]

Osu! Dent, sounds like a business ethics thread. Is it possible to do both? Are successful businesses essentially corrupt? Are starving businesses morally superior? I think it's easy to point out the big businesses that put put profit above all else. Likewise there are small companies where unsound business practices prevent the delivery of quality service. Good business and ethics are not mutually exclusive. They are qualties to strive for.

Yesterday, after a day of fencing camp, I took my kids to check out a nearby karate summer camp (thanks Sato san). I met with the instructor, chatted for a bit and sat through an entire kids' class. Overall, I had a good impression of the class/camp experience. The instructor clearly has a good rapport with children. He was able to tread the line between strict disciplinarian and friendly, cajoling motivator, all the while keeping the kids engaged.

One of the mothers sat next to us as we watched the class. Her two children were enrolled in camp. She was obviously a satisfied customer-a blue belt to boot. She didn't give us the hard-sell, but was there to answer any questions we had. After class, parents and care-takers chatted while the children changed out of their dogi. The adults seemed pleased to see eachother and took pleasure in the progress the kids were making.

[Dent]

Osu!

I'm not the one to drum up support for most bigger businesses, after all, I'm about one armed insurrection away from calling you all "Comrade Karateka!" (And if I hear another politician claim that Exxon's 11.7 Billion dollar profit this last quarter is a
barrel scraping, poverty indicating sign that they need more tax breaks, I might just have a massive brain aneurysm! )

That said, I do believe this can be done in an ethical fashion, and I would like to believe that the Dojo would be best able to demonstrate this. It isn't easy for them though.

Between competition from guys who whipped their belts off the table at a garage sale to schools where promotion is a matter of showing up; from schools where fads are all the rage to self-promoting gurus who treat students like personal piggy banks, the good old Karate Dojo is having a hard time of it.

Even with the best skills, teacher and environment, Karate isn't a quick fix money spinner. It's a long term investment in each individual.

Osu!

[meguro]

Osu! Dent, I started an ethics and business thread where we can discuss the issues you raised.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by meguro

Osu! Dent, I started an ethics and business thread where we can discuss the issues you raised.

I'm looking forward to a constructive conversation, Meguro. It's that or unleash the tethered masses.

Osu!