Mat Etiquette Reminders and a New Junior Leaders Workshop

It's September, and we're excited for another busy fall season! As kids head back to school, here's what we ask of every student to keep our dojo clean, healthy and safe, plus a new workshop for young leaders.

Healthy habits and a clean mat

Back to school also means back to cold and flu season. Please use the hand sanitizer next to the mat before and after class. If you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth with your elbow. And if you're sick, please show courtesy to your classmates and stay home so we can all keep training.

Please come to class with a clean body, too. If you've been to the beach, wash off before you come to the dojo. Sand is hard to remove from our mats, and it makes classes unsafe. Our rule is simple: shoes off on the mat, and shoes on everywhere else.

These may sound like small things, but we kneel, roll and fall on the same mat, so a clean mat is a safe mat. They also teach respect. Bowing onto a clean mat, lining up shoes neatly and washing up before class are small ways of saying, "I care about this place and the people in it." Kids who practice them in the dojo often carry them home and to school.

Building leaders from white belt

At our school, one of our goals is to build community leaders, and that starts at white belt.

We're hosting a leadership development workshop for students who want to become junior leaders. Participants earn a certificate of completion, get an introduction to future leadership opportunities and receive a few cool items as Junior Leaders.

Leadership in the dojo looks like holding a pad for a newer student, helping a classmate remember a form or setting an example in line. We believe kids grow into leaders by being trusted with real responsibility, one small step at a time. When a younger student sees an older one help without being asked, they learn what a belt really stands for.

Thank you for helping make our dojo a clean, healthy and welcoming place to train. See you on the mat!

Have questions or want to learn more? Contact us using the form below, and we'll be glad to help.