First, I would like to say thank you to all of you for providing your email address to us. We understand that life can be very hectic, especially as we approach the end of the school year and the beginning of Summer Break. We hope that this will be a good way for us to keep you informed about events that are going on at Karate for Kids.

We are looking to accomplish a couple of things with this first email. First, we want to make sure we have the correct email addresses in our system so that everyone is receiving our updates. Secondly, we actually have a couple of updates to pass along to you. The first update that we want to pass along is about our summer uniform. Starting on Wednesday, April 24, we allow our students to begin wearing our summer uniform. This uniform consists of the student’s white pants, a taekwondo t-shirt, and their belt. The students may also wear the black “kick pants” that are for sale
at the front counter.

Next, we would like to inform you of a schedule change that will take place beginning Wednesday, April 24. As our school has continued to grow, we have determined that this change is necessary to provide you all with the level of service that is expected of us. Many of you have already heard the announcement in class about the schedule change and may have even picked up one of the new schedules.

For those of you that have not done so, you may see Mrs. Simms at the front counter to pick one up, or find it on our website.

If you have any questions about the schedule change or the summer uniform, please do not hesitate to ask any of the staff members. As always, we appreciate your continued support and look forward to helping you and your children reach your goals!

Sincerely,

Master Hornbuckle and the Karate for Kids Staff

The ATA would soon be partnering with Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. It was all a little up in the air at the time, but it’s official now: the ATA and Autism Speaks are working together.

So. Excited.

I have been hearing stories from Master H for years about kids on the autism spectrum who have improved beautifully in his classes. Their social skills, their self-control, their coordination and balance. The list goes on and on. I love stories like these.

It makes a lot of sense; Songham taekwondo already emphasizes increased self-esteem, improved coordination and focus, improved social skills and behavior, consistent routines and workouts, discipline, respect, personal achievements, and more. Autism Speaks and the American Taekwondo Association is a match made in heaven.

I have several close friends who have kids with various special needs, and I have watched as they have had to fight, had to advocate, had to scream and cry and pray and hope that somebody would help them give their kids what they need. Friends who have uprooted and moved their families to school districts that are better suited to accommodate their child’s learning differences. Friends who have dealt with ignorant, hurtful, and downright rude remarks and attitudes about their kids.

We want our school to be the opposite of that for all parents, especially parents of kids who need a little extra help. And even more importantly, we want our school to be the opposite of that for the kids.

Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. Every child deserves respect and honor. Every child deserves to feel good about themselves.

We are excited explore this new partnership with Autism Speaks, which will include instructor training on how best to serve children with autism spectrum disorders, as well as helping fundraise and raise awareness for this very worthy cause.

We are so proud to be a part of it.

(-Mrs. H)

You can read more about the ATA’s partnership with Autism Speaks here.

“Do you promise as a competitor in this ATA Regional Tournament, to compete in the spirit of Songahm Taekwondo, demonstrating safety, courtesy, and respect towards my fellow competitors, the judges, and the spectators?

And that you will always remember “to compete is to win.”

They all say “I do” to it. I watch them raise their right hands (supported, of course), and answer “I do sir!” or “I do ma’am!” when the emcee says those words, and I think “this is a pretty cool organization.”

Admittedly, I’ve never been to takewondo tournaments outside the American Taekwondo Association’s, but if I had to guess I’d say that not all organizations put such a heavy emphasis on getting out there and doing your best, and then believing that the fact that you did that at all is the thing that makes you a winner, not the number of medals hanging around your neck at the end of the day.

(Of course, it is certainly fun to have medals hanging around your neck too, isn’t it?)

In reality, it’s hard to believe that sometimes, whether you take the oath or not. It’s hard work putting on a brave face and responding “I had fun” when somebody asks “how did you do?” if you didn’t happen to place that day.

But let me just tell you, from a spectator’s perspective? I have no idea how you get out there and do it at all. I spent all weekend watching our students stand tall in front of the judges, doing their forms with a hundred spectators watching them, and waiting to receive the scores the judges throw.

And that’s when the words from the oath they took echo in my mind. To compete is to win.

I swell with pride over even the students who don’t place at all, because HOLY COW, DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET OUT THERE? There is no way to say this without it sounding completely cheesy, but they really all are champions in our book.

It’s good to be a part of a school full of winners.

(-Mrs. H)

Congratulations to our Top 10 Competitors, competing for the title of World Champion on Friday:

Master Jack Hornbuckle – Forms and Weapons

Miss Mallory Martin – Forms, Sparring, and Weapons

Mr. James Simms – Forms and Sparring

Miss Mackenzie Simms – Sparring

Mrs. Brooke Williams – Forms and Sparring

Good luck to all of our competitors! We know you will all make us proud to call you Murphy ATA students, not only for your performance, but for your attitudes. We’re proud of you!

Most of you are right in the thick of a re-education, aren’t you? Your kids are bringing home math problems that you have long-forgotten how to do, perhaps asking questions about biology or science whose answers are fuzzy in your mind from so many years of being out of school. It’s probably a little overwhelming sometimes. Have you seen “Are you smarter than a fifth grader?” Some of those questions are kind of hard!

Whether or not you went to college, trade school, have four pHds, or went straight to work after high school, there’s always an opportunity to learn more now. We live in an age of instant information, and I for one love that about this time. From Google to Wikipedia to Pinterest, we have more resources than ever to better ourselves and our minds, which will in turn help our kids in their studies.

Do you still have educational goals? Do they include helping your kids with theirs?

(-Mrs. Hornbuckle)

That southern charm will get you every time, won’t it?

It’s hard not to be won over by a man who opens doors, and says “yes ma’am,” and stands up when there are more people than seats. And he does all of these things. It doesn’t really surprise me anymore. Still impresses me, but it doesn’t surprise me.

I see it in the other instructors here too (and in the students) – there is a courteousness inside this school unmatched in many other public spaces I have seen. I think it comes from mutual respect and practice – they practice saying “yes sir.” They practice putting away bags for one another. They practice putting others before themselves.

Unfortunately, I am still surprised when I see non-taekwondo kids doing these things out in public. I’m sorry to say that courteous kids are hard to find in the “real world.”

Because courtesy doesn’t come naturally.

It doesn’t come naturally to any of us, so it really, really doesn’t come naturally to children. We are naturally less-than-polite – why else do we act so differently at home than we do in public? And like anything that doesn’t come naturally, it has to be taught. Consistently. Like other skills, learning how to be courteous takes repetition, practice, and dedication, the way our instructors learned it.

That’s why we have our kids repeat the word-of-the-month when they enter the floor. That’s why we go over it multiple times in class over the course of the month. That’s why we correct the kids when we don’t hear them answer up with a “yes sir,” or “yes ma’am.”

And that’s also why we should be demonstrating it to one another as well. Showing respect to others (regardless of belt rank). Maintaining civility in our discussions. Putting others before ourselves.

The more we demonstrate this to our students and kids, the more they’ll pick up on courtesy as a way of life.

(-Mrs. Hornbuckle)

Happy New Year, Murphy ATA!

There’s just something about the new year. New beginnings. It feels fresh, exciting, new. Probably because it is! You get a do-over. And maybe you think to yourself “this will be the year I finally ____.”

What’s in that blank for you?

Personally, I’m not a big “New Year’s Resolutions” person, but I think that might be because they just seem so… big. Unattainable. I think most people tend to set goals for themselves that they have a hard time actually attaining. Blog every single day! Keep my house perfectly clean at all times! Eat nothing but whole grains and veggies all year! Exercise two hours every day no matter what!

It’s important to challenge ourselves as we create goals, but it’s also important not to set ourselves up for failure.

So it helps to go back to the S.M.A.R.T. Goals we teach our kids as we consider what our New Year’s Resolutions really should be.

As a reminder, S.M.A.R.T. Goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely

New Year’s Resolutions don’t have to be something we forget about in mid-January. By setting goals for ourselves that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely, we can succeed at them. And we can show our kids how rewarding hard work can be.

What are your S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

-Mrs. Hornbuckle

“Integrity,” I read aloud. Master Hornbuckle’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, good, that’s my favorite,” he said, excitedly. I smiled, unaware until then that he had “favorite” words-of-the-month.

“Why’s that?” I asked him.

He explained that he enjoys teaching the kids about integrity because it’s one of the ideals he really believes in, one that he desperately wants to see the kids learn through their training at our school.

It made a lot of sense to me that he would think that; Master Hornbuckle’s integrity is one of the things I admire most about him and one of the main reasons that I was attracted to him in the first place.

We discussed the concept a little more, and I wondered aloud whether his valuing integrity came more from his southern upbringing or his 25+ years in the ATA, where ideals like integrity are stressed.

“Actually, I think it’s from my dad,” he said after reflecting for a moment. “I mean, of course I learned about integrity in taekwondo and that reinforced a lot of ideals like that for me, but when I think of what integrity is all about, I think of my dad.”

And it’s true. Mr. Hornbuckle (the original Mr. Hornbuckle, that is) is an incredible man. He is kind, gentle, chivalrous, and honorable. He is a man of his word and does what is right even if it’s not what he desires. It’s no wonder Master Hornbuckle turned out the way he did; he had a role model full of integrity growing up.

It struck me that at 32 years old, Master Hornbuckle still looks to his father as a strong example of integrity, even though he hasn’t lived with him in 14 years.

His dad’s integrity made that much of an impact. What a legacy to leave.

Character. Virtue. Soundess of moral character. Honesty.

Integrity is doing what is right even though nobody is looking.

But chances are, somebody is.

-Mrs. Hornbuckle

It’s Blue Bell Butter Crunch ice cream. Have you ever had it? It’s insane. It’s basically ground-up homemade Butterfinger in Blue Bell’s perfect vanilla ice cream.
Insane.
 
It never even makes it to the freezer. I buy a pint at the grocery store, and while I’m putting away groceries in my kitchen, I’ll get a spoon out and open that beautiful little pint. Just one bite.

Okay, maybe two.

The next thing I know, the groceries are all put away and somehow my pint of Butter Crunch and I have made it onto the couch and I’m scraping the bottom with my spoon.
Doesn’t even make it to the freezer.

This is not my best quality, I know. I have a problem with sweets. (Actually, I believe the problem is that I DON’T have a problem with sweets. You know that little mechanism most people have that makes them feel sick when they’ve had too much? Yeah, I don’t have that.) Master Hornbuckle knows that if he wants to keep cookies in the house, he’d better hide them really well.
But, to be honest, my problem isn’t really with sweets. It’s with self-control.

Can you relate?

Maybe it’s not sweets, or even food. Maybe it’s Facebook. Or doing that one chore you hate (laundry for me!). Or procrastinating with homework or at your job. Or your temper.
Self-control is a decision you make. A choice that takes effort.

At home, I don’t always treat Master Hornbuckle with the respect he deserves, or use the kind of tone that I should when I speak to him, or act the way I expect his students to act toward him. And why? He has certainly earned my respect, and I know that.

It’s because I am not practicing self-control with my attitude. I am being lazy. I am being selfish.

So this month’s word-of-the-month is a good reminder. As we teach our students to practice self-control, we “grown-ups” can also spend some time considering what our weaknesses are as well. Where we get lazy.

What’s the thing you can add a little self-control to? Or the area in which you’d like to reinforce self-control in your children?

For me? Practicing self-control means monitoring my attitude. All the time.

And, you know, probably not bringing Butter Crunch home in the first place.

-Mrs. Hornbuckle

They exchanged stories, updated each other on what was going on in their lives, and enjoyed their time together. This was the first time we have all gotten together since Master H purchased the Murphy school, so many of them asked him about it. Every time he told them about it, they smiled big and expressed their excitement.

“I always knew you’d do it,” they would say. “I’m so excited that you finally got everything you had been dreaming about.”

Master H went to college specifically to earn a business degree to learn how to run his own a takewondo school. He has been incredibly blessed to have accomplished this goal, and the college education he earned has been a huge part in both purchasing the business in the first place and running the business itself.

And thanks to the H.U. Lee Memorial Foundation, some of the financial strain of college will be relieved for many young ATA Martial Artists, making higher education possible for more young people in the organization.

The H.U. Lee Foundation is a private, non-profit organization that has provided nearly 500 young adults across the United States with more than $400,000 to continue their education. During the month of October, ATA schools across the country raise funds for the Foundation with “Board Break-A-Thons,” in which students solicit donations for the Foundation in exchange for the opportunity to break boards in fun ways.

Murphy ATA will be participating in this Founder’s month fundraiser during the week of October 24 during regular classes. Pledges may be given in any number of ways:

• Ask for pledges on a per-boards broken basis
• Ask for flat rate pledges for participation in the event
• Ask for pledges in exchange for “cool” board breaks executed

(As an example, Master Hornbuckle will be doing a blind-folded triple board break in the class of the students who raise the most if a $200 minimum is raised for the foundation, so see Mrs. Simms at the front counter if you want to bid on this break for your class!)

We truly hope that you will participate in this fabulous opportunity to help young ATA Martial Artists earn a college degree.

You never know – those boards you break for this scholarship fund could be helping create the next generation of taekwondo Masters.