I just wanted to let people know that I am interested in reaching out to other FMA players and schools in the DFW (Dallas/Ft. Worth) to create loose group of people who might be interested in possibly cross training events between schools, or perhaps supporting upcoming seminars etc. etc. you know like a networking group for FMAers in our area.
As I have posted in other threads (generally in the Martial Arts Talk forum I believe), and most recently on the thread about "open mats", I am a strong believer in "cross training" with other schools, attending seminar and camps etc. etc. to get a wider view of the martial arts. In my TKD classes I have worked hard to net work with other instructors to provide sparring opportunities for our students, or to have instructors sit on my exam boards (I've done the same with their schools), so my students get some outside training or contact with other schools. Rather than just paying $40.00 plus for local tournament, I'd rather them get a couple of hours training and 10-15 matches with students of all ranks and ages, over 1-3 matches and a plastic trophy.
Anyway back in September I met another arnis instructor, Abel, who I remembered back from some of the Modern Arnis camps back in the late 1990's early 2000's time period, at an Iain Abernethy seminar and after catching up we decided to try and arrange a meet up between our schools so our Arnis students could get together. Fast forward several months and my senior students were trying to do the same with another school in our area and we decided to combine the workouts into a mini seminar format, information of which can be found in the Seminar/Events Forum here on MT.
Putting this together Jackie (my marketing guru) came up with the name Metorplex Arnis Players Alliance or MAPA for short.
Metroplex is of course referring to the DFW area
Arnis is just a generic name for all FMAs
Players is of course referring to anyone training in or interested in learning about the FMAs
Alliance is just referring to a group of people having similar interests supporting each other
This is by no means meant to be a put up or shut up, or my style is better than yours, or who is the baddest in the land type of seminar/event and that is not what we envision MAPA either. Ultimately my goal is to have more of these, whether in the min seminar format as this first get together is, or more informal like the TKD events have been, but to use them to give my students a wider view of the FMAs and the martial arts in general, as well as a support group or alliance so that if some school is bringing a big name instructor to town that they have some outside people to contact and invite as well.
If anyone has any thoughts on this as in the networking or how to get together with other schools in the FMAs etc. etc. any advice I'd like to hear it. If you know of any FMA players here in the DFW area you might direct them to this thread to see if they are interested in getting together or the mini seminar or what have you.
In case anyone is wondering MAPA is not an official organization, with charters/memberships, dues, etc. etc. it was a non threatening name to be used for our cross training purposes.
As I have posted in other threads (generally in the Martial Arts Talk forum I believe), and most recently on the thread about "open mats", I am a strong believer in "cross training" with other schools, attending seminar and camps etc. etc. to get a wider view of the martial arts. In my TKD classes I have worked hard to net work with other instructors to provide sparring opportunities for our students, or to have instructors sit on my exam boards (I've done the same with their schools), so my students get some outside training or contact with other schools. Rather than just paying $40.00 plus for local tournament, I'd rather them get a couple of hours training and 10-15 matches with students of all ranks and ages, over 1-3 matches and a plastic trophy.
Anyway back in September I met another arnis instructor, Abel, who I remembered back from some of the Modern Arnis camps back in the late 1990's early 2000's time period, at an Iain Abernethy seminar and after catching up we decided to try and arrange a meet up between our schools so our Arnis students could get together. Fast forward several months and my senior students were trying to do the same with another school in our area and we decided to combine the workouts into a mini seminar format, information of which can be found in the Seminar/Events Forum here on MT.
Putting this together Jackie (my marketing guru) came up with the name Metorplex Arnis Players Alliance or MAPA for short.
Metroplex is of course referring to the DFW area
Arnis is just a generic name for all FMAs
Players is of course referring to anyone training in or interested in learning about the FMAs
Alliance is just referring to a group of people having similar interests supporting each other
This is by no means meant to be a put up or shut up, or my style is better than yours, or who is the baddest in the land type of seminar/event and that is not what we envision MAPA either. Ultimately my goal is to have more of these, whether in the min seminar format as this first get together is, or more informal like the TKD events have been, but to use them to give my students a wider view of the FMAs and the martial arts in general, as well as a support group or alliance so that if some school is bringing a big name instructor to town that they have some outside people to contact and invite as well.
If anyone has any thoughts on this as in the networking or how to get together with other schools in the FMAs etc. etc. any advice I'd like to hear it. If you know of any FMA players here in the DFW area you might direct them to this thread to see if they are interested in getting together or the mini seminar or what have you.
In case anyone is wondering MAPA is not an official organization, with charters/memberships, dues, etc. etc. it was a non threatening name to be used for our cross training purposes.