How does your school go about gettinh teenagers though the door for training what steps are in place to insure tehy stay for a couple of years and beyond?
Terry
Terry
Targeting Teenagers
- Thread starter terryl965
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bobster_ice
Black Belt
Well, in my club, im the one who brings some of the teenagers in. We also do seminars in different schools, which encourages other teenagers (like me) to join TKD or other martial arts.
terryl965 said:
Many times, word of mouth from the current teens already there is one of the best ways. Having a buddy day, where the students can bring a friend to take a class along side them is another idea. Of course, be sure to hand out some school info. before they leave. Offering a mini SD course thru the town is yet another idea. Many park and rec depts. offer Summer programs. Putting out flyers or school info in places of business is another suggestion.
Mike
Subscribing. Good topic!
Because the teen years involve the introduction of so many new things, i.e. joining the work force and new social freedoms, driving, yadayada, we've had very few stay in the school on a regular basis. So I guess the question would be, how do you keep their training a priority to them?
No, I don't have the answer and yes, as of a week ago, I have a teenager. I'm all ears.
Because the teen years involve the introduction of so many new things, i.e. joining the work force and new social freedoms, driving, yadayada, we've had very few stay in the school on a regular basis. So I guess the question would be, how do you keep their training a priority to them?
No, I don't have the answer and yes, as of a week ago, I have a teenager. I'm all ears.
The teenagers that come in to my school usually hear about us through websites. Come to think of it, that's how I found the school.
http://www.aemma.org
http://www.aemma.org
we try to make it as fun as it is challenging. it really depends on the individual. some join because their parents make em, some join cause they thinks its really cool. and some join because they have problems with bullies and stuff like that so they might seem or be depressed by the time they reach us. for the latter, we try to let them know that they CAN be a great martial artists and try to focus on possitive critisism.
if it is an athletic typ of teen, we try to challenge them more physically and with all of them we offer a number of other classes that oare no extra charge. could be a cane fighting class or a grappling class. we have much to offer any age, but it seems like we have an abundance of teens. they are fun to work with.
with respect
painstain
if it is an athletic typ of teen, we try to challenge them more physically and with all of them we offer a number of other classes that oare no extra charge. could be a cane fighting class or a grappling class. we have much to offer any age, but it seems like we have an abundance of teens. they are fun to work with.
with respect
painstain
I think demos & SD days like others have mentioned are good ways. I think that's what worked for my friends & I in high school. We were are "geeks" in a transition period looking for something new & exciting to do. There were 10 of us that trained at different MA schools, but hung out at school together. Today, of those 10, 2 of us are school owners & at least 5 still train.
RevIV
Black Belt
I advertise towards the 11 and 12 year old market.. Everyone does ads for kids and most people who know very little about the martial arts has heard from someone that it is great for kids so that market is done. I find when you can get a 11 or 12 year old student in you will have them longer than any other age group. These kids probably did not do well in other sports or had a bad experience with others so Martial Arts gives them something that they can accomplish for themselves. When i get students in that are this age and they stick out the entire 1st year while its tough they will usually stay until they go to college. Thats a longer retention rate then the young kids - and they are like sponges.
In Peace
Jesse
In Peace
Jesse
AdrenalineJunky
Black Belt
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More recently, teenagers see the trainers doing MMA and training for Vale Tudo. We have a guy fighting on the 8th. We have two boxers of local pro-am fame that train, and the guys like me, that love to mix it up and have a history with MA. Kids effin' rule in the gym. They give you that last little bit of "go-power" when the 30 sec and the 10 sec bells ring. Everyone at our gym loves showing off for the kids, and we all love the fact that they show up.
I'm trying to get my nephew to go to my buddy's Kenpo school. Kids rule.
I'm trying to get my nephew to go to my buddy's Kenpo school. Kids rule.
Eternal Beginner
Brown Belt
In my karate club usually the teenagers already in the club drag their friends to a class. We have a high percentage that stay, probably because the instructors are very approachable and make training fun for them.
In my BJJ/MMA club they find us. We really don't have to do much, they just wander through the door and try a class. Again, the instructor is very approachable and personable and many of them stay, in fact we have had quite a few of them come in as teenagers just to train grappling and have gone on to be professional MMA fighters as they got older.
In my BJJ/MMA club they find us. We really don't have to do much, they just wander through the door and try a class. Again, the instructor is very approachable and personable and many of them stay, in fact we have had quite a few of them come in as teenagers just to train grappling and have gone on to be professional MMA fighters as they got older.
Eternal Beginner said:
Cool! Anyone we might have heard of?
Eternal Beginner
Brown Belt
The ones you have heard of didn't start as teenagers in our gym...more their early 20's: Joe Doerksen who fights in the UFC and Kryzsystof Soszyinski who fights in the IFL on the Anacondas. The ones who are younger are still fighting in the smaller shows such as KOTC, EFC, and the like.Gemini said:
