After learning of the slaying of a fellow Police Officer in Seattle this last weekend I have given much thought to what we can do to make it safer for our Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) in whatever capacity they serve. As one who has served as a LEO myself I am very passionate about Officer Safety. Of course Defensive Tactics do not answer every situations. However, I realized last night during our LEO only training how true the old adage is that we can’t let what we cant do keep us from doing what we can do.
Since opening Karate Quest we have provided free training training for the LEO community ranging from agency use by Local PD to the SO and a numerous LEOs that have utilized the free training we provide from nearly every agency you can think of. We are also listed as an official Arrestling location where we exchange information that can add to the safety of those that serve.
Serving as an LEO has real risk. The number of LEOs that are killed in the line of duty is staggering. I have stood in front of the Vietnam Memorial Wall and those from WWII and Korea. I have been to the Arlington Cemetery and Gettysburg. I have been to Ground Zero at the Twin Towers location in New York City and I have been to the Pentagon. Those are all places that should be considered hallowed ground because of the sacrifice of those that have gone before us. No less hallowed is the Memorial for Fallen Officers that is in Washington DC or the Memorial that is at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien. I personally know people that are on both of those walls and their sacrifice should not be forgotten. Let’s do what we can to make their job better.
Next time you see a LEO out doing his/her job give that person your respect for their courage and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice to Serve and Protect.
Right now Moms train for free when kids are signed up. The great thing is the ability to train in the fitness class while the kids are learning. We have the largest unobstructed Martial Arts workout floor in Whatcom County. It is complete with the best mats and equipment, not to mention Instructors.
Whether your goal is Fitness, Weight Loss, Fun or Self-Defense, this class is the perfect fit. Of course, when you enroll your child you can train free five days of the week. You won’t find a better fit for your fitness goals anywhere.
Our after school transportation karate service is now in session.
Being a school that has a lot of great families we make a strong effort to make our schedule work for our members. However, one request that has come up quite a bit lately is that of picking up our younger students after school lets out and bringing them here to Karate Quest where they can gain those valuable skills and attributes that are every bit as important as their academic training. The students have fun, get fit and learn valuable self-defense skills that could save their life someday. This allows mom and dad to finish up their work day without having to make the mad rush to pick their child up after school.
It is here and we are building our enrollments in this special “After School” program. Of course mom and dad can rest easy while their children are enjoying the best of leadership development through the martial arts while developing their attributes of Focus, Discipline, Confidence, Respect and Teamwork along with many others.
Our highly qualified staff has Eagle Scout Candidates, Black Belts, Top Academics and numerous competitive wins among them. With just over two years of service at our present location, we see our students excelling in these areas as well. You can tell a quality program by the great students.
What makes us different? In part it is our individual testing. Students are not automatically awarded a new rank just for showing up. The testing process is not just a test it is a high powered private lesson that helps the student to take it to the next level. Every student is helped along the path to personal mastery while learning valid real world self-defense as well as a lot of things that are just Fun! When they achieve a new rank they feel great about it because they truly earned it.
Stop by or call today so that you can ensure your child’s spot in this exciting opportunity.
School is back in session and schedules are starting to get back to normal. That said, many kids can benefit in their academic endeavors from the attributes of Concentration, Focus, Discipline, Confidence, Teamwork and Family Values that we teach at Karate Quest.
We had great weather and combined with some great classes this summer. We launched a series of summer camps that were enjoyed by all that attended. What made these camps great is that they were not simply a drop off babysitting with a few art projects thrown in. The participants practiced and learned Karate, got in the best shape that they have been in for some time, and had a lot of fun.
It was not just pure sweat. They enjoyed the occasional movie, trips to area parks and swimming at the Arnie Hanna Aquatic Center. Oh did I mention that all of the Summer Camps had pizza every Friday?
Make plans for next summer to be a part of the most exciting and best summer camps ever. They are skill based camps featuring the Martial Arts which is an added value over and above other Whatcom County Camps.
This was a great event with a lot of public excitement. What a great community we live in. Birch Bay Square is the newly remodeled outlet mall just off I-5 at Birch Bay Lynden Road.
The performers had fun too! Thank you to all the school members that came to see the show as well. Let us know what you thought in the comments below.
I came to the realization that training at Karate Quest is not for everyone. I have seen individuals come into the school and see my badge on my desk and a commendation on my wall and turn uneasy. It is not as if a criminal background check is required to enter the school.
This became more apparent as I fielded a telephone call where Karate Quest was found through the Action Yellow Pages. In building rapport with the caller in an effort to understand how I could serve him I learned some of what his intended goals were, such as what brought he and his family to the area, what previous training they had and what their goals were, such as the self-defense and not the competition side of the arts.
As I began to speak regarding the benefits of the training at Karate Quest I discussed how my previous law enforcement experience made me appreciate the Self-Defense side of what we teach. The caller quickley said something unintelligible and hung up.
I made efforts to reinitiate contact, but realized that this caller, like those folks that have come through the door and left, may have felt uncomfortable with the law enforcement ties.
Now, why would I write about this? Because training at Karate Quest may not be for everyone. Karate Quest is a training studio that seeks to be inclusive of good people and great families. We train hard, get fit, have a lot of fun and learn valuable life-saving skills.
As Mr. Pat Armijo said, “We don’t need everyone. We just need the right people.”
We invite good people and great families to come in and check out what we do at the school. I think you will be pleased with what you see and who you see training.
Vic LeRoux has 43 years of history in the art of Chinese Kenpo Karate alone. Additionally he has studied Judo, Jeet Kune Do and Kali with Danny Innosanto and others. Through Mr. LeRoux’s passion for the Martial Arts he has validated all of the techniques and principles that are taught in Chinese Kenpo Karate today. Mr. Leroux is the Co-Founder of the International Karate Connection Association (IKCA) together Senior Grand Master Mr. Chuck Sullivan, Mr. Edmond K. Parkers 4th Black Belt in the United States. Mr. LeRoux has studied directly from Mr. Sullivan and was a private student of Mr. Parker. In short he is living history of how the Martial Arts have evolved in the United States.
Mr. LeRoux will start off the seminar covering the basics of Self-Defense and progress to Blending, Borrowing, Combining and Take-Downs. This training is sure to elevate the skills and effectiveness of all who attend regardless of skill level.
Assisting in the Seminar will be Doug Meeks, 8th Degree Black Belt, and Lance Meltzer, 5th Degree Black Belt, both of Napa Valley Martial Arts. They offer advanced knowledge in Chinese Kenpo Karate, Jeet Kune Do as well as back grounds in the Isreali Fighting Methods of Hagganah and Krav Maga.
Mr. Pat Armijo, 6th Degree Black Belt in Modern Arnis, will teach Stick and Knife Defense and Tactics. Mr. Armijo also brings a strong Kenpo background amongst other arts. He is a direct student of Remy Presas and serves as Mr. Presas’ Washington State Director for Modern Arnis and a U.S. Board of Directors Member for the World Escrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF), which is the governing body for the contact sport side of the Filipino Martial Arts. Mr. Armijo is a frequent presenter at Martial Arts Seminars both Nationally and Internationally.
Mick Jolly, 3rd Degree Black Belt in Chinese Kenpo Karate and former Law Enforcement Officer, will teach a special segment on Firearms. This training will focus on how to retain a firearm and avoiding the disarming tactics of the criminal world. Mick Jolly has served as a Sheriff’s Deputy, Detective, Civil Deputy and ultimately as a Special Agent for the U.S. Secret Service. Mick has served in special capacities regarding Defensive/Control Tactics as well as a Physical Training Coordinator. This training segment is essential for anyone who has considered carrying or currently carries a firearm.
This will be a seminar that the serious martial artist will not want to miss regardless of style or system or skill level. This event will elevate your training to a level with segments covering empty hand and weapons defenses at the highest level. All are welcome to attend this great event.
Please contact Mick Jolly at 360-312-4110 for details.
