Karate Isn't Just a Back-to-School Purchase

Shihan Steve
5 days ago
2 min read

Every gym and dojo in town is running the same ad this month: "Back to School Special — Sign Up Now!" We're running one too. But here's why ours is different.

We Didn't Slow Down This Summer

Most programs treat summer like a dead zone. Kids go to camp, families travel, and classes empty out until September when everyone scrambles to fill the mats again.

That's not what happened here. Our attendance sat around 90% all summer, and we actually added 9 new students across both locations. Nobody hit cancel.

That's because our students don't think of karate as a class they attend a few months a year. They think of it as something they just do — like brushing your teeth. You don't stop in July.

Why We Care More About Keeping Students Than Adding Them

A lot of schools chase 50 new sign-ups every season, lose most of them by winter, and start the cycle over. We don't want that.

We'd rather keep the students we have. Many of ours have trained with us for 5 years. Some even for 10 or more. That kind of relationship takes real time and effort to build, and every student who walks away undoes it. We're not interested in trading long-term students for a quick spike in new ones.

We're Still Open for New Students

We just don't need a "last chance" gimmick to bring people in, because we're always open and always running some kind of offer. September is simply a natural time for families to think about new routines, so we're mentioning it.

Here's where things actually stand:

CKMA Barrie (101 Ardagh Rd, ages 6+): about 5 spots left in kids class, and about 7 left in teens/adults class

CKMA Mississauga (2359 Royal Windsor Dr, Unit 11, ages 12+): almost full, maybe 1-2 spots left.

That's the real number, not a manufactured deadline.

What We're Actually Proud Of

The 90% attendance and the students who've stuck around for years tell us the same thing: people here see Kyokushin Karate as part of their life, not a seasonal activity. That's the culture we set out to build, and it's working.

We're the only Kyokushin Karate dojo in Simcoe County. If you want to see what a normal class looks like — not a sales pitch — come try one.

Contact Kicks Martial Arts

Barrie: 101 Ardagh Rd (ages 6+)

Mississauga: 2359 Royal Windsor Dr, Unit 11 (ages 12+)