(oldpage) Staff

School Name: Lions Academy (of Martial Arts)

The full name of our school is "Lions Academy of Martial Arts", which can be shortened to just "Lions Academy".  

Governing Body - Judges

Judges earned their status as a "Judge" by past accomplishments in other martial arts.  Additionally, anyone who gets a unanimous vote from the existing active judges can be admitted as a judge, even if they do not have a formally earned black belt from anywhere.

Belt tests can be conducted and belts awarded by any active Lions Academy judge, provided that judge also authored, provided, or otherwise specified the curriculum being tested. The specific judge that is taking responsibility for the belt award certificate will sign the certificate as the person awarding the certificate.

Criteria for Belt Judging:

1. Attitude & Behavior
Students MUST exhibit good attitude & behavior.  This is not only required for belt testing, it is required to even remain a student.

2. Curriculum Knowledge
The student MUST know the required curriculum for the belt being tested for, and all prior belts.  This requirement is rigid, with very little flexibility (if any).  

3. Commitment & Responsibility
How committed is the student to our school?  Is the student taking any responsibility towards getting our school fully integrated with the educational system it ties to?  Is the student helping to define and establish the curriculum?  

4. Class Attendance
Has the student been coming regularly to our classes?  Every student is also expected to be a teacher in some way, and teaching is best done by example.  If the student is not coming to class, it sets a bad example, and such a student should not be advanced in rank unless this deficiency is made up for somewhere else.  Also, poor class attendance will likely impact curriculum knowledge, with very little flexibility given there.

 5. Skill of Execution
What is the student's skill level in executing the curriculum of the belt being tested for (and all lower belts)?  Judges will make allowances in this area for the student's age and/or physical handicaps.  Also, where Skill of Execution is lacking (due to age and/or handicaps), the student is expected to excel in other areas to make up for it.

All of the above criteria are subjective, and require individual judging opinions, which is why a "pass" grade only requires a 2/3rds vote of the attending judges.   The first two (attitude, behavior, and curriculum knowledge) are rigid, with very little flexibility given by the judges.  The other judging criteria are more flexible.

Lion's Academy - First Ensign Class - March 7, 2022
Judges are in back row, and are (from left to right):
Carol, Jeremy, Charles, John, Nevin, Kim, Cyril, Kyle
Aiden was not yet a judge, Denise took the picture, and Luke was out of town.

Language

We do not conduct class in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, or any other language.  We speak English, and we teach in English.  We will, however, occasionally compare and contrast what we do with what other Martial Arts classes typically do, including some basic exposure to the language of their art so that our students are familiar with it.  But we do not adopt their language in our official curriculum.  

Uniform

The "official" uniform is any black pants that allow for doing the splits.  It should not have any other markings on it.  The typical black Japanese-style uniform is acceptable, but not required.   The "official" uniform also includes a traditional martial arts belt-- the lack of which is the same as a white belt.  The "official" top, or shirt, is either the Japenese-style uniform top, or a black T-Shirt, or the following T-shirt that can we provide:

Black was chosen for three reasons:

1. Black hides sweat, and we don't want students holding back due to "sweat embarrassment".
2. Black is the uniform previously used by ALL of the judges in their previous respective arts.
3. The judges unanimously like that uniform style, even though it is Japanese.

No shoes, no socks, no jewelry, no watches.  Fingernail and toenail trimmed for the safety of others.

Hair and makeup should be in harmony with what best represents us (i.e., modesty, etc.).

Our belt sequence colors are: white, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, red, brown, black.