Hello reader…
My name is Cat and I’m so happy to let everyone who’s reading this know my latest pursuit in my martial arts career…
You see, I started taking martial arts lessons when I was just six years old. I didn’t grow up in Miami, like most people who say they are ‘from’ Miami. I’m 3 months new to Miami, but I now happily call Miami my home.
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio where the weather is always cold, never sunny and far less beautiful than the conditions we get to enjoy down here in beautiful South Florida… I have been practicing martial arts for the last 21 years, and have been teaching professionally since I was just 16 years old. I’m fortunate to have shared my martial arts knowledge with thousands of families in my lifetime, however, it just wasn’t exactly what I’ve been searching for… Nothing ever brought me as much joy in my martial arts teaching, as when I would enroll a little girl into one of my programs; realizing there’s a special place in my heart for teaching girls that were just like me, I’m thrilled to be expanding on that down here in Miami…
My experiences have lead me to create a one-of-a-kind program for girls only, ages 3-10: KARATE PRINCESSES!
My mission in creating Karate Princesses was to develop healthier girls, who grow up with a positive self-image, and feel comfortable knowing they can protect themselves from harmful situations if they need to. I want every little girl to know that if they are ever put in harms way, they will know exactly what to do to get help and be safe. And I’m not just referring to protecting them from the “bad guys” out there. I’m taking a stance against childhood obesity, ridiculous–but quite real–peer-pressures facing our youth today, bullying, and other dangers that would possibly scar a little princesses’ self-image. There really is no reason for these things to harm a child, and by enjoying some constructive forms of stress-relief, where your daughter’s safety is my primary concern, they can handle the situations better if they find themselves presented by it.
Oh yeah, and I even have ways of protecting them against brothers, too!
My own martial arts training prepared me with the confidence to avoid the types of situations I just described, and choose better friends to hang out with when I was in high school. Actually, it’s no coincidence that some of my best friends today all practice martial arts, and people whom I’ve known since I was a little six-year-old beginner.
Unfortunately, when I was growing up, karate wasn’t designed for girls at all. I was probably one of the only girls in many of my martial arts classes, and that made me feel a little self-conscious. What was worse, was being taunted and teased at school by the other girls when they found out I practice martial arts.
“Girls don’t do karate!” They’d tell me, but there were two things I was certain of… I was a girl. And I did Karate.
Something had to change. Yet, sadly, even today–things haven’t changed enough…
I’m so proud to be offering one of the very first Girls-Only Karate programs in the country! I’m positive that any girl here in Miami will feel just like a Princess learning the same fun things I did, designed exclusively for them in a fun and sassy, girlie-girl kind of way!! We get to wear PINK karate uniforms, earn fancy girlie patches, get to earn pretty colored belts (with matching hair bows!!!) and dance and twirl while learning our karate moves! My program isn’t designed to make girls into black belts over night–let them decide down the road if that’s something they want to pursue–I just want for each of my little Karate Princesses to have a wonderful first martial arts experience!
…And proudly boast, “Girls Do Karate, Too!”
http://www.KaratePrincesses.com
Karate Princesses' Blog 