Why We Compete

Society places a lot of emphasis on "winning", as opposed to the personal self-enrichment of the competitive activity. North Side Karate encourages the growth of all students through their competitive efforts, not if they win or lose. Often times, in the dojo, on sparring night, parents can be found cheering for other students who are opposing their own child(ren). This is a true testament of the family atmosphere and emphasis of growth within the North Side family.

Some martial artists believe that there is no philosophy behind competition other than teaching "winning". They believe that in competitive schools, the ego of the "winner" grows and he or she becomes more aggressive with each win, while the "loser" becomes more discouraged and loses self-esteem. At North Side Karate, we compete with a goal of increasing the skills and self-esteem of each student and to teach the student to be humble, calm, and to have fun. We also compete to meet other martial artists from many disciplines to become familiar with their styles, and to develop a "community" in which to grow, and respect others. No student will ever be ridiculed for his/her mistakes. They will be encouraged to accept their mistakes and learn from them, and understand that there is always room for improvement in their skills.