Sensei, Rick Fryer is the karate instructor  for the School's Out after school program. He has a wealth of experience in the martial arts and a great enthusiasm for teaching. Here are some of his thoughts about teaching the Cambridge Lakes Karate Class...

Q: How long have you been studying martial arts?

A: 40 years! I started learning Isshinryu Karate in 1982 with the Dundee Park District. (I'm currently a 4th degree Blackbelt in Isshinryu.)  Later, I went away to college at Northern Illinois University and earned my Blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do. 

After college, I returned home and began full-contact kickboxing for several years. Around 1997, I had the opportunity to train with a very well known and respected instructor named Chris Thomas, who has written many related books and for every major martial arts magazine in the world. I earned a third Blackbelt in Ryukyu Kempo from Grandmaster Thomas, and still continue to train with him. I also practice and teach T'ai Chi under Grandmaster Thomas.

Q: What do you like most about teaching karate for School's Out?

A: After many years of training, the students here remind me that martial arts training is fun! I still remember the first time our students got to wear sparring gear and how excited they were! The kids remind me that karate is 'cool' and their enthusiasm has brought new life into my training.

I love watching our students grow from anxious White Belts into mature and confident young women and men. They're interest and enthusiasm is contagious. We've got several students who began in Kindergarten  and still participate as High Schoolers. -The Martial Arts is a life long pursuit.

Q: Why is learning karate important for children?

A: Well, of course there are the classic reasons  of improved focus, confidence, self-esteem, and physical fitness; but for me I think it depends on each individual student.

For kids, learning karate can teach them that it's okay to stand up for themselves and express themselves physically.  Karate helps them discover their own identity as they grow into adulthood. In ancient times, young people would often undergo some sort of ritual that would require them to prove themselves to their village or community before being accepted as an adult. Unfortunately, today there are few positive outlets for young people to prove themselves. This often leads to bored teenagers getting involved in negative situations as they try to find ways to define themselves. 

Karate helps people challenge themselves in a constructive manner. It's not easy and it takes a great amount of focus and discipline, however the rewards that come with knowing yourself really outweigh the struggles of the training.