Dear Steve:

Finally, someone had the guts to tell it like it is.  I just read your cover article of this Month’s Nampa “Mile High Maverick.”  It was so eloquently written and I was so impressed that you had the guts and leadership to finally say what so many martial artists have been thinking since this “mixed up martial arts” nightmare has begun. I only wish there were more martial arts leaders in our community who would come forward.   My husband and I decided toboycott this year’s Maia Convention solely on the basis that Maia decided to headline and feature Dana White as the keynote speaker as well as the Leader of our Industry!!!  I doubt that MAia or Century cared much because quite frankly money talks.

Imagine have far we have come full circle. When I first attended the inaugural Napma Convention in Clearwater, Florida back in the early 90’s, is the entire opposite of what we as professional martial artists were be trying to accomplish and set as standards for the future for our industry. To have attendees of our martial arts profession be a part of this current spectacle is unthinkable and quite frankly ridiculous.  It is like having an Alcoholics Anomymous Convention coexist with a Budweiser Convention.  Give me a Break…. How can you teach and preach self discipline, control, respect and leadership when all you see the UFC promoting is violence, vulgarity, pornography and lacking any self control by beating the crap out of your opponent?   Are these really the LIFESKILLS we want to market to our students and communities?

When Maia and Nampa were first formed, the purpose was to promote and educate martial artists how to run professional martial arts schools. Clean up your schools, dress like a professional, provide superior service to our students, become a role model in our communities. How can we support this nonsense?  We have definitely traveled back in time about 25 years.  Wake Up!!!   Is this really the direction we want our profession to go?

Just because UFC is profitable doesn’t mean you have to jump on the MMA bandwagon.  If you have been teaching good quality martial arts which should include self defense skills with the best in ground self defense training, that is where we as an industry should go. Educating our students on how to defend themselves in an attack requires training from many disiciplines. That is why Napma from the onset brought in many expert instructors in different styles so we could train with the best and teach our students the best martial arts self defense skills available.  The purpose of many martial arts schools is to teach good self defense both stand up and ground, not beating the crap out of someone for sport.

Selling illicit drugs and alcohol is extremly profitable. Are we going to sell that in our dojo as well?  The greatest freedom I ever experienced as a martial arts school owner was realizing what our school did well and what has sustained us in business for over 30 years..  Teaching good quality martial arts, changing people’s lives for the better and making a difference in my community. Sorry, call me old fashioned or old school, but I plan to take the road less traveled.

I am what I am and I would rather concentrate on what I do best. From a business perspective, we all know we can’t try and please everyone and try to market to everyone.  That is why Mercedes Benz doesn’t sell Kiah’s nor does McDonald’s sell Filet Mignon.
Calling all martial arts leaders and school owners… Do you have the character and discipline to fight for what is right?  Don’t we teach that philosophy in our schools?

I challenge all PROFESSIONAL MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL OWNERS to walk the talk.
Thanks for your leadership, Stephen Oliver.
Stacey Mejia

Acadiana Karate