Beyond the Belt: How Butler-area martial arts programs build confidence and character
When parents enroll their children in martial arts classes at Butler-area studios, they expect to see kicks, punches and sparring drills. What many don’t anticipate is that the lessons extend far beyond earning belts into classrooms, sports fields and everyday life.
At studios across the region, instructors emphasize that martial arts training is about more than physical technique. While children learn blocks, strikes and patterns, they're also developing focus, discipline and respect, qualities that instructors say help students succeed long after they leave the mat. From handling challenges in school to building self-confidence, the skills learned in martial arts programs are designed to be transferable, shaping how young people approach obstacles and interact with others.
Medical professionals sometimes refer children to martial arts for focus-related issues, and parents often report improvements in their children’s academic performance and behavior. But the benefits aren’t limited to struggling students. Martial arts programs serve children across a wide range of abilities and backgrounds, offering structured environments where courtesy, perseverance and self-control are reinforced through every lesson.
At Makowski’s Martial Arts in Sarver, owner Rob Makowski oversees a youth program serving about 150 children ages 7 to 12, evenly split between boys and girls. While kicks and punches are part of every class, Makowski says they are not the focus.
“When it comes to belts, what we really emphasize is developing kids physically and mentally so they can succeed in athletics, school, and life,” Makowski said. “Kicking and punching are the fun parts, but they’re just the surface. What we’re really teaching is goal setting and character — courtesy, respect, discipline, integrity and honor.”
Children at the studio are placed in beginner, intermediate or advanced groups and progress through six belt colors as they master both physical techniques and behavioral expectations. Advancement is individualized, with students moving forward at their own pace while reinforcing skills learned at earlier levels.
“It’s what we call a black-belt attitude,” Makowski said. “They’re not black belts yet, but they’re learning discipline, respect and focus early on.”
As for physical fighting skills, Makowski said he and his staff teach children how to protect themselves, but emphasize that “the best fight is the one you’re never in.” He also stresses that parents must help set the boundaries for how their children respond to physical confrontations or simply walk away.
“We’re not training fighters; we’re training confident, disciplined individuals,” he said.
Makowski said children are often referred to martial arts programs by medical professionals for focus-related issues such as ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) or low self-esteem. He also hears from parents years later who credit the martial arts training with helping their children succeed in colleges and careers.
“If you’re looking for more than just kicking and punching — if you want your child to be stronger athletically, mentally and emotionally — martial arts offer something no other activity does,” Makowski said. “The skills are transferable: better focus, better grades, stronger character and leadership for life.”
At Young Brothers Tae Kwon Do in Cranberry, children line up barefoot on the mat, dressed in white uniforms, ready to begin class. The traditional Korean martial arts studio trains about 200 students and emphasizes discipline, courtesy and respect. Most of its young students are between 5 and 12 years old, with children able to start as young as 4 in the “Little Dragons” program.
At the end of a recent class, an instructor asked an 8-year-old student a question.
She replied “Yes.”
The instructor paused. “Yes?”
“Yes sir,” the girl answered.
Tae Kwon Do classes teach children how to use their hands and feet in a controlled, disciplined way, but instructors say the physical techniques are only part of the training. Equally important are lessons in respect, self-control and confidence. The martial art is known for its high, fast kicks and fundamental punching and blocking techniques, along with a classroom culture built around listening, focus and kindness.
Classes begin with students and instructors reciting the Tae Kwon Do oath together, reinforcing the values they are expected to practice during training and beyond. From there, children move through structured lessons that emphasize safety, focus and repetition.
Students learn basic blocks, punches and kicks while standing in carefully taught stances designed to protect their bodies and build balance. Instructors stress that Tae Kwon Do is meant for self-defense and personal growth — not for starting fights. Students are reminded that real strength includes knowing when not to use force.
As children progress, they learn “patterns,” prearranged sequences of movements that combine blocks, strikes and stances against an imaginary opponent. Patterns require students to remember detailed steps, control their movements and remain calm under pressure. Learning a pattern is often tied to advancing to a new belt after testing and gives children a strong sense of accomplishment.
As students work toward more complex patterns and higher color belts, they can see their progress in a concrete way — building confidence and perseverance that instructors say often carry over into school and home life.
Erik Gavula, grand master at Young Brothers, said the goal of Tae Kwon Do training is “to make better people” by teaching life skills and helping students avoid what he describes as a “victim mentality.”
Gavula began Tae Kwon Do at age 10 after struggling with self-confidence. His parents enrolled him at Young Brothers — a decision he said changed his life. By age 13, he had earned his black belt and was teaching classes.
Charlotte Wilson, 9, has been taking Tae Kwon Do classes for a year.
“She loves it,” said her mother, Elizabeth Wilson. “Charlotte is a strong student with an excellent memory, and learning and remembering the patterns that earn her higher belts keeps her engaged and motivated.”
One of the master instructors, sixth-degree black belt Chip Sargent, a retired Pine-Richland elementary teacher, has been teaching and advancing his skills at Young Brothers for 30 years. In 2022, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with friends from Pittsburgh. Over breakfast on the first day of the climb, he said he felt concerned about the challenge ahead. One of his companions told him that since he was a Tae Kwon Do expert, he “would do just fine” on the climb.
Sargent made it to the summit. To celebrate, he broke a board he had carried in his backpack — a reminder of the lesson Grand Master Young Bo Kong, ninth-degree black belt and two-time world champion, always reminds his students: “Find a way.”
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Charlotte Wilson and instructor Chip Sargent take the Tae Kwan Do pledge at the beginning of class. Submitted photo
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9 year old Charlotte Wilson works on one of the patterns that earns her a new belt in Tae Kwan Do with instructor Chip Sargent. Submitted Photo
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9 year old Charlotte Wilson works on one of the patterns that earns her a new belt in Tae Kwan Do with instructor Chip Sargent. Submitted Photo
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Anthony O’Neill does some sparing during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Brooks May practices form during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Freddie Lang works on some kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Jace Kobik works on his form during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Noah Mac does some light sparing with a partner during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Harper Tempalski does some stretching during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Lane Jonczak does some stretching exercises during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Peyton Caplan along with several other students do some kicking exercises during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Eleanor Kemmer and Sam Krenzer do some light sparing during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Graham Ward does some light sparing with a partner during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Freddie Lang Graham Ward does some light sparing with a partner during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Graham Ward does some light sparing with a partner during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Freddie Lang works on some kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Master R.J. Makowski demonstrates with Freddie Lang kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Anthony O’Neill works on some kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Jace Kobik works on some kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Sam Krenzer works on some kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Ava Zanoli works on some kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Lane Jonczak works on his kick during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Lane Jonczak works on his kick during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Noah Mac and Graham Ward do some light sparing during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Noah Mac works on some kick warmups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Ava Zanoli does pushups during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Mason Lukac does leg lifts during a children’s Taekwondo class at Makowski's Martial Arts & Fitness in Sarver on Thursday, Jan 8, 2026. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
