Thank you for choosing Hilliard Taekwondo Academy. We strive to maintain a well-rounded professional program that provides high quality martial arts instruction. You'll enjoy a fun, family oriented environment where everyone feels welcome.

 

On this page, we share some of the expectations we have for our students and their families. I'm also happy to answer additional questions. During and between classes, we're typically focused on the students, but you can arrange to come in before we open, talk with us on the phone or contact us through email or on facebook.

 

                                                                                 Ms. Thompson
                                                                                

Students should participate in 2-3 classes a week consistently for the best results. Setting a schedule and being consistent is important. Students who do not come to class consistently often feel out of place and then do not want to come to class. However, students who do come on a consistent basis feel better and actually look forward to coming to class.

Each student is issued an official Taekwondo America Uniform upon enrollment. All students are required to wear either their full white uniform or their uniform pants (or our color workout pants) with an HTA or Taekwondo America T-shirt and their belt. (Color workout pants are never worn with the white uniform jacket.) T-shirts other than HTA or TA may not be worn in class. When in full uniform, females must wear a plain white T-shirt under their uniform jacket and males do not wear any t-shirt under their uniform jacket. Anyone with hair below their ears must pull their hair back (yes, even the guys!). Jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, watches and bracelets are not to be worn during class, testings or tournaments because they can injure you or your workout partners.

Parents, we know how tempting it can be to watch class and then try to "help" your child at home, especially if you feel they are not learning as quickly as other students. This is one of the quickest ways to make them want to quit! Good technique develops over time and the only way we'll have the time to help them do that is if they want to keep coming back to class. We've trained for years to be able to perform and teach proper technique. If the student wants to practice their form or one-steps at home, just make sure they have a safe area with plenty of space. Breaking wood is never to be done outside of the school until the student is a blue belt and both the student and parent/guardians have been taught proper technique.

We make announcements after each class. Check out the website regularly. The homepage typically has announcements for special events and we update the news page, the online newsletter and the schedule page frequently. We also make announcements after each class and post fliers in the school. And now that we're using kicksite.net for our new student database, once you provide us with your email address, we'll send you an email invite to create a log-in and password to access your student's account. You can check online to see how many classes they've attended since their last testing, receive announcements about testing, tournaments, social events, membership renewals and more, plus have easy access to the class schedule and calendar and more. And, of course, we're on facebook (you can link from our home page) and Ms. Thompson is on twitter as "HilliardTKD". With this many options, you should always know what's going on at the school!

Tell Ms. Thompson IMMEDIATELY. While she understands that students can be a little over anxious to share and show off, this can be dangerous. Please inform her as soon as possible so that she can take steps to correct the situation.

We expect our students to give their best effort. Technique at the early stages of training is not as important as a positive attitude. If a student tries hard and has a good attitude, they will develop better technique over time because they are listening and learning.

Each stripe is earned in class for achieving a short term goal that breaks up the requirements for advancement from one belt to the next.  Click here to view the stripe requirements.

Testing is a process where we evaluate the skills of the student to determine whether they are ready to progress to the next level of training. What is expected of students depends on the rank, age and physical ability of the student. What is required to pass testing increases dramatically as a student increases in rank. Testing costs $50.00 for Little Dragons and White through Recommended Black Belts. Testing for students who are 1st Decided through 2nd Decided is $95, but they test less frequently. If a student doesn't pass testing, they don't pay for the next testing for that same rank.

It is mathematically possible to become a Black Belt in about 2 1/2 years. However, it takes most people longer to attain that rank. But remember, Black Belt is just the beginning, not the end, of serious training. Black Belt indicates that the wearer is a serious student of the art.

Ms. Thompson, a 4th degree senior level Black Belt, is the school owner and Chief Instructor at Hilliard Taekwondo Academy.
Mr. Brad Thompson, Ms. Thompson's son, a 4th degree senior level Black Belt is a Chief Instructor at Hilliard Taekwondo Academy.
Sara Faust (Ms. Thompson's daughter) and Mrs. Rochelle Fouts can help you at the counter.
Mr. Hastings, Mr. Mills and Mr. Oates are a nationally certified teen instructors and are on staff.
Mr. Steggeman and Mr. Mrochek are adult volunteer instructors, certified to teach under the chief instructor.
Mr. Terranova, Mr. Hicks, Ms. Fouts, the younger Mr. Mrochek and Mr. Schueler are junior regionally certified volunteer instructors, certified to teach under the chief instructor.
We also have many excellent teen and junior students in our leadership program assisting with classes.

What is Ms. Thompson's first name?
"Ms."
"Really?!" Well, no. But you should never call a school owner anything other than Ms., Miss, Mrs. or Mr. and their last name. You will often hear school owners introduce themselves with their first and last name ― for example Mr. Lacy, Taekwondo America's founder and highest ranked martial artist (he's an 8th degree Black Belt) often introduces himself as Robby Lacy. I (and every other Black Belt in TA) would NEVER make the mistake of calling him "Robby" though.
The same with any instructor even if they are "just" a teenager. Every instructor (and every Black Belt) has worked hard to achieve their rank and deserve the respect and courtesies that go with that accomplishment.

Courtesy

Integrity

 Student Oath

I shall observe the tenets of Taekwondo

I shall respect Instructors and senior students

I shall never misuse Taekwondo

I will be a champion of freedom and justice

I will build a more peaceful world