Posted by: fatguy
the ATA - 07/02/07 11:15 PM
I apologize if the topic has been discussed to any extent and I was unable to find it, I also apologize if I offend.. I am unsure about this question.
Speaking with someone I recently met, they said they were part of the American Taekwondo Association... upon research, it looks like a McDojo.. a really really big one... and I reapologizes if I'm wrong but how do you guys feel about them?
Posted by: CatnPhx
Re: the ATA - 07/03/07 12:41 AM
It totally depends on the school. As an organization, they do some good things that can't be overlooked but just like anything else they have many schools that could be classified as money hungry.
If you're interested, then I would investigate the school in question.
Posted by: tkd_dude
Re: the ATA - 07/03/07 11:58 AM
The closest ATA school to where I live is not a good place for the martial arts. Calling int a McDojo would be a stretch for the good for them. It's essentially a daycare where small children run around while their parents do errands. There is little or no discipline. I've never seen any other ATA schools, and I don't want to put the whole organization down, but that school really set a bad first impression for me.
Posted by: fatguy
Re: the ATA - 07/03/07 06:31 PM
haha ya the camo belt is really what got me. But i thought "well maybe theres more to it and im being too hasty" then i read somewhere about the founder dieing and a conglomerate taking over the system destroying the reputation it once had.
so sorry if I was
To call it like mcdonalds is not really fare I think the support we get from them is great. Also I can go just about anywhere to train or if for what ever reason my school closes I can go to another school and pick up where I left off, Cant say that for a lot of other schools.Plus when I go to
turnaments we are all judged equally, not so at open ones.
not ture it is still like it was before eternal grand master passed on.true we are the largest in the U.S. but we get great support for headquaters. we can go just about anywhere in the U.S. to train can you say that about a lot of other schools. Plus if I was away on business say in Chile I might not be able to speak the lingo but i would be able to train in a school there.
you are correct there are a few who are money hungry but like anything else there will be a few in any type group
if there are kids running around then that is the fault of the owner /instructor. I can say that that would be a bad example, but most of our schools are not like that I would hope that you go look at another school to see
Posted by: VDJ
Re: the ATA - 07/11/07 01:25 PM
Sorry I have to disagree! I found that to be the case with most of the schools I visited (NY,NJ,PA,MI,ILL,WI,MN,VA,MD). They are driven by kids as students. I know that you are just defending your org, but I found the skill level to be lackluster. Your school may be the exception to the rule. To answer your question about other orgs allowing students to come in and train, the answer is a big YES ! I found ITF schools to be most the most welcoming and the most consistent in their curriculum, WTF schools also would allow me to train with them (though I had been turned away by several. No ATA or ITA school ever allowed me to train, just to observe. Sorry, just the way I found them to be!
VDJ
Posted by: VDan
Re: the ATA - 07/12/07 12:13 AM
Like any organization the ATA has some great instructors and some OK one's. And keep in mind a great students can emerge from a not-so-great instructor based on the students raw talent and dedication to the art. Good business model though. In New Jersey the "Pioneers" of the ATA in our area left the organization started their own organization "Karate America" and they are pretty much done with now (in my area anyway) - yet the ATA schools, and those instructors who left and went back to the ATA, are still around and doing well.
What I mean is that as a form I woyuld most likly have to start over. Most places will let you keep your rank but as for forms and such I would most likely have to start over as ATA have set forms. I have been training for 8 yrs and have gone to other schools to see how the other half live so to speak and have not found it to be like you say. I am sorry that you feel this way,but when I go to tournaments I go against people my own age 45 and up. Not teenagers or younger.
Never heard of Karate America Guess they are no longer around. Which makes my point even better can they go to another school say like Tiger Shullmans and pick up where they left off. I doubt it. I not saying that my style is better than anyone elses just that I thinkg we have a better support system then most
Posted by: VDan
Re: the ATA - 07/12/07 03:39 PM
The McCabe brothers (Wayne was the senior most ATA student in NJ 20 years ago) and Jack Skutnick were the early instructors to leave and support Karate America - one of the instructors who left and went back to the ATA was Mr. Vince Ramonday (spelling is off-but I would guess you know who I mean). Yeah - I think they are all but gone. Or not affiliated with anyone if they are still teaching. Mr. Ramonday is a great guy and a good martial artist BTW
he is now master Ramondi I will have to ask my instructor about that that is something I didnt know.Will have to ask him about the Mcabe boys too
that cam be said of a lot of schools, I have found quite a few of the instructors to be either lackluster or at best indefernt or worse yet when I tried other schools out the high ranks really pounded the lower ranks, being that I had also trained in go ju ru I found that the instructors didnt say or do anything about teaching control to them
Posted by: VDan
Re: the ATA - 07/15/07 09:11 PM
Yes. Thanks. Mr/Master R. used to teach at Kevin McCabe's school in Edison, NJ back in the day.
mr. mckabe is still not part of the ata asked my instructor the other day, but he was at Master Ramondi tournament a few months ago. We have our schools this sat july 21 at rider collage
Posted by: VDan
Re: the ATA - 07/20/07 10:34 PM
Thanks for the update. Do you know or can you find out if the Mertins (Tim in particular is/are still around)?
Do you mind me asking who your instructor is?
no not at all his name Mr. Beebe
Posted by: VDan
Re: the ATA - 07/26/07 10:27 PM
First name Kevin? I don't know why that name comes to mind. I will butcher other instructors names that I knew ages ago but the Copabianco'a and Mackenernies were in East Brunswick and Sayreville respectively (may still be there). There was also an instructor named Sen Tan in Union
that is his first name and yes there are still there . he is now master mackinerene if i spelled that right. mr. tan is still there too
Posted by: talliehoe
Re: the ATA - 05/03/14 07:11 PM
I realize this is a very old thread, but in the event anyone is still out there, I just wanted to update the information regarding the current status of the Karate America organization. The organization was founded in 1990 by Master Wayne McCabe, and Masters Duke LaCompte, Jack Skutnick and William Good were pretty much the highest ranks within the organization. Masters Raimondi and Donna Koopman were also participating school owners, but the majority had been McCabe/LaCompte/Good/Skutnick students of the ATA. Master McCabe had been a regional director for the ATA and both he and Master Good were national champions. Karate America had their own system of forms, up to 4th degree. The organization slowly disbanded in the mid-90s when most schools went off to follow Bryan Klein's Taekwondo America organization. To my knowledge, the only school that still uses that curriculum is Master Good's school that's still out in Morganville, NJ. He runs it with Master Lane King who is a 7th degree student of his. They still use all the Karate America forms and sparring.