10 years, 20 years, beyond

Hello:

In classes whether on a nightly/weekly basis what percentage of your students have been with the school consistantly and a MINIMUM of

-10 years?
-20 years?
-Beyond 20 years?

[Ed Morris Survey http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/15861276/an/0/page/0#15861276 re: Children transitioning into adult classes piqued my curiousity....]

Thank you,
Jeff

Sad to say only a few, i'd say 3 or 4. most people dont last when the going gets tough.

Hello Gojuwarior1:

3 or 4 people in the 10 year time frame?

J

2 ten year vets and 2 twenty year vets. All the rest are 6 years or less. The twenty year vets have there own rec center dojangs but still train under my Sah Bum Nim.

Scottie

Hello Scottie:

2 ten year vets
2 twenty year vets

Ballpark, any idea what the "denominator" of those two numbers might be? (ie 2/x ten year folks, 2/x are twenty year practitioners)

<<All the rest are 6 years or less.

Is there a particular group/groups within that under 6 year consistant training range in terms of experience level? (ie large bunch of 5 year folks, etc.) Not part of this specific thread but fun to ask....

When time allows. Thank you for your help & participation ...

Jeff

Best guess...those are 4 of about 80 - 100 active students now. Of the 6 or under students, I am not sure how long the majority have been there. I am relatively new to my dojang having been there only 2 years myself. The long time students I know because of the war stories they share with the class about Master Park in the old days.

Scottie

Only a couple have made it past 20 years. Whenever a student was promoted to black belt, we welcomed him to the 2% club. As a general rule we saw 98 people come and go for every 2 black belts promoted.

We're part of an odd school. Two "traditional" teachers and about 8 or 9 kickboxing teachers teaching "kempo" (which is actually kickboxing as it's taught).
1 with 40+ years
2 with 30+ years
The rest with 7 or less.
School enrollment is about 650, mostly kids in "after school" programs.

Between the two traditional teachers, 77 years experience.
"We don't know nuthin' and we can prove it"...
When in doubt, ask a green belt... they know everything...

ronin, I added a poll in the martial talk area to add to this survey.

What amazes me the most is the transformation they go through. Five years ago that shy, no confidense, uncoordinated bumbling kid that walked through the dojo door is now standing in the front line with a black belt around his waist shouting out comands and doing unbelievable physical MA techniques that seemed impossible to him/her ten years ago.

Unfortunately not many students last over ten years. They usually go to college, get married or get a job and their priorities change with time. I quite along time ago for one year and it just about drove me out of my mind, that's the truth!