Tama Dojo

         One sunny afternoon in August there was a group of children going over their ABC’s.  Now you may think this was in preparation for the upcoming school year, but this particular group of children was in a martial arts studio and the ABC’s they were going over was the character alphabet as part of their martial arts training at the Tama Dojo on South Ave.
Owners and instructors Frank Skeffington and Mario Mastro have been training children and adults in martial arts at the South Ave location since it’s opening on August 1, 2003.
The character alphabet, which is part of the students training, is the traditional English alphabet with each letter pertaining to a particular attribute of one’s character, “It is geared toward making you a better person” said Mastro.  For example the letter c is for confidence and the letter k is for kindness.  Mastro said “What we try to do is build character through martial arts training.”
It was Skeffington’s dream to open his own martial arts studio.  A Whitman resident who works in computers, Skeffington left his job as a manager of software technicians to follow his dream and “Mario helped make it happen” he said.
Skeffington, 48, began training in martial arts sixteen years ago with Mastro as his first instructor.  He is now a first degree black belt and has been teaching for three years.
Mastro, 43, a resident of East Bridgewater is a sixth degree black belt martial arts instructor and also owns his own construction company.  Mastro, a Jamaica Plain native, began his training thirty two years ago at the age of twelve in Boston and has been teaching martial arts for twenty five years.
The Tama Dojo, which stands for total approach to martial arts, is a school that teaches self defense using American style karate.  As Mastro explains “It is like the theory of America being a melting pot.  It is an all encompassing system with various influences.”
At the Tama Dojo where both student and instructor wear a black gi, which means uniform, a belt and bare feet on the dojo training floor, there is martial arts training for ages five and up.  There are the Little Eagles ages five to seven, the Flying Eagles ages eight to twelve, training for teens and adults and also a women’s kickboxing class.  Mastro and Skeffington each teach all classes.
Both Mastro and Skeffington agree that the majority of martial arts students are kids. “There seems to be an influx of kids” said Mastro.  This, they believe is due to the values that are taught through martial arts training.  Skeffington said “Karate is the only sport that teaches the same values that you teach at home.”
A trend that seems to be emerging is the suggestion of some doctors that a child with A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder), or A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder), take martial arts classes said Skeffington. This helps the child maintain focus. Mastro and Skeffington said they have received positive feed back from parents noting “a marked improvement in behavior.”
The students work hard and are sometimes quizzed during training.  While Mastro and Skeffington teach with discipline, they are dedicated, encouraging and have fun with the students too.  That is important said Mastro “We have to keep it fun or they are not going to like it and then they won’t want to come.”
One student who says it is fun is six year old Josh Spicer whose favorite thing about class is the Eagle form, a series of particular martial arts moves.  Josh’s mother Carol says her son enjoys the martial arts training because “it’s something he can do at his own pace.” Spicer has also noticed that her son’s confidence has grown since he started training in June.
Confidence and respect are two important character attributes Mastro and Skeffington teach.  Skeffington tells his students, “You have to respect yourself before you can learn to respect anybody else.”  Mastro said that if a student can attain these attributes then they can achieve anything, “You will have the confidence to do anything and not only will you accomplish it people will like you while you are doing it because you did it with respect.”
Parent Eric Pretorius said he brings his eight year old son Joe to the Tama Dojo because he likes the teaching methods and the one on one attention the students receive.  Pretorius said he has seen improvement in his son’s focus in school, balance and coordination.  “I love these guys and would recommend the school to anybody” said Pretorius.  His son Joe P., as he is playfully called by his instructors, loves it too as is obvious by the never-ending smile on his face.
Some of the students at the Tama Dojo belong to the Black Belt Club. This is a club where its members are dedicated to black belt excellence.  Mastro said these students are invited to join the club only at the recommendation of the instructor and must have at least an orange belt and display exemplary training and proper discipline.
Members of the Black Belt Club enjoy special privileges such as weapons training and invitations to special seminars like the Multiple Attacker Seminar that is coming up in a few weeks and is being taught by a guest instructor named Otto Pozzo.
Eleven year old Joe Sullivan, a student in the Flying Eagles class and a member of the Black Belt Club, says he enjoys the weapons training.  He has had training in use of a bo staff and said “It’s fun…unless you hit yourself.”  Sullivan said he likes being a part of the Black Belt Club because “you learn more and there are special things you get to do.”
Mastro and Skeffington teach lessons they say can be applied to everyday life such as the attributes described by the character alphabet and they also work with parents to ensure that the student is applying these qualities such as balance and judgment in all areas of their lives not just at the Dojo.
When it is time for a student to be tested for promotion they are given a Notice of Intent to bring home and to school. The notice must be signed by parents and teachers saying the student is being respectful and cooperative both at home and in school.  “It is like a triangle, every area of their lives, where they spend all their time, it’s all connected” said Mastro.
The last Saturday in August Mastro and Skeffington taught class on the beach.  The students and their parents were invited to Swift Neck Beach in Wareham for a training session and day of swimming, football and spending time just having fun together. “It was a family affair” said Mastro.
The Tama Dojo, with walls adorned with the American flag, the Black Belt Club, a poster of Mohammed Ali saying “impossible is nothing”, teaches children valuable lessons for life.