WSEF Sticks 4 Kids Program

WSEF Sticks 4 Kids

There are those instructors who do not believe weapons should be taught to children.  The WSEF has great respect for each instructor's opinions in their belief in how the FMA Systems should be taught, to whom & concerning age groups.

However, the WSEF since it's inception has taught at many age levels & has been most effective teaching children with GM Tasi Alo's WSEF Sticks 4 Kids program. 

GM Tasi Alo & GM Darren Tibon of the USFMAF have worked hand in hand to develop FMA programs that have taught children how to excel in the FMA as tournament competitors as well as martial artists as a whole.

Both GM Alo & GM Tibon are valuable assets to the WSEF &  the FMA as a whole.

Below, GM Alo has been kind enough to share just some tid bits of his insight regarding teaching the FMA to children.

Discipline is a must to teach D/C Serrada Escrima System -

Success has been due the disciplined students that listened closely to our instruction then by their performance exhibited that they understood what was taught to them. That I credit to Professor Anthony 'Tony" Ramos program of building the kids from the inside out( character with integrity) then from the feet up to their hands. Feet move body so the hands can hit, defend, parry, lock etc...footwork in Serrada is key.

a) Must establish the Look,Listen & Learn concept. Looking at the instructor, listen to the instructor will help them to Learn the subject. Consequences for not following directions etc... look instructor in the eyes, respect....
b) Safety  equipment :
1- athletic cup
2- mouthpiece
3- Safety glasses and or goggles such as racket ball etc... protect the eyes always.
4-Protective headgear for padded stick & LIVE stick sparring. There are different head gear for padded stick and for 'live'stick play, The 'live' stick head gear is heavier then padded stick head gear.
5- Hand protection, hockey gloves, La Crosse etc...motocross...whatever works
6- forearm and knee protective gear

7- Body protection
c) Teach salute  - some history about FMA,WSEF, SGGM Angel Cabales & GM D
d) Footwork - Start with kids from the feet up, replacement stepping - explain concept of triangle in footwork and how feet help body to angle.
e) Showing how the Serrada angles are presented for demo or training along with verbal commands.
The rest of what is taught is up to the instructor because it gives you the instructor the ability to freely adapt training as you see how the class develops. Basics will build their foundation, I just make it fun for them to train the basics. At Wahiawa KaJuKenBo Foundation the kids cross train with me, the KaJuKenBo is their foundation. I really don’t teach from a syllabus but from feel and observation. I think that the WSEF modules are great for a syllabus. What I learned from GM D is that we actually customize the training for the individual needs as you see fit, this is how I have taught for many years, by the feel of the students.