New Center Offers Martial Arts For All Ages

by Skye Kinkade
Nov 12, 2008

Mount Shasta Martial Arts and the Mount Shasta Wellness Center have come together to create a new Martial Arts Center, which opened recently in the old Rockhouse gym building at 1020 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd.

 MSMAP Instructors

Head instructor Chuck Buhs said, “The mission of the Mount Shasta Martial Arts Program is to enrich lives by providing quality instruction in the martial arts in a safe, fun learning environment to residents of all ages in Mount Shasta and surrounding communities.”

Buhs moved to Mount Shasta about a year ago. He holds black belts in a variety of martial arts including yongmudo, iaido, and karate, and a fifth-degree black belt in taekwondo. He taught martial arts at U.C. Berkeley, St. Mary’s College, Trinity College, and The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Buhs joined Dr. Peter Halt, MSMAP’s founding instructor, who has 25 years of martial arts experience.

“The instructor’s each have their strengths,” said parent Dana Melo. “They have different teaching styles, and they really complement one another.”

Angela Pigoni, the parent of one of Buhs’ students said, “Buhs is awesome. He’s great with the kids, and very patient... Taekwondo has taught my son discipline and respect, all while having fun learning martial arts.”

 Brand New Facility

Parents are excited about the new facility and many have been involved in transforming the building into a safe, fun environment for their children to practice in.

“We’re not looking at what the building is now...we have a vision of what it’s going to be in the future,” said Buhs. MSMAP is thinking ahead to the many exciting possiblities the facility offers them, including the hosting of college courses, afternoon summer programs for children, international summer camps, training workshops, and promotion tests, all to help the community expand their skills and awareness of the martial arts.

“The best thing about the new facility is that we can hold children’s classes at the appropriate times,” said Melo, the mother of three children who have been involved with MSMAP for the past three years. She said she likes her kids to be involved with martial arts because it teaches discipline and provides them with an activity they can do indoors during the cold winter months. “They really enjoy it, and they want to come,” she said of her twin daughters, who take both taekwondo and yongmudo classes with Buhs.

 Template For Life

“I strongly believe that martial arts can provide people with a template for their lives,” Buhs said. “It teaches us how to deal with conflicts of all kinds with confidence, intelligence, and composure.” He urges the community to check out what the new facility has to offer.

“With so many options here at the Mount Shasta Martial Arts Center, there really is something for everyone,” said Buhs.

On Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mount Shasta Martial Arts Program will be holding an open house, to encourage everyone in the community to come by and take a look at what they’re all about. To learn more about MSMAP and what they offer, and to find a schedule of their classes, you may visit their website at www.MtShastaMA.org.

 
[MSMAP Editor’s Note: Read about and view pictures of our fantastic facility. We’ve come a long way from where we started:
Go to: Martial Arts Center of Mt. Shasta]

MSMAP's Open House
Each December, MSMAP hosts an Open House & Holiday Food Drive to celebrate the holidays with a unique, martial arts-based event of action, prizes, and food donations. First held in 2008, it is a chance for participants to display their growing skills and help those in need.

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