Hey kick community!

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Kick! Get ready for actionable insights and fresh inspiration to elevate your martial arts school. This week, we’re diving into how to make a massive impact in your community with fundraisers, coaching strategies inspired by Tim Grover’s Winning, and our top picks for social media posts, martial arts memes, and everything else you need to keep leveling up. Let’s make this week one for the books! 👊

Infinity Martial Arts’ 2024 Kick-A-Thon: A Proven Fundraiser Model for Martial Arts Schools

If you're looking to host an event that unites your community and raises significant funds for a cause, Infinity Martial Arts' Kick-A-Thon is a model to consider. Over the years, Infinity has raised more than $150,000 through these annual events for Gio’s Garden, a local nonprofit supporting families with children who have special needs. This year alone, our community raised $31,448, once again showcasing the impact that martial arts students and their families can make together.

Why Gio’s Garden?

Supporting Gio’s Garden is deeply connected to our values of compassion, family, and community. Infinity Martial Arts chose this partnership because of the personal connections our CEO and many other families in our community have with Gio's Garden, as well as its big impact on small, local communities.

How We Do It: The Kick-A-Thon “Secret Sauce”

Our Kick-A-Thon isn’t just another fundraiser; it’s a full-scale community event with martial arts demonstrations, food vendors, and a silent auction. Here’s what’s helped us create a lasting impact:

1. Start with a User-Friendly Fundraising Website

A well-designed donation website is the backbone of our Kick-A-Thon. This platform enables supporters—whether attending the event or not—to contribute easily, expanding our reach. Each student has a personal fundraising page where they can track their goals and share their unique link with family, friends, and neighbors. The site also displays the total amount raised by all participants, with kick counts updated the day of the Kick-A-Thon to streamline “per kick” donations. We encourage online donations, as it’s the easiest way to provide receipts for tax purposes.

2. Pledge Sheets for Student Engagement

Pledge sheets are vital for engaging students and building momentum. Each student sets a goal for the number of front kicks they can perform in 30 seconds and then seeks donations per kick or as a lump sum. The pledge sheet includes the student’s name, kick count goal, and donation lines, while the reverse side has event information and tips on how to confidently ask for support.

3. Host a Big Event Day to Generate Excitement

Our Kick-A-Thon takes place at a popular local park, transforming it into a festive event with martial arts demonstrations, brick-breaking stations (often tied to fundraising challenges), and a short, fun warm-up class. We also host 30-second kicking lines to help students reach their kick count goals. Local food trucks and vendors join, often donating a portion of their proceeds to Gio’s Garden. To further engage families, we offer lawn games, dunk tanks, inflatable obstacle courses, and silent auctions. Planning the space, city permits, and vendor partnerships well in advance has been key to this event’s success.

4. Create Community Buy-In with a Clear Purpose

Connecting participants to Gio’s Garden’s mission is central to our event. In the weeks leading up to the Kick-A-Thon, we play a video in our dojo featuring an interview that tells the story of our connection to Gio’s Garden, the nonprofit’s positive impact, and how funds are used. This video helps families understand the purpose behind the fundraiser. On the day of the event, we invite a representative from Gio’s Garden to speak, adding a face to the impact of the funds raised, which helps energize participants to give their all.

The Impact

Infinity Martial Arts’ Kick-A-Thon has become a highlight of the year, bringing together families, local businesses, and martial arts students for an afternoon of kicks, community, and support. This approach to fundraising is scalable and adaptable for martial arts schools looking to make an impact while instilling values of community and giving in students.

We’re already planning for next year and look forward to building on this year’s success. With a few simple yet impactful strategies, your martial arts school can create a memorable event that both shines a light on a local cause and strengthens your community.

🔥 What’s Kickin’ on Social

The Kick’s pick of the hottest headlines in social this week:

📖 What We're Reading: Winning by Tim Grover

What We’re Reading: Winning by Tim Grover

Tim Grover, legendary coach to icons like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, delivers a no-nonsense guide to achieving greatness in his book Winning. It’s raw, unfiltered, and packed with lessons that can transform not just how you approach your martial arts school, but how you coach your students to unlock their full potential.

Here’s how Winning can shape the way we guide our students:

1. Winning Requires Relentless Focus
   Grover emphasizes that winning is about maintaining focus, even in the face of distractions and setbacks. As coaches, we can teach our students to block out the noise—whether it’s fear of failure, external opinions, or self-doubt. Create drills that build mental toughness and help students focus on incremental improvements rather than immediate outcomes.

2. Success Comes From Pushing Past Comfort
   Grover is known for pushing his athletes beyond their limits. In martial arts, this means challenging students to embrace discomfort. From extra rounds of sparring to mastering a technique they struggle with, instill the mindset that growth happens outside their comfort zone. Push, but always with the intent to uplift and inspire.

3. Winning is Personal
   Grover explains that the path to success isn’t one-size-fits-all. Similarly, as martial arts instructors, we must tailor our coaching to meet each student’s individual needs. Some need encouragement, others need tough love. Learn what motivates each student, and adapt your coaching style to help them thrive.

4. Consistency Beats Talent Every Time
   In Winning, Grover argues that talent without consistency is useless. This is a lesson we must hammer into our students. Show up, put in the reps, and execute even when motivation fades. Celebrate students who consistently show up, no matter their skill level, and use them as examples for others.

5. Winning is a Constant Chase
   One of the book’s standout lessons is that winning isn’t a destination—it’s a continuous pursuit. Once a student achieves their black belt, remind them that it’s just the beginning. Keep them striving for the next level, whether it’s sharpening techniques, learning new forms, or giving back to the school as a mentor.

Tim Grover’s Winning isn’t just a book; it’s a playbook for achieving excellence. By applying its principles, you can help your students build not just physical skills but the mental edge they need to succeed on and off the mat. It’s a must-read for any martial arts school owner who wants to lead their students to greatness.

Grab the Book Here

📬 Have Something That Is Kick Worthy?

We know our readers have great ideas, insights, and stories to share! If you’ve got something that’s "kick-worthy"—whether it’s a success story, a marketing tip, or something that’s helping your school thrive—submit it to us at [email protected]. Your content could be featured in an upcoming edition of The Kick and shared with martial arts school owners around the world!

📅 See you in the next one!

From learning how to make a massive impact with fundraisers to sharpening your coaching strategies with lessons from Winning, we hope you’re leaving inspired, motivated, and ready to level up your school. Keep pushing boundaries, striving for excellence, and making an impact in your community. Remember, the work you do changes lives—one student at a time. Until next week, keep kicking it strong! 👊 👊