Pocono News Section

Kids Train for Mixed Martial Arts

Kids Train for Mixed Martial Arts - Friday, November 6, 2009 at 5:40PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Friday, Nov 6, 2009 @ 05:40pm EST
Williamsport, Lycoming County-

It's wild, violent and very popular. A lot of people watch mixed martial arts- like the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC- on TV.

But you might be surprised to learn how children are becoming involved in what some call a brutally violent sport.

At Shido Seimei Martial Arts in downtown Williamsport, teenage brothers Broc and Tye Wachter grapple on the mat alongside their adult counterparts.

15-year-old Broc noted, "They teach me how to be respectful to others, and older, wiser people teach me how to be better as an older person."

Coach John Powell has about half a dozen young teens in his mixed martial arts classes. And to him, that's a good thing.

He explained, "It keeps them off the streets for one thing. We provide them with a positive, safe environment to train."

16-year-old Dylan Holdren said, "It's helped me become stronger, more disciplined. Everything that's come from it has been good."

To be clear, the kids only train here- in disciplines like judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, and wrestling. They don't compete. And although many begin younger, Powell says 12 is a good age to start.

He explained, "The comprehension level is there. They know that if they yank on somebody's arm or crank their neck too hard, that it's going to cause a problem."

And while Powell believes in the benefits of training kids in mixed martial arts, he doesn't think any minors should take part in full-contact fights. That's a standard with which most lawmakers agree.

In fact, Missouri is the only state in the nation that explicitly allows, and even sanctions, youth MMA competitions.

But in addition to injury concerns, some parents fear kids will take their skills outside the gym.

Lois Pardoe, of Dushore, reasoned, "It's good exercise, but I think they could misuse it if they were angry. If they were mad at somebody they would probably misuse it."

14-year-old Tye Wachter says that's simply not the case. He noted, "I don't need to use it. There's like no reason to use it out of school. You could hurt somebody really bad."

Coach Powell also says that the street thug label sometimes attached to mixed martial artists is a misconception.

He added, "I've seen changes in several kids and even some of the adults I've worked with. It just takes them in a positive direction."

Coach John Powell is an experienced martial artist who's spent nearly two decades teaching karate and MMA.