To compete against this, you need to keep your students involved. Below
is a list of things you can do to keep students interested in attending
throughout the summer. Each should be planned well in advance (such as
during spring) so we can get student interest and develop the event. We
also need to publicize the event now so your students will know well in
advance what they will be missing if they skip out on summertime classes.
Holding an "Olympics" at your school consists of a continuing competition
within your school. Your students will compete against the other teams
in a variety of aspects as simple as attendance and as complex as a 15
man relay race over the entire summer. An Olympics will help you increase
your summer retention and provide an opportunity to capture a large number
of new prospects.
How to Set it Up
To set up an Olympics, you need to split up your school into teams.
Having somewhere between three and eight teams is best (depending on your
student count). Each team gets a color assigned to represent them (try
using colored tape on their belt or uniform). Make sure each team have
an equal balance of adults, kids, beginners, and advanced students.
Each team needs two Co-Captains (if the groups are large enough). You
can use adult students who are highly motivated. It would be the captain's
job to keep his/her team motivated and pumped up! This keeps you from being
the only person who has to get after your students who may become tempted
to go swimming as opposed to going to class. You will have other students
to help motivate.
How do you keep score?
You keep score every day, every class. Each time a student is in class,
their team earns a point. In addition to that, the team with the most students
in each class gets an additional point. Then you may award points during
class for exceptional performance, black belt attitude, and perhaps winning
a classroom game.
Next, plan a minimum of two outside weekend events so that the teams
may compete against one another in outdoor competitions. Some of your outdoor
competitions may include: three legged races, relay / obstacle courses,
football throws, jumping contests and basically any other games you can
easily manage.
Double up some of the outdoor events with a school picnic. Invite all
their friends and families to watch and participate in the events.
Generating Prospects
The Olympics are a great way to bring in new prospects during a sometimes
slow season. There are two ways to do this during the Olympics.
Have a buddy week during the Olympics. Give each team member one point
for each buddy that comes in with them that week.
Give each team member one point for every family member or friend that
attends and participates in one of the outdoor events.
Your students will bring you more prospects than you will know what to
do with. It is your responsibility to get them into your program from there.
The Finals
The final day of the event should be an outside event with all the trimmings.
Go all out and make a huge deal out of this day. Talk it up and get everyone
excited about it.
The winning team members should all receive a certificate stating that
they were a member of the 2002 Summer Karate Olympic Champion as well as
whatever prize you have conjured up.
All other team members should receive a certificate as well stating
that they successfully completed or participated in the Summer Olympics.
There should be some form of consolation prize or something that goes to
everyone who participated so they don't feel their efforts were all in
vain
Tips
Keep the scores as close as you can. Work whatever magic you have to. A
good race that brings the teams down to the last week always works best
and keeps everyone motivated to continue to participate.
Plan far ahead! Be sure to plan every event a minimum of four weeks ahead
and continually talk it up in the classes, with parents, emails, and post
the information in the school.
Choose the right captains. This can be the hardest thing to do. You need
to be sure that each captain will be at every event and be very supportive
throughout the summer. Be sure your captains include all their team members
in every event.
The owner / head instructor cannot participate on any team! You are the
head referee and emcee of these events.
A Martial Arts Olympics contain great team building lessons for your students.
Be sure and point that our continuously and use examples.