Northstar Martial Arts

“I truly believe that the lessons he has learned over the last 3 1⁄2 years at karate will continue to help him succeed in school and later in life.”



Confidence Learned Early


Master McShane,

I have been meaning to tell you how much my boys and I enjoy taking karate. For years, I have known how much of a difference you and Mr. Hesser have made in George’s life. He struggled through kindergarten and part of what helped him through is the confidence and self esteem that you have helped instilled in George. He was able to succeed throughout 1st grade and is confident going into 2nd grade. I truly believe that the lessons he has learned over the last 3 1⁄2 years at karate will continue to help him succeed in school and later in life.

When Andrew was close to old enough, you took him on too. I know he was/is probably too young, but you and your staff work with him and make him successful also. The kindness and caring you have all shown to my children is well beyond what we expected when we first joined your school.

After watching George’s classes, I often thought about trying karate myself. When Andrew signed up, I decided to give it a try. As nervous as I was, you and your staff made me feel comfortable. Over the past few months, I have noticed so many chances in myself. I definitely enjoy the workout. You push me to do things I never thought I could or would do. Both my husband and I have noticed a greater level of confidence in myself. I wish that I had known the self defense techniques years ago.

Thank you again for all you, Mr. Hesser and the rest of the staff have done for my family,

Megin Sechen, Baltic CT

Does one or more of these describe your child?

…Trouble Sitting Still or Listening? Maybe your child has been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, maybe not. Either way, he has a hard time sitting still or concentrating long enough to get something done. This can be really frustrating, especially if you’re getting calls from school about his behavior.

Would it help your child to have focus? How would your child’s life change if they not only began to concentrate, but had the desire to learn the skills of concentration and focus?

…Disrespectful? Maybe with you, maybe with teachers or with others she should listen to. Maybe it comes in the form of talking back, or just a sense of resistance. This can be alarming, especially if she isn’t even a teenager yet. The pattern of disrespecting authority can start early.

What if your child wanted to be respectful? What if it’s a skill they were interested in developing, and would continue getting better and better?

…Getting Bullied? Bullying is not just a right of passage through childhood, and it’s worse now than it ever was. Did you know that bullies actually have a build in “radar” for searching out easy targets? If your child is being bullied, it’s extremely likely that they are unconsciously “sending signals” that attract bullies like sharks.

There are also signals that repel or discourage bullies. Does your child know them?

…Little Self-Discipline? She’s smart and capable, but just won’t listen. The constant reminders are piling up and still nothing is getting done. You try to be strict with her, you try to reward her, but it doesn’t work all the time. Symptoms of a lack of self-discipline can show up as:

- Over-eating, usually junk food.
- A reluctance to exercise or play outside.
- Incomplete homework, resulting in bad grades even though they’re smart enough.
- Messiness, in their room, belongings, and appearance.

How would it feel to watch your child begin to set goals, take pride in his or her appearance, and to do the right thing without being told?

… Bad temper? Maybe he can’t stop putting his hands on other kids, or has developed a nasty habit of taking out his anger inappropriately. Or he’s talking back to you. Your threats and punishments aren’t working anymore and you need more leverage. Are you worried that things can only get worse?

What if your child could channel that negative energy into something constructive, week in and week out? If they had a positive outlet and were actually learning the skills necessary to control themselves?

…Overly shy? It’s natural for kids to be shy sometimes, but do you worry that her shyness may go deeper? Some warning signs are uneasiness in speaking with adults, or difficulty making and keeping friends. What does it mean if your child prefers video games or the internet to playing with other kids? Do you worry that the social habits they develop (or don’t develop) now will affect them later in life?

If they could only have the confidence they need. What would happen if your child suddenly felt better about herself? How would it be if he could look adults in the eye and speak with confidence? How would this ability help him later in life?

… A Habit of Quitting? Does your child seem unmotivated or easily bored? Maybe he plays sports and doesn’t excel at them or even enjoy them, participating only long enough for the novelty to wear off. He doesn’t seem to stick with anything for very long, jumping from one thing to another and never following through. Even worse, what if he carries this habit into college, his career, or even marriage?

If they found something they liked, and had a real reason to stick with it, would that do it? What if it was something you could work on together, to set a goal and help your child achieve it, being next to them every step of the way?

… None of the Above. Maybe your child is doing great. You feel really lucky as a parent to have a kid like that. It’d be great to see her focus her talent, creating some great habits at an early age to help her succeed in the future.

Would you like to see your child developing even more focus, self-discipline, respect, and self-control in a structured activity?

Your Child + Confidence + Character = UNSTOPPABLE


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Dear Parent –

My name is Charlie McShane. I’m the Master Instructor at Northstar Martial Arts in Norwich, CT. I’ve been teaching kids for a long time, and I think I can help you if you’re serious about equipping your child with some real life-skills.

I’ve seen it over and over again. A parent is seeing a specific problem in their son or daughter. Maybe it’s a lack of respect, inability to listen, or shyness, and they need help. They’ve tried threatening, punishment, bargaining – and none of it has worked. Within weeks of starting martial arts classes, the habit begins to disappear, and even be replaced by new skills.

It’s happened before… a parent comes to me, holding back tears, and tells me they can’t believe what my karate program has done for their child.

When this happens, I always wonder the same things. What would this child have been like if they’d never had the martial arts experience? If they’d never learned to truly focus or set goals? If they’d skipped this part of their development entirely and gone through life, never understanding self-discipline or self-control? Or worse, never having had the confidence to try?

Sometimes my imagination is confirmed when I run into an ex-student. Maybe they’re in high school, college, or even beyond college – and they tell me THEY can’t imagine what it would have been like to not have had martial arts in their lives. That they don’t even know where they would be today if they hadn’t had that structure and positive reinforcement as a kid.

It makes what I do at my little karate school seem very, very important. That’s why I take it seriously when someone like you comes to me looking for help.


Susan Blinderman, Karate Mom and 19 years in early childhood education, Norwich CT

You’ve heard that the martial arts teach RESPECT, CONCENTRATION, and FOCUS. Is this true? Actually, NO.

I’m not kidding. In most Dojos, if those things are gained in the process of learning martial arts, it’s merely a BYPRODUCT.

In other words, it’s almost an accident.

It’s true that almost every Dojo you walk into will have those things written on the wall, not to mention in their advertising and websites. But honestly, from an insider’s view, it’s mostly decoration. Most instructors do not have an intentional, strategic, proven system for actively teaching these lessons to children.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that these types of martial art schools aren’t good for kids. In fact, I think everyone during their lifetime should experience the benefits of a martial arts program. I’m also not saying that dojos that don’t have an intentional, systematic character-curriculum are bad.

What I am saying is that I take your goals seriously. If my job is to help teach your child CONFIDENCE, RESPECT, SELF-CONTROL, and SELF-DISCIPLINE, I’m going find, use, or develop the very best methods for doing so.

So I Went Looking For The Best Martial Arts Program Out There For Helping Kids…

…And I Didn’t Have To Look Very Long.

Another instructor I’d known for 10 years was having GREAT success impacting his community of North Attleboro, Massachussetts. Master Paul Garcia is considered a “Teacher of Teachers” among martial artists. He’s one of the most respected martial arts instructors in the United States, and has put together a program specifically DESIGNED to teach kids the important things in life. Called the “America’s Best Defense System”, Master Garcia has consolidated years of martial arts experience, motivational concepts, and the life-lessons of the world-famous ICAN Program into the hottest karate program for kids. What this means is, at Northstar Martial Arts, your child will receive a premier martial arts education in a PROVEN system.

Would You Like Your Child To Grow Up Having:

• THE CONFIDENCE to believe in themselves, even when no one else does.

• THE CONCENTRATION to center their attention on what’s important.

• THE SELF-DISCIPLINE to do the right thing without being told.

• THE INTEGRITY to live by principles and stick to their word.

• THE RESPECT to show kindness and courtesy to others.

• THE SELF CONTROL to manage their anger, to keep their hands, feet, and mouth to themselves, even when scared, angry, or upset.

• THE FOCUS to block out distractions in their life and concentrate on one thing at a time.

• THE ABILITY TO SET GOALS, to decide what they want in advance and strategically work towards it.

• THE PERSEVERANCE to keep going, even when school, work, marriage, or life gets hard.

• THE POSITIVE ATTITUDE to think in terms of opportunity and possibility, not negativity or “not good enough.”

• THE FITNESS to live a healthy, energetic life, free of the worries that come with bad exercise habits.

With The America’s Best Defense martial arts system, your child will experience a cutting edge program that is continually refined using the latest in Child Psychology, Coaching, and Character Development. This means that the improvements your child makes will not be “happy byproducts”, but something intentionally “trained and ingrained”, and used into adulthood.

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Bill Longton, Northstar Martial Arts Dad, Norwich CT

So What’s My Story? Why Is This So Important To Me?

Because my parents were probably like you. They knew their child needed help but weren’t sure of the best way to get it. In their case, they couldn’t figure out how to build my confidence and get rid of the self-esteem problems I had. It must have been tough for them.

Not that I was a bad kid. In fact, not at all. I got good grades and rarely got in trouble.

But BOY was I shy. Painfully shy and sensitive – and I knew it. I was paralyzingly aware of my awkwardness. I had zero confidence when it came to anything social. I had trouble speaking to adults. I was picked on in school. And when kids made fun of me, a chubby kid with big glasses, I BELIEVED what they said. Team sports were sheer torture. I was so non-aggressive and uncoordinated, there was barely a reason for me to be on the field. As a moving target for bullies, I got beat up a couple times.

And all this BEFORE I was a teenager.

Not only did my shyness persist as I got older, it intensified. As my self-esteem got worse, so did the bullying. You can imagine what high school was like.

My mother knew that I was having trouble and she looked into a lot of different options to help me out. The ONLY one that stuck was martial arts.

Even training as a young teenager at Middlesex Tang Soo Do in Old Saybrook, I was still intensely shy. In fact, the first three years I trained, I didn’t talk to anyone. I literally DIDN’T TALK. But Master Voelker and Master Jacobs were patient, and as my confidence grew, I slowly came out of my shell. They must have seen something in me that the teachers at school didn’t, because they asked me to start helping them teach kids classes.

Before long, I saw how much martial arts could help kids like me, and knew it would be my career. To this day, I like teaching all types of kids, but I get the most out of helping the shy ones. I believe that shyness is natural in most people up to a point, but if a child doesn’t learn how to manage it, it can truly become debilitating. That’s why I feel martial arts is so much more than kicking and punching.

Only a few years after that tough high school experience, I was a multi-time national and international karate champion, and in business for myself, helping kids learn the things that had been so important for me.

18 Reasons Your Child Will Excel In My Martial Arts Classes:

1 - The Encouragement That Comes With A Positive Environment: Our school attracts quality people. It’s kind of weird, but not really a mystery that only nice people stick around this place. The parents who come to our Dojo are raving fans of their kids, but also of everyone else’s kids. It’s not uncommon for our entire seating section to burst into a round of applause for a child who got a good report card. Now THAT’S positive. If it truly “takes a village”, then THIS little school is a village.

2 - The Strong Reinforcement of Parental Involvement: One thing you’ll notice when you come into my little Dojo is that we have a lot of chairs for spectators. There are martial arts schools out there that don’t want you to stay and watch classes because they think it’s distracting. However, here’s what I’ve found in 12 years of teaching: The kids who get the most out of our program also happen to have the parents who are most involved. This isn’t a coincidence. I encourage you to not just drop your child off, but to stay and be involved. Trust me, your child will notice how much attention you give their efforts in class, and they will LOVE YOU for it.

3 - The Structure of a Proven System: The America’s Best Defense program is mapped out, start to finish. The path from White Belt to Black Belt and beyond is designed to keep your child motivated and on track. They will understand that accomplishment comes from hard work and focus, both in and out of the Dojo.

4 - The Feeling of Praise & Recognition: Ever find yourself only noticing or acknowledging when your child messes up? At our Dojo, we LOOK for the good, and when we see it, we make it a big deal in front of everybody. The best (and some say only) way of creating a confident child is by building on their successes, no matter how small.

5 - Applicable Life Lessons: As I mentioned earlier, we take a proactive approach to teaching your child the things that are so important in life: Self-Control, Discipline, Concentration. These lessons are verbally taught in every class – and not only that, they are woven into everything we do. To truly own these character qualities, I believe that your child needs to experience them, not just be lectured on them.



Allen Iott, Northstar Martial Arts Dad for over 5 years, Groton CT

6 - A Teamwork Between Parents and Instructors: You’ll find that an alliance between you and someone your child “idolizes” (like a Karate Instructor) goes A LONG WAY. We have this cool “secret” method we use to keep your child on the right track, and it REALLY works.

7 - Accomplishment Through Positive Reinforcement: Ever hear that “Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions”? At the heart of teaching is communication, and when we “catch” your child doing something right, we let them know about it. It’s all about positive attention.

8 - The Importance of Staying Fit: It’s crazy how big of a problem childhood obesity is in this country, never mind what happens when that obesity carries on into adulthood. Our classes are physical as well as mental. Your child will break a sweat in every class.

9 - Positive Friendship and Socializing: A lot of my students have told me they’ve met their best friends here. Beats wondering what kind of kids your children are hanging out with at school, right? And not only that, a lot of their parents have found great friends too.

10 - The Influence of Great Role Models: Kids are going to find role models no matter what. There’s Paris Hilton, there’s Britney Spears, and Reality TV. We’re not exactly dealing with the Cleavers anymore. But there’s also Mr. Xiloj, Mr. Tworzyanski, Ms. Fritz, Mr. Gurguis, and Tevin J. – 5 high school-aged Junior Instructors that are “larger than life celebrities” to a lot of our young students. These kids set a great and attainable example, because they were once 5 and 6 year old white belts too.

11 - BECOMING a Great Role Model: This is truly awesome. In martial arts classes, the longer your child trains, the higher their belt color goes. Everyone with a colored belt is required to be a role model for lower-ranked students. This means that your child will become a leader through experience, and understand the importance of setting a good example for others.

12 - A Sense of Challenge: Karate is fun. It’s a lot of fun. But it’s serious too, and that’s perfect. Our program comes equipped with a series of obstacles and hard-won goals. As adults, we know that life doesn’t get easier after childhood, and sometimes it helps knowing that you have what it takes to tough it out and come out on top.

13 - The Motivation of A High Energy Environment: Everything is so fast now. Txt’ing, email, internet, etc. Kids are used to having things “high speed.” In our classes, we keep things moving. There’s no time for boredom when your child is jumping, kicking, spinning, blocking, and punching, and learning.

14 - The Habit of Setting Goals. There was a Harvard study conducted in the 1950s, tracking incoming students and their goals, and then revisiting these same students 20 years later. They found that the 3% who actively kept, wrote down, and revised their goals were financially worth more than the 97% of their classmates who didn’t. Martial Arts is BASED on goals, both short term and long term, with specific action steps in between. Is this something you’d like to see your child learn at a young age? Do you wish you had learned it at a young age?

15 - The Confidence that comes with Self-Defense. There’s a certain attitude that comes with knowing you can handle yourself in almost any situation. Before, I mentioned that bullies have a built in “radar system” for detecting easy targets. When your child has the quiet understanding that he or she can handle whatever most bullies can “dish out”, they no longer show up on that radar and are almost “Bully Repellant.”

16 - A Sense of Accountability. This is cool. Did you know there is a very noticeable difference between Asian and Western pedagogy (teaching methodology)? Here in the West, it’s the teacher’s responsibility to make sure their students learn. In Asia, it’s the student’s responsibility. In other words, the teacher will show up to teach, but it’s up to you to learn and understand the material. At Northstar Martial Arts, we’re right in the middle. We teach and coach each student, but we also leave a certain amount of responsibility on their shoulders, at any age. So not only will your child learn martial arts, they will learn how to proactively learn, and carry this work ethic along with them wherever they go.

17 - The Benefits of Healthy Competition. Don’t misread this: We’re not a Tournament School. Some karate schools want their students to compete in tournaments every weekend. At NMA, we might go to 2 tournaments A YEAR. If you’re looking to have your six year old become the next karate star or cage sensation, we’re not the school for you. However, healthy competition is great, and we foster this type of spirit in every class. It’s one of the best ways to help your child perform at his or her best, until they are mature enough to understand that the true competition is with themselves.

18 - The Help of Parent Coaching Seminars. We’re really proactive when it comes to teamwork. The best way to help your child succeed is to have a strategic support system to guide them. I hold regular Parent Coaching Seminars to teach parents how to make their kid’s martial arts experience the best it can be. We cover “The Do’s and Don’t’s of Being a Black Belt Parent,” “The Green Belt Blues”, and “The Black Belt Success System” as well as many other secrets to keeping your child on track in the Dojo and in life.

EN ESPANOL


Mirtha Yraita-Montes, Northstar Martial Arts Mom, Norwich, CT

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Northstar Martial Arts Instructors

Master Instructor - Charlie McShane



• 4th Degree Master in Pyong Hwa Kunin Tang Soo Do under Kwan Jang Nim Steve Voelker and Master Ken Jacobs
• 4 stripe Blue Belt in Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (awarded by Royce Gracie, November 2001)
• F.I.G.H.T. Instructor under Mike Lee Kanarek
• 1st Kyu Brown Belt in Shio Karano Jujitsu
• America’s Best Defense System with Master Paul Garcia

Master McShane has traveled all over the US and to England to study and compete in martial arts, as well as learn modern teaching and motivational techniques. He has Captained 2 United States Competition Teams, one in Forms and one in Sparring.

He has conducted Martial Arts presentations for the Norwich, Preston, Montville, Baltic, Canterbury, North Franklin, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, Essex, and North Stonington public school systems. Master McShane has been a full-time, professional martial artist for 12 years, and has taught self-defense at the Naval Base in Groton.

Master McShane is a “Competent Communicator”, awarded by Toastmasters International for public speaking. He also hosted local TV show “Enter The Dojo”.

He periodically hosts “Parents as Coaches” seminars, informative events to help you bring out the best in your child through martial arts lessons.

Master McShane is available for speaking engagements at schools and many other gatherings. For info, email him at northstar.info@yahoo.com




Head Instructor - Josh Hesser

• 3rd Degree Black Belt in Pyong Hwa Kunin Tang Soo Do.
• Purple Belt in Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (awarded by Rodrigo Gracie, June 2007).
• Internationally ranked grappling competitor (NAGA)

Mr. Hesser has studied martial arts for over 9 years and has been a professional instructor for 4 years. His specialties are teaching children, self-defense, and grappling. He has assisted in training the Hartford Police in unarmed combat techniques.

Mr. Hesser has the unique ability to really communicate with kids and specializes in working with beginners.

“We looked into many karate schools before we chose NMA.”

Master McShane~

Just a brief note to thank you and your team at NMA for the positive influence you have had in our son’s growth and development. Frankie has loved the classes from the minute he stepped onto the mat with Mr. Hesser, almost three years ago!

The unique ability of yourself and Mr. Hesser to handle each child with individualized care is amazing. NMA emphasizes respect, confidence, self control, intensity, discipline, commitment, and so many fundamental values. And all instructors reinforce these in lessons every day, in a fun atmosphere. The standards are high, and that high standard is also evident in the student instructors. Many of the student/instructors have the maturity and skill to teach “Little Dragons”, Kids BBTC, and/or an adult group with such ease; and it is so satisfying and fun to watch the dynamics between the instructors and students.

There are often community demonstrations, NMA / family get togethers, events and Karate camps that make NMA more than just getting “the next belt.” There is a great sense of community among the parents, students and instructors and each event brings us closer. Master McShane’s involvement with many civic groups is a great example of his leadership. He is always willing to take time to help, whether individual or an entire school.

We looked into many karate schools before we chose NMA. We knew from the beginning that Master McShane and Mr. Hesser were and are dedicated to bringing out the best in each student, every day.

Thank you!

Frank & Ellen Lewis, Lisbon

Karate is a “boy thing” right? Do you teach girls?

Karate is not a “boys only” thing. In fact, girls excel at martial arts, sometimes more than boys. I have quite a few girls in my classes, and they do great.

Will karate make my kid aggressive? Will he fight a lot?

It’s a little counterintuitive, but kids who are very “hands on” or often get into fights usually do so far less after getting involved in martial arts. It’s simple: that aggressive urge is positively channeled in karate class. Whatever they’re trying to prove in the neighborhood or schoolyard is dealt with in the structured environment of our classes. Not to mention, self-control is constantly reinforced in our classes.

Is Northstar Martial Arts a Licensed Martial Arts School?

Yes. Our State of Connecticut Health Club License is #HCL.0000754. Many martial arts schools are unlicensed! If this is important to you, make sure you ask at any school you visit.

Do you work with ADD/ADHD kids?

Definitely. In fact, referrals to my Dojo by school counselors and therapists are huge. Some of our most talented kids are ADD/ADHD. And by the way, we don’t judge it as a disorder here, just a difference. It’s interesting to see how many ADD diagnosed kids are also the most intelligent and gifted.

I heard that Tae Kwon Do / Kung Fu / Kenpo / Judo / Whatever is the best/worst for kids. Is that true?

No. I’d go so far as to say that the style doesn’t matter that much – it’s the Instructor that counts, and his or her ability to motivate and communicate with your child. You should never join a dojo just for the style. And you should never, NEVER enroll at a school if you don’t trust or connect with the Instructor. Take your time choosing the right one.

I want my kid to be a Cage Fighter. Will you help me?

No.

Karate is good for kids getting bullied. But my kid IS the bully. Will karate make him worse?

No way. Here are a couple things I’ve learned about bullies over the years and it also applies to “class clowns” and “problem kids”:

1) They’re almost always smart.
2) They’re ALWAYS way more sensitive than they seem.
3) They’re usually bored in school because they’re smart, or sensitive to not getting enough attention.
4) They’re usually hurting.
5) Their parents and/or teachers acknowledge their “problems” and “labels” in front of them (something we never do here).
6) I’ve mentioned “Bully Radar.” I have bully radar too. I can sense these kids, but you’ll notice when they get into my school, they’re NOT THE SAME KID as they are elsewhere. That’s because we give them a “new name.” Kids who used to act out usually become “stars” at my school.

Is your school right for my child?

Honestly, maybe not. Here are a couple reasons you may want to look elsewhere:
1) We’re not a “hobby” school. We’re not here to fill the space between soccer and baseball season. We’re year round, and we’re more involved than a simple after-school activity.
2) We’re not a tournament school. If your ultimate goal is to see your child win tons of trophies and medals and stuff, our priorities probably don’t match.
3) We don’t give belts away. Your child will be held accountable for earning what he or she receives. The higher in rank your child gets, the more demanding the requirements. We’ll help as much as we can, but ultimately your child’s success is up to them.

Because your child’s education is so important to you, it’s critical to make the right decision when looking for a martial arts school. If my school is not the right fit for you, I’ll be more than happy to recommend another school in the area.

“The lessons that Conor learn at Northstar will help to shape the teen and adult that he’ll become.”


“After investigating and observing over a dozen martial arts schools, I signed my four year old son Conor up at Northstar, after watching just one kids class. The program content and format are unparalleled, and the instructors abilities to connect with the kids is amazing. But what really got me though, is that karate is just a piece of what is taught. The emphasis is on developing self confidence, setting a good example for other kids to follow, and taking responsibility for yourself. The lessons that Conor learns at Northstar will help to shape the teen and adult that he’ll become. He’ll be a student here for years to come!”

John Gagnon
Owner, John Gagnon’s Pet Resort
Colchester, CT


John believes so strongly in the benefits of the classes at Northstar Martial Arts that he offers to pay 100% of the tuition for his employees. He considers NMA his company’s “health club.”