What began as a college hobby became a way of life for Brookfield martial arts teacher Chad Koch.
“In college, I had a whole group of friends — six of us — that decided we were going to join a tae kwon do club,” Koch said. “By the time I graduated college, it was only myself and one other guy that went all the way to black belt.”
Koch has been a martial arts teacher in Brookfield since 2009, teaching children ages 5 to 12.
“One of the big benefits of martial arts is that it teaches kids focus,” he said. “They start doing better in school because they learn how to persevere through different things, and how to work on them until they start achieving their goals. They also become stronger in their bodies and learn coordination and strength.”
Along with physical benefits, Koch said martial arts teaches larger life lessons.
“There will be times when class is fun and easy, and times when the work is difficult,” he said. “It shows them that life doesn’t always have to be easy, and that difficulties help us build character.”
Koch said that he tries to create communities within his classroom so that it becomes more than just an activity. He said there is no better job for him than being a martial arts teacher.
“It has given me a way to work with children and I love talking to people, learning about people, and giving them advice about their lives,” he said. “It gives me everything I want to do.”
