Confidence Club Martial Arts Builds Skills, Strength & Support for All Ages
Cameron Smith has been involved in martial arts since he was 5 years old. It set him on a course that would result in a lifelong passion — both for himself and giving back to others.
“When I was a teen, I’d do martial arts with my dad and brother,” Smith says. “It was good bonding time and as a teen in high school, I was just trying to navigate my own life. It kept me busy and out of trouble. I wasn’t a very athletic person and I wasn’t very social. Martial arts forced me to come out of my shell. I would talk to fellow peers and step into small leadership positions like helping other students.”
As a teen, Smith knew he wanted to work in martial arts full time and, furthermore, he wanted to create something of his own. Throughout his 20s, he worked for another instructor, but by the time he was approaching his 30s, Smith made the leap, launching Confidence Club Martial Arts in Avon in 2018.
At Confidence Club, the program is tailored to each individual and what they’re hoping to accomplish.
“I have parents who train with their kids or grandparents who get involved,” Smith says. “I’m never pushing someone past their physical limitations. I have a black belt grandmother who started out taking her grandson, and she saw it as an opportunity to spend time with him. But even when he began pursuing other sports, she stayed, and it’s her thing now.”
There are different classes for different levels, spanning from beginners to advanced, and students at all levels have the opportunity to participate in competitions if they wish.
Tae kwon do is the only Olympic-recognized martial art, introduced in the 1980s and made official in the early 2000s. It includes fitness and self-defense aspects along with other skills such as technique and self-growth.
“Every three months or so, there are promotions,” Smith says. “It’s a tough test, and it should be earned and not given. If you pass each time, it takes about two and a half years to get from the white belt to the black belt. Sometimes people feel like they’ve achieved what they set out to accomplish, and they begin to pursue other things. Others continue up the ladder, but whatever your choice is, you have 100% of my support, and you’re always welcome to come back.”
There’s a long-lasting effect once one gets involved in martial arts, according to Smith.
“The respect you share for one another and the camaraderie really turned me into the person I am today,” he says. “I love seeing the effect it can have on a child, teen or adult as they build self-assurance, self-esteem and confidence. It really changes you.”
He goes out of his way to support that growth.
It doesn’t always come easy. Smith has approximately 150 students weekly, and the process comes with some feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. But like all successes, when students stick with it, there comes a time when everything clicks.
“It’s when a student realizes, ‘I really enjoy this.’ There’s a newfound willingness to learn and train harder when they walk through the door,” Smith says. “Some walk in with that attitude, but many start out timid and struggle, and they kind of have one foot out the door — and then one day, everything turns. Now, those students are helping teach the class with me.”
He also strives to offer options for every age, ability and circumstance. Classes are offered for individuals who are neurodivergent, focusing on each person’s skills and how they learn best.
Additionally, the Purple Belt program brings in individuals affected by domestic violence.
“We started this program in 2020 during the pandemic,” Smith says. “Any child, teen or adult who has been affected by domestic violence and is in need of a scholarship for free training is welcome. It was prompted by the news stories and articles about people stuck at home in unfortunate and unsafe environments.”
To date, Confidence Club has given more than $10,000 worth of free training under the program. Proceeds from T-shirt sales with Confidence Club’s logo go toward the scholarship. Local businesses occasionally partner with them for a fundraiser, and individuals often donate.
“I donate private lesson fees to the scholarship too — anything we can do to help fund this scholarship and keep people coming who not only want it but need it,” Smith says.
It’s what he knows martial arts can do for each individual that keeps Smith pushing forward.
“We want to be a safe space for everyone,” he says. “Sometimes home isn’t the best. I have young teens that will spend the whole day here, and we form a family of sorts. With the support of friends and parents, we’re all able to become closer and help each other.”
