Opening an independent gym is no easy feat. From training qualified instructors to sourcing expensive equipment to finding just the right space, most well-meaning entrepreneurs throw in the sweaty towel. But keeping a gym open, growing, and thriving for 30 years? Now that’s something only a tribe of people can come together and make happen.
At least that’s the story according to Jason Kesler, owner of Fishers Elite Martial Arts and Fishers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Boxing. The academy, often referred to as the Tribe based on Kesler’s Native American heritage, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. With 700 dedicated students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, they offer taekwondo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing and Muay Thai classes for teens and adults.
“Since we opened in 1995, we’ve always had a focus on community and family, and growing together,” says Kesler. “We care about our community as a whole, as well as every individual team member.”
Kasi Young, who co-owns the gym with Kesler, started out as a student when she was 10. Now, 28 years later, she’s a seventh-degree black belt and one of the biggest anchors of the community. “She’s always talking to parents, and putting out feelers for problems kids are having at home or school so that we can tailor our teaching to help them with their focus or discipline or coordination or whatever they need,” Kesler says.
With children’s classes scheduled for every night of the week, the gym has become a family affair for many, with little ones hitting the mat before sitting on the sidelines with coloring books to watch their parents train. But the tailored approach isn’t just for the kids.
“We teach from experience,” Kesler says. “There are schools out there that bring in outside instructors, and they teach off a curriculum, and it’s going to be the same class every time. Here, we don’t follow a script, and all of our coaches are trained fighters who have all competed in their area of expertise and take continuing-education classes to keep their skills sharp.”
Kesler says the school aims to meet people wherever they are. “Some people are there simply to lose weight, some are there to learn self-defense, some are there because they want to compete, and some are there because they love the atmosphere and people,” Kesler says. “Everyone is there for a reason, so trying to fill that space for everybody is a fun challenge.”
But why Fishers? In the early 1990s, the now-booming suburb was hardly more than farmland. Community leaders saw the potential for the area to become a powerful sister city to Indianapolis. Fishers Elite Martial Arts not only bought into that promise, but also helped make it a reality. These days the academy participates in Spark!Fishers every year as well as other local events, and hosts many of its own throughout the year.
With integrating themselves into the fabric of the community in so many ways, Kesler and Young have rarely taken a day off, with no plans to do so any time soon.
“A lot of businesses end up running into quality issues, and that’s one reason why we’re still there every single day,” Kesler says. “I know people running schools who are gone for days or weeks at a time, and they become stagnant. Having us as the owners there teaching every single day maintains a personality, and our goal is to continue to maintain that personality for as long as possible. On top of that, the people at the school really are my family. It’s one of the reasons why we do something on Thanksgiving, and why we do something on Christmas. It’s beneficial for the team as a whole to have more options, but it’s also because this is where I want to be and who I want to be with. It truly is my tribe.”
Above all, Kesler is just grateful to be here. Those who take his classes are familiar with his trademark deference, his relentless reminders to get to know your teammates, to come early and stay late, to help him make his tribe a safe, supportive space where people can make lifelong friendships, and occasionally execute a perfect technique.
“If you want to be a part of something great, if you want to be part of the legacy that Fishers Martial Arts has created, if you want a positive environment, this is the place for you,” he says. “You’ll always only get what you put in, but with 700 other students also bringing their best every day, the dividends are limitless.”
“I think one of the biggest lies is that anyone is self-made,” Kesler adds with a smile. “I wouldn’t be an eighth-degree black belt in taekwondo or a second-degree black belt in jiu-jitsu or the president of our national taekwondo organization on my own. Without the help of others, you’re not getting anywhere. It’s like a boat; everybody is the engine, and I’m just the guy up there trying to steer the wheel in the right direction.”
