KDOA
Kick Drugs Out of Alliance
K.D.O.A. is an after school program that teaches self-control, discipline, respect, drug awareness and positive choice making through martial arts. The program stated in 1999 under the direction and cooperation of the Alliance City Schools and the Alliance Police Department. There have been hundreds of local students who have been a part of the program of the last 11 years. K.D.O.A. has been recognized by national media and Martial Artist worldwide for the programs work with children. What makes K.D.O.A. unique from other martial arts programs is that it is FREE for the student if they are current students in the Alliance Local School district. In 2008 the program was opened up to open enrollment students from other school, only charging $50.00 a year per student.
K.D.O.A. is run through donations from the community and some small grants, when they are available. The donations are used to purchase uniforms and safety equipment for the students. The instructors are all volunteers and have a verity of Martial Arts backgrounds, giving the students a chance to learn more than one style of Martial Arts. The students learn Taekwondo, Jujitsu, Aikido and other self-defense techniques through pressure point control styles. The students of K.D.O.A. range from first grade through twelfth grade so learning is based on the students own abilities. On average it takes five years to earn a black belt through the K.D.O.A. system. The K.D.O.A. program stresses that the belt should not be the main goal of Martial Arts, but the student should learn control, respect and the meaning of being a martial artist, just not someone who knows martial arts. With this in mind many of our students take their time earning their belts, and some have taken six to eight years to progress through the ranks.
As K.D.O.A. students progress through the ranks they are given responsibilities of teaching younger students. This works well because now the older student begins to gain confidence in their own abilities, and the new student gains a positive role model. The instructors are always there to make sure that the student instructor is teaching the technique and guiding the new student in the right direction, but we allow the student instructor to build a positive relationship with the new student helping both students gain confidence.
Our students have the opportunity to compete in Martial Arts Tournaments. Over the last 11 years we have had the opportunity to compete in local and national tournaments. Our students, and instructors, have won state and national titles in PKC, ITU and other open tournaments, and have earned the respect of many well known martial art school throughout the country.
Not every student wants to compete so tournaments are not pushed on the student. Currently we have just a few students who compete, where most of our students come to class to learn the foundations of Martial Arts and positive choice making.
Kids want to belong to something bigger. Something they can say they are a part of outside of school. K.D.O.A. gives these kids a safe place to go and have fun learning.
K.D.O.A. stresses “Self-Defense” over fighting. When a person has confidence and self-control in themselves then fighting can be avoided. We teach that fighting is never a good thing, but there are times when you may not be able to run, if you are cornered, or just trapped, then self-defense is needed. The students are taught and it is stressed that self-defense stops when the aggression of the attacker is stopped.
Our students begin learning their self-defense through “one-steps” allowing the student to learn techniques slowly and then build up to well executed techniques.
Students can join K.D.O.A. anytime of the year. This is one of a few school programs that run all summer. We meet on Tuesdays at Northside School, 701 N. Johnson Ave. Alliance, Ohio. Class begins at 4PM and is over at 5:45PM. Parents are always welcome, and are encouraged, to stay and watch the class. Some parents have stepped up and have become volunteers, helping with events throughout the year.
For more information please contact instructors Roy Tittle or Ed Wonner at the Alliance Police Department 330-821-3131 –or- email
Patrolman Roy Tittle- 330.823.0987 ext 2258 (voicemail only) - email
Sgt Edward Wonner - 330.823.0987 ext 2236 (voicemail only) - email