West America Tae Kwon Do

I checked out these reviews before I started my son here, and realized it’s time I chime in to agree loudly! My son has been attending weekly for about 9 months, and he’s grown immensely while having fun the whole time. Here’s a smattering of what Sensei and his team have given my kiddo in that short time:
–Structure
–Focus
–Increased coordination
–Perseverance
–Self confidence (!)
That last point has been the biggest discovery: West America has this great system where the kids’ hard work is reinforced by notches on their belts, and increased belt levels. They manage in a way that even the slower learners feel proud of their accomplishments, without handing anything out that isn’t deserved. It’s been an incredible boon for our self-​sabotaging worrier.
And as has been said, the whole team welcomes you like family. Warm, loving, and giving. We’re lucky to have found it!

West America Tae Kwon Do is an amazing place. You enter a world where respect and hard work are as important as smiles, gentleness and love. Sensei and all his teachers are incredible, they are all able to teach to the highest level yet also inspire kids to learn from the youngest age. Chantal and Roger Jr. and Patrick are phenomenal as are all the other black belts who teach.
They all modulate their teaching to take into account their student’s ages and abilities and yet they never allow anyone a pass, never allow anyone to not get it right eventually, never allow anyone to fail. And that’s such an important thing, it’s so much harder to teach students who are struggling than those who are excelling and yet that’s what this family does every lesson, every day. No one is left behind, no one is made to feel bad because they take a little longer or were the only one in the class not quite able to get the moves that lesson. Everyone is given things to work on, everyone is praised for something they got right, everyone is challenged. Everyone is made comfortable that they are in a place to learn and make mistakes, everyone moves at their own speed and everyone is helped, every lesson. The instruction is always individual, with an emphasis on challenging yourself rather than conforming to preset norms of progress. There are no favorites, although there are certainly plenty of stars. This dojo is absolutely welcoming to all and yet it seethes with blackbelts — every time you visit you notice a different one, they are everywhere!
There are many amazing teachers but they all follow Sensei and he sets the tone with his wonderful worldly inner strength. I think it’s worth the fees just to be in the same room as Sensei even if you don’t learn Tae Kwon Do. Advanced students at different levels are also encouraged to teach lower levels which enables the classes to be split into smaller groups for more individual attention. Often the ratio of pupils to teachers in a sub group is 2:1 or 3:1 and I’m sure this is how they are able to consistently achieve such an amazing degree of progress with so many students without being a factory. It also benefits those students turned teachers because of course teaching requires you to think even harder about what you know so you can pass it along. At the same time Sensei teaches the teachers and drives the entire class, missing nothing. It’s really amazing to watch.
Sensei’s approach is holistic. Respect, fun, never quit, try hard, try harder, never give up, anything is possible. These are life lessons that everyone needs, adult or child. And that’s kind of the point to Tae Kwon Do, it’s not just about getting fit or winning trophies, competitions or new belt colors. It’s about being a better person when you walk away to the rest of your life. And nothing embodies that more for this family than the amount they give back to the Mill Valley community. Their support of Kiddo and local schools, various kids sports teams and individual Mill Valley events is huge and yet when you know them it becomes unsurprising, of course they want to give back to their community because they are that kind of people. Their lesson and fee structure is also part of this bigger holistic view, they set it so that you can study as much as you want for the same fee because they want you to come as often as you can so they can give you as much as possible. I have no idea how they can make money after their expenses and hard work and yet they clearly believe so much in what they are teaching and how great it is for you.
Of course not everyone becomes a black belt and that’s OK, some students will turn onto a different path as they live their lives, but no matter what belt color you attain you will have gained much that is worthwhile with any amount of your time spent immersed in this pursuit of personal excellence, if only to learn what a fabulous attitude looks like. But if you think that going to Tae Kwon Do is only for those special high achieving focused kids or adults, it’s really not. These guys know how to make a lesson fun, and how to not take themselves too seriously. There is often fun time at the end of a lesson with rewards and frequent minor progress markers to encourage and celebrate. They have a way of pulling the class together at the start and end to focus you and yet they chat and smile at the same time. They want you to succeed and they are there to help you every step of the way, but they never waiver for a second in their high standards and commitment to the way of life that is Tae Kwon Do.
Thank you West America Tae Kwon Do for being part of Mill Valley.

Best of the Best! Lot’s happy people! My daughter loves Chantal. My daughter says Chantal is the best and I agree.

This is a wonderful family run business; and the instructors deeply care about their students and the overall community. The instructors demand discipline from the kids but still have the wisdom to allow the kids at times to play free and wild.

I cannot tell you how much I love West America Tae Kwon Do! The instructors are so amazingly calm, kind and gentle with the children yet the kids know who is in charge. They have given my son so much confidence and they have taught him control and balance. If you are looking for a place for your entire family to feel welcomed then you are at the right place. We felt like we were part of the family as soon as we walked in the dojo. They are so positive and always happy to see you truly a wonderful place to learn the way of the hand and foot.

My 5 year-​old daughter has been attending the West America Tae Kwon Do school for a few months now. She has made remarkable advances in her physical abilities and mental attitude within this short period, not unlike several of her peers from within her school and neighborhood and beyond. This is a highly reputed school that has been running for several decades and has produced several national champions, as noted on their website. At the same time, they have managed to maintain their warm and welcoming attitude and intimate feel. The teachers are all excellent with kids of all ages. They make learning the art fun and inspiring, while instilling values of discipline, respect and focus from an early age. The founder and head of the school, the highly accomplished master Sensei Roger Carlon, maintains to this day his humble disposition and amiable demeanor with one and all. My wife and I feel very fortunate to have access to this wonderful resource for my kids.

Before I sat here in front of my laptop screen, I wondered to myself if I should even write a review of this place. «Why,» you ask? Well, if you were to discover a secret, a hidden gem in California, would you want to tell the rest of the world about it? Or would you keep it to yourself? Well, that is the decision I faced. And as much as I wanted to keep this place a secret of mine, I couldn’t possibly be that selfish. Sensei and the instructors deserve much, much more.
I will be brief. This is an elite TKD school known for their emphasis on perfection. If you give them the effort, loyalty, respect, and commitment, they will turn you into a national champion. There is a reason why the students who decide to compete are highly decorated. This school is also a second home. I will not say why, but sign up and you’ll soon find out why I find the instructors here to be the most sweet, wonderful people in the world.
A TKD studio of this type is a dying breed. It is old school – emphasizing loyalty, respect, discipline. And most importantly, there is a strong emphasis on you. The teaching is sharp and tailored, they will hone in on your form, your strikes, kicks, and perfect it beyond what you ever expected.
And if nothing else, they are just family. Just really, really good people.

I started tae kwon do 7 years ago at West America. My sons, who were 8 and 5 at the time, need me to drive them to the dojang to train. I was sitting there for an hour or so everyday, waiting and watching, and one day, I realized I could also jump into action as a viable way of exercise. I can attest tae kwon do improves my health. My back pain is manageable now, and I gain energy and flexibility, both of which I did not have much before.
I owe it all to Sensei Roger Carlon. His wealth of martial art knowledge, and his meticulous attention to details mold me into the martial artist I am today. He prepared me well for the national competitions. He pushed me beyond my comfort zone for the black belt tests. And most of all, he has become a great friend in life.
I am 53 years old, working on my 3^rd degree black belt. No one said tae kwon do is only for kids, unless you say so yourself. There is no greater feeling in achieving what you once thought impossible. Thanks West America.

I sat in front of my computer for minutes on end trying to figure out how to express in words what I have gained from West America Tae Kwon Do. The truth is, there is no way I could ever describe what a positive impact WATKD has had on me.
Sensei Roger Carlon has trained numerous national champions and state champions, and is able to see, develop, and bring out the very best in all of his students. Roger Carlon is himself a World Champion, and has trained with some of the best known martial artists in the business.
His son and daughter, who also teach at WATKD boast impressive resumes of their own. Both are multiple time national and state champions, who have travelled nationally and internationally to train and compete.
West America Tae Kwon Do is exceptional in that it is an elite martial arts studio, but it has not lost its family feel. My parents started me at WATKD when I was 4 ½ years old, but after a little while, my father thought that TKD would make a great father-​son activity. Fast Forward 17 years, and my father and I are still doing Tae Kwon Do together at WATKD, working our way up through the degrees of black-​belt (although I had to put my advancement on hold while I am off at college). And my father and I are only one of many family groups who are all students at WATKD, Father, mother, and children alike.
There truly are not enough good things I can say about West America Tae Kwon Do. I encourage anybody who is thinking about enrolling themselves, their children, or both, to give it a try.