About
Built around your child — not the belt on the wall.
Side Kicks Karate started with one belief: kids don't need another activity. They need a place where they're seen, challenged, and shown what they're capable of.
How It All Began
How It All Began
At the heart of Side Kicks is a mission to empower kids with confidence and self-belief. I was introduced to martial arts at eight years old to help me overcome a personal disability and extreme bullying, and it forever changed my path.
What began as my parents' way of helping me has evolved into my passion for helping kids in our community grow strong, confident, and resilient.
For over a decade, we've helped hundreds of families across Central New York raise more confident, focused, and respectful kids. Every class is structured. Every child is seen. Every lesson teaches something that matters outside the dojo.
Our values
What we stand for.
Character first
Belts are earned. Character is built. We never trade one for the other.
Every child matters
Small group attention. Real feedback. No child is invisible in our dojo.
Parent partnership
We work with you, not just your child. Real communication, real progress.