By Gary Kim Hayes
Special to The Citizen

There are many Martial Arts schools in Fayette County that provide basic training in a particular style of Asian fighting art. Each has its own master or instructor to carefully guide and impart the ancient knowledge to each and every student.

One school in Fayette County, however, can boast something that the others cannot. New Hope Baptist Church has within its walls the New Hope Sports Center and a school called Sam Chong Sa Martial Arts. This school has Five Master Instructors!

When Reverend Al Mead, Associate Pastor of Recreation of the New Hope Sports Center decided to add martial arts to the various sport programs offered at New Hope, he went to one of its members who happens to be one of the most experienced martial arts instructors in Georgia. Senior Master, G.K. Hayes was trained both in Korea and the U.S. and has taught Martial Arts in Georgia for almost 40 years for a wide range of organizations; GA Tech, Clayton State College, Henry County Department of Recreation, and Ford Motor Company, to name a few, and has recently worked with the Army National Guard at bases all over Georgia in a year-long program teaching special hand-to-hand combat techniques to new recruits and soldiers going into battle in the Middle East.

Most of the Instructors at New Hope Martial Arts are ex-military and have studied under Master Hayes continuously for more than fifteen years each. They all have a wide range of experience in the martial arts and now enjoy teaching what they have learned to both adults and children over six years of age.

In addition to the Five Masters there are also four other adult certified blackbelt assistants so that plenty of expert help is always available for each student.

At the school, they teach many different forms of martial arts including: Korean Karate, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Judo, Jujitsu, Aikido, and weapons such as Arnis/Escrima, Bo, Sword, and of course Nunchucka. With an emphases on safety, personal development, discipline and concentration, the class is both fun and rewarding without being intimidating.

Because the program is sponsored by New Hope Baptist Church, they are able to keep the price at a low $50.00 per month with no long term contracts, and yet still provide quality instruction in the Martial Arts. Classes are held each Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm for one hour. Visitors and potential students are welcome to watch or try-out a class for free.
For more information please call New Hope Baptist Church at 770-461-4337.

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