Tim and Linda Dunaway have opened Green Hills Martial Arts in Gallatin. Call for enrollment at 816-632-5966 or 816-262-7010 (cell).
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Tim and Linda Dunaway will be opening a martial arts academy in Gallatin with classes set to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 5, in the former FSA building located at 1325 W. Grand.
Martial arts isn’t just about kicking and punching. In fact, martial arts uses physical force as a last resort.
"The mental aspects of martial arts is just as important as the physical training," said Tim. "The real joy for an instructor is to see young people gaining confidence and being respectful, learning how to set goals, and developing a level of self control."
The highest goal is to avoid trouble, Tim said: "Even the smaller children who may find it very difficult to fight off an adult attacker can learn to be aware of their surrounding, look for the danger signs, use their voice as a weapon, and avoid precarious situations."
Tim and his wife Linda, also a black belt holder, live on a small farm in southern Daviess County. They have two grown children, a daughter who is a probation officer in Clay County and a son who is a lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Tim was raised on a farm in Farmington. He worked with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for four years and was assigned to Lafayette County. He graduated from Central Missouri State University in 1981 with a degree in criminal justice. He was employed by Missouri State Probation and Parole for nearly 25 years where he was last assigned to Daviess County and the Gallatin area. His last assignment was as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor for Missouri Probation and Parole.
Tim’s interest in Tae Kwon Do began when he was a freshman in college. While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he also trained in Isshinryu Karate while stationed in Okinawa. Following his military service, and due to a few career changes and relocations in the mid to late 1980’s Tim’s martial arts training was briefly put on hold until 1989 at which time he received his black belt in Tae Kwon Do from Independence instructor and school owner, Master Ri Kon Ko.
Prior to opening Green Hills Tae Kwon Do and Personal Safety in Cameron, Tim taught Tae Kwon Do for the Cameron YMCA for a little less than three years. Tim and Linda’s school in Gallatin will be named "Green Hills Martial Arts." Tim’s wife, Linda, will also be an instructor for the Gallatin school.
"Those who come to the martial arts classes come for different reasons," Tim said. "Younger students want it to be fun, but also challenging, the adults and teenagers want to sweat, to learn self-defense, to lose weight and to work on muscle tone. There are different motivations for different age groups of students."
Entering into the martial arts academy is like entering a different world.
"We bow to the instructor, bow to the flag," said Tim. "Students learn respect and discipline and carry that into their schools and their homes and when they’re with their friends."
It’s a learning experience for those who aren’t familiar with the discipline. And it may not be for everyone.
"Some kids may not like saying sir and ma’am," said Tim. "In our school, it’s mandatory."
The tenants of Tae Kwon Do are Courtesy; Integrity; Perseverance; Self Control; and an Indomitable Spirit.
Martial arts can motivate young people to improve in every way. They are taught to believe ‘yes, I can.’ Tim talks about a young girl, about 13, who started with his classes when he was teaching at the YMCA, about five years ago.
"I never heard her speak for the first months," he said. "She was shy, kept her head down, wouldn’t look me in the eye. As time passed she gained confidence and I could physically see the changes taking place in her. Her head raised. Her shoulders straightened. She looked me in the eyes."
The building, which formerly housed the FSA office, has not needed a lot of structural changes. The floors will be padded with mats.
Tim and Linda hope to have one room set aside for parents to use as a work out area while their students are in class.
Tim said he prefers the parents to stay with the students.
"They need to hear what we’re telling the kids," he said. "And to know what we’re teaching them and how we’re treating them. It’s a discipline school, we expect respect. But respect isn’t one sided. It’s reciprocated back to the kids."
"Martial arts is something you can do for a lifetime," said Tim. "And those personal developments continue through life as well."