Use badges as rewards and retention tools
Only some martial artists, styles or schools are comfortable using badges, which we recognise. However, if you are comfortable using badges, there are several ways to use them.
Recognition of a New Skill or Physical Ability
A skill-specific badge is a great way to recognise somebody achieving an acceptable skill level. Sometimes, it can be hard to retain students over the Winter months, so you could implement a simple program where each student chooses a new martial arts or physical skill to learn over the Winter. If they develop an acceptable level of skill in it, they are awarded a badge for it.
For example, you could choose a range of kicks, and each student could practice that kick (and possibly various combinations using that particular kick) for several months until they can demonstrate it for a badge award.
Longevity in Training
Even one year is a large part of a child’s life. Consider a child aged nine who starts training with you. A year later, they turn ten and are still training. That is 10% of their life.
You could award a “1 Year” badge to award this commitment. Not only does that child think that their commitment over that year has been recognised, but it also motivates other, newer students to stick around to receive their one-year badge.
When the student reaches two years of training, a 2-year badge can be awarded to replace the 1-year badge, and so on.
Care would also need to be taken to ensure that a student has completed a full year of training. This could involve attending a minimum number of classes during a year for the badge to be awarded. Suppose a student trains for a year and hasn’t participated in enough classes to qualify for a badge. In that case, the outstanding number of classes must be attended before the badge is awarded.
Role in the School or Club
When I attended a recent martial arts event, it was interesting to see a number of Karate clubs there with members displaying “Senpai” or “Dai Senpai” badges. So, badges are also making their way into the more traditional martial arts schools.At some stage in a school’s growth, numbers become such that you must appoint assistant instructors and other full instructors. Having some form of alternative uniform or badge to distinguish them from other students allows for their role and input in your school to be recognised.
Badges are a cheaper and often more convenient way to display specific roles within your school than having alternative uniforms for these roles.
They also serve a practical purpose in demonstrating to a prospective new student or the parent/guardian of a child student who to approach if they need information.