My two sons and I attended the academy for many, many years. One of my sons had special needs, including some social challenges and physical incoordination. He attended from a young age until he graduated from high school. His time spent there benefitted him greatly, both socially and physically. We ALL had a great experience there, including my learning disabled son who always felt welcomed and accepted. We had fun, advanced our skills and enjoyed working out there as a family. We were there at least 3-4x a week for years. My kids loved going there. ALL the instructors there were great. They were friendly, respectful, knowledgeable and able to teach effectively. ANY suggestion that Gary is not compassionate or understanding of children with differences is NOT what we've experienced personally AND observed with other children with challenges (there were several that attended through the years while we were there the for children's classes, adult classes and private lessons). Gary and his instructors work with ALL kids in a very positive and fun way. I am a health professional with significant experience and knowledge of how to work with children with differences. TBBA was very accommodating to REASONABLE requests and modifications. Keep in mind that not EVERY child will benefit from karate or participating in the type of environment that a karate school provides. In some cases, a different type of activity or environment might be a better fit for some children and what they need and enjoy. I would have NO hesitation to recommending ANY child attend on a trial basis to see if they like the sport and want to continue. Troy Black Belt Academy is a family friendly business and I thank Gary and his staff for all the great memories we have from attending there! read more