New classes teach special needs kids self-defense skills
IMPERIAL — Kids with special needs in the Imperial Valley now have their own self-defense program.
The Self-Defense Classes for Children with Different Abilities program began Saturday.
Held at Ricochet Rec Center on Aten Road, youths were taught Olympic- style Taekwondo by experienced coaches.
The goal of the program is to teach participants how to be assertive, rather than combative.
The program is hosted in collaboration between Calipatria PAL, Best S.T.E.P. Forward and Ricochet.
The two coaches for the program are Jose Imperial, a teacher at Bill E. Young Middle School in Calipatria, and his son, Jose Imperial Jr.
In years past, Imperial Sr. has held self-defense classes for students at Bill Young.
He volunteered himself and his son to coach the program without any compensation.
The Imperials used hitting bags, floor mats and other equipment to teach the program’s 21 participating kids, who ranged from ages 4 to 17.
The $20 registration fee, as well as the $5 entry fee for each following class, goes directly back into the program to pay for equipment and other expenses, organizer Jackie Estrada-Riddell said.
Over the past two years, Calipatria PAL has developed multiple programs for youth with special needs in the Valley. Previously, it introduced a soccer league, a dance team and a baseball league.
The inspiration to create the program came to Riddell after she realized her special needs son has difficulty being assertive and saying no to certain things.
Suspecting that other local parents are dealing with the same issue, she decided to create the program.
“I want our kids to be able to protect themselves,” Riddell said. “They need to be able to say, ‘I need this to stop.’ It’s not about my kids getting up and trying to fight another kid. It’s all about assertive skills.”
The program is currently capped at 21 spots in order to not overwhelm the two coaches.
Classes will take place bi-weekly each Saturday and will run for the next six months. Those interested in being placed on the program’s waiting list can contact Riddell at inclusionwave@gmail.com.
Like many other parents in attendance Saturday, Crystal Goodrum has placed her son Ryan, 9, in Calipatria PAL’s soccer, dance and baseball programs.
The Calipatria resident believed that enrolling Ryan, who has autism, in the self-defense program would also be a smart next move.
“I think this is such an awesome chance for our kids because we don’t really have this in the Valley, especially for special needs kids,” Goodrum said.
Ryan will be entering middle school in Calipatria next year, which Goodrum took into account when she decided now is the right time him to understand what bullying is.
“With this course, I’m hoping he understands when someone is pushing him or someone’s talking down on him,” she said. “He’ll get more of an idea of, ‘Hey, that’s not my friend,’ because he thinks everybody is his friend. He thinks everybody is great and pure and innocent.”
Among other parents at Saturday’s class was Calipatria resident Yvette Gonzalez.
She had enrolled her son Isaac, 7, in Calipatria PAL’s soccer program, and decided to follow up by entering him in the self-defense program.
Isaac was recently diagnosed with ADHD Combined, meaning he’s usually very active and has a hard time focusing.
Gonzalez enjoyed that Saturday’s class allowed her son to be himself and not stand out from the crowd.
“Here, it’s like they include him with everything, regardless,” she said.