Mission Statement:
To provide comprehensive self-defense education for women and girls.
Our History:
Our initial women’s self defense program began in 2002, around two years before the LADY program was officially formed. Special classes & seminars were held at Walker’s TaeKwonDo to non-martial arts students to address every-day personal safety issues faced by women. Classes were taught by Master Mike Kadrovach, 1st Dan Julie Workman, and other assistant instructors. Classes were popular but time-consuming, held ad hoc, and not well marketed. In late 2004, Julie Workman saw the need to formalize the women’s self defense program and with Master Mike’s blessing and guidance started The LADY Program.
The goal of the new program would be to focus on women but not discriminate against men if they wanted to take a class. It focused on women and girls of all ages and abilities who have no interest in taking a martial arts course. The self defense instruction was based on martial arts techniques without being a martial arts course. Additional non-contact information was covered in the class however the bulk of the class was designed in scenarios assuming that the threat was present and unavoidable.
Naming the program was an important aspect of marketing it. The program name needed to indicate its focused on females of all ages, and self defense while leaving the option open to expand and evolve into other markets. Playing with acronyms the name “The LADY Program” (or The Learn About Defending Yourself Program) was born.
The LADY Program became a Limited Liability Corporation early in October 2004 and classes were structured and marketed. Julie developed and executed marketing strategies as well as designed and taught classes. Master Mike and Julie spent hours training, evaluating, and testing the class structure to make sure it accomplished the program goals. While Julie primarily ran the program, Master Mike became involved in marketing and teaching as needed.
In 2006 The LADY Program was formally dissolved and reformulated as a not-for-profit organization. Instructors Scott Willoughby and Aubrey Adrianson joined the program and helped to ensure it would continue to evolve and grow reaching a greater part of the community. |
