We receive a lot of inquires about whether children can join the Kendo club and for this reason we have created this FAQ page. Click the questions below.
A: The University states that registrants should be 16 or older. A guardian must sign the release.
Kids younger than 16 have been allowed by the University to join in the past but this is the University's decision and not ours. We are a University club and not an independent business. If the University allows you to register your son/daughter we would ask that it is with the understanding that we instruct adults and he/she should demonstrate the same longer attention span and respect we would expect from our older beginners who are usually University age or older. Children who require some guidance in this area might prefer to join with a parent to guarantee their enjoyment.
Kendo is great for small kids. In Japan and around the world they can start as young as 5 or 6 and they are a hoot to watch. Our experience with young kids attending the class is that our current weeknight schedule usually interferes with sleep patterns and school. We seldom see younger members complete a whole semester.
A: We do not offer a class specifically for children. As such we generally teach adults and the instruction and practice cater to this group. However, our friends at Chinook Kendo Dojo do offer children's classes, so if your child is interested we recommend inquiring with them.
A: Maybe, but the question comes back to the basic fact that the club is not a business and our instructors are just the most senior students who show up on any given practice night. This opens up a variety of questions as far as our motivation to ask unpaid volunteers to teach an additional class, having the right kid-friendly instructor attend on any given night as well as our responsibilities for the students with the possible absence of their parents during class.
If our club was interested in offering a children's class the decision to allow it falls to the University of Calgary and not us.