Testimonials

“Sensei Andrew is very patient and well educated in handling my rambunctious five year old. He not only instructs him in martial arts, he teaches manners, non-violent ways to deal with bullies, and how to react if being attacked. I highly recommend Step Forward Martial Arts.”

Zoraida C.

Andrew has the ‘it’ factor for kids, I knew the minute I met him that he possessed a natural ability to capture and motivate children. My son leaves feeling like a million bucks about himself and it is so amazing for me to watch him control the sequence of the katas with great confidence.”

Jenna M.C.

Andrew is phenomenally positive and encouraging with all the children. He can even work with different levels of students in the same class! His patience with slow learners is remarkable.”

S.W.R.

THE BEST CHOICE FOR YOUR CHILD! Sensei Andrew has been an outstanding teacher and role model for my 10 year old son, Jeffrey, since he started taking karate classes at age 4. Andrew has shown endless patience, flexibility and respect toward Jeffrey who has autism.  As a parent facing some unique challenges with my son, I’ve personally found Andrew to be a great source of encouragement. His warm welcoming personality always brightens my day. With Andrew, everyone feels accepted and valued regardless of ability. He teaches his students far more than karate; he teaches them important life skills like self confidence, leadership, and the importance of caring for both the mind and body.  
Andrew has a background in education that shines through in every lesson he gives. Some days are better than others for my son, but even on the bad days Sensei never seems discouraged; he just keeps creating new ways to teach and connect with my child. As a parent of a child with special needs, it warms my heart to see a teacher place such value in my son as a student and an individual. I honestly can’t say enough to recommend Sensei Andrew; he’s the perfect teacher for anyone interested in martial arts, especially kids or anyone with special needs.

Heather B.

Three words I’d use to describe Andrew’s teaching – Respect, Discipline, & Empowerment. My 15 year old daughter holds her head high during her karate sessions. She has grown greatly under Andrew’s instruction. I, myself, have grown to see past the “labels” and see her  strength & her skills. She is a powerful young lady and walks proudly because of the teaching of a wonderful instructor named Andrew Ragazzo.

Mary P.

Nathaniel is our autistic son. We, his parents, decided it would be good for him to take Martial Arts. We have personally studied martial arts and are familiar with how it can shape a person. When we decided upon martial arts, we had a list of things we wanted Nathaniel to get out of martial arts. We wanted him to learn self confidence, structure, discipline, sportsmanship, and have fun.

Sensei Andrew has been Nathaniel’s teacher since he started studying Karate. Sensei Andrew has a remarkable ability to redirect Nathaniel to put his attention on the class. He does this in a way that Nathaniel becomes involved and enjoys the class while learning. We have found that Nathaniel improves a little in almost every class he takes. Sensei Andrew is a remarkable teacher and has the personality to reach special needs kids where they are at. We are completely happy with his teaching and ability to instruct our son.

Kim and Bill V.