Karate USA Takes the Field at the Burlington Sock Puppets

On the evening of July 14, Karate USA took over the outfield at Burlington Athletic Stadium for a night with the Burlington Sock Puppets. Our students performed a live demonstration in front of the crowd, we got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and then everybody stayed to watch some baseball.

It was one of those nights that reminds you why we do this.

The Demo Team on the Field

Students from across the school came out — white belts who started a few months ago standing shoulder to shoulder with green belts, red belts, and black belts. They lined up on the grass in the evening sun, ran through basics and forms in front of a full stadium, and held their focus the entire time.

Performing in front of strangers is genuinely hard, especially for our youngest students. Every one of them stepped up. If you have ever wondered what Tang Soo Do training actually builds in a kid, it looks a lot like a seven-year-old holding a front stance in front of a few hundred people and not flinching.

The First Pitch

Throwing out the first pitch at a ballgame is a genuine honor, and we were thrilled the Sock Puppets asked us. The video below is short — blink and you'll miss it — which is roughly how it felt at the time, too.

Thank You, Sock Puppets

A big thank-you to the Burlington Sock Puppets organization for hosting us, to their mascot for being an extremely good sport during the group photo, and to every Karate USA family who came out to cheer. Nights like this are the fun side of a martial arts school — the part that happens off the mat.

Want to Train With Us?

Our students in these photos come from Mebane, Burlington, Graham, Hillsborough, and all over the area. If your child watched something like this and said "I want to do that," we would love to meet you.

We offer kids, teen, and adult Tang Soo Do classes, and your first class is free. Get in touch and come see a class in person.

Photos From the Night