BUSINESS & PROFESSICi

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Follow Your Passion

Skiora's own experience led to co-ownership of karate school.

Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

M

atthew Sikora of

Farmington Hills has
been studying martial arts

since he was 4 years old.
Now, at 23, he's running his own dojo,

"Respect is the biggest thing," said
Sikora, who seems atypically focused,
polite and organized for someone so
young. "This impacted me. Now I find
teaching very rewarding."

Martial Arts And Judaism

or school, and imparting to others the

Sikora, who attended Temple Israel,
says giving back and lifelong learning

same skills that gave him direction in life
at a young age.

are common elements to Judaism and
karate.

"I don't know where I'd be today if I
hadn't started training and been taken

In fact, Maczuga started a non-
profit organization, Impact Community

under my teacher's wing," Sikora said.
"Now I'm doing the same for my stu-
dents — impacting lives."

Outreach, to allow underprivileged
children to benefit from martial arts les-

A child of divorce, Sikora was an
energetic, ADD-type kid. His mother
saw a flyer about karate for kids with
lots of energy and signed him up.

"It turned out to be a good outlet
for me," Sikora said. Now his lifelong
teacher, Scott Maczuga, is not only his

mentor and friend, but also his busi-
ness partner.

Maczuga is kancho (head of the

organization) at World of Martial Arts in
Leander, Texas, while Sikora is shihan

(teacher of teachers) at World of Martial
Arts in a storefront at the Northeast
corner of Northwestern Highway and

Orchard Lake Road in West Bloomfield.

Here he teaches traditional mixed mar-
tial arts, with an emphasis on Ashihara

karate, a practical karate system based
on Japanese fighting karate.

Sikora, a fourth-degree black belt,
began teaching while he was at North
Farmington High School. After earn-

ing an undergraduate business degree
at Michigan State University, he had a
decision to make.

sons. Locally, Sikora speaks to school
counselors in the area to identify stu-

dents for the program. Each year, seven
or eight students are given scholarships
that include full membership, a uniform
and sparring gear for a year.

"You don't have to follow the path
dealt you," Sikora said. "Two people

started on scholarship and now are

teachers giving back. Another lost

to pick students up from school for
afternoon lessons.

Aside from the physical aspect of
the martial arts, Sikora emphasizes the

importance of the mental portion, which
includes philosophy, courtesy and lead-
ership.

44

May 13 • 2010

Bloomfield

which, he emphasizes, are not about

"I use it every day," Sikora said. "It's
respect, dedication and discipline. A
practice that goes back thousands of
years."

Sikora has successfully garnered

Parents are encouraged to stay and
watch, or even to participate in the
dojo's family program.

in Keego Harbor. With Maczuga now in
Texas, Sikora is co-owner of the school
in West Bloomfield, which offers a bus

Arts in West

violence, but defense. It's about life fit-
ness, being well rounded and the best
person you can be, he says.

sion," he said. "I decided it was the

First he taught and managed

young students at

World of Martial

Sikora does concede there aren't a
lot of Jewish people doing martial arts,

Jewish students, perhaps because of
his new location in West Bloomfield.

Maczuga's World of Martial Arts dojo

with some of his

"It's a Jewish aspect for me, trying to
give back to the community I grew up
in. To strengthen that connection and
reach out is very rewarding."

"I could work my way up the corpo-
rate ladder or I could follow my pas-

best time to follow my dream. I'm lucky
I do what I love for a living."

Matthew Sikora

weight and gained self-confidence. If
we can help, we do.

Charlene and Bob Levine of West

Bloomfield, with three boys under age
8, were looking for somewhere to sup-

port their family exercise activities. They
signed up for the family program.

"Matthew Sikora, who runs the

the family to exercise together, we are
delighted at other benefits our boys
and our family are receiving. The philos-

ophies that come with Ashihara karate
of discipline, respect, confidence, high

school, has been a joy to work," Bob
said. "He is an amazing role model for
our children and the kind of human

self-esteem and self-defense rather
than aggression have been fantastic for
our boys (even our 3-year-old!)."

being we want our children to spend
time with.

Two of the boys spend most week-
days in the after-school program. The
Levines say the boys have shown

"While we were looking for a way for

remarkable, rapid athletic development

in the nine months they have partici-
pated.

"Plus, we, as parents, have the oppor-
tunity of being able to exercise and learn
with our children in a great educational

and learning atmosphere. The World of
Martial Arts is the place for our family to
spend quality time together, get excel-

lent exercise and tap this great learning
resource for our children." ❑