The Combat Academy - Wath

🔴⚫️when the Little kids beat the BIG kids⚫️🔴

🌟Our superstars wanted there game with a bit more dare, so they got it‼️

🥋Our very own Dave David Swfc Marriott micheal Michael Trigger Lumb and John deakin was the dodgeball……LOSERS🤣🤣

🥋🌟 FROM WATCHING ON THE SIDELINES… TO STEPPING INTO THE RING 🌟🥋

Mason Decaro’s journey with The Combat Academy started a little differently to most.

For years, Mason watched members of his family train. He came along, stood at the side and watched… but martial arts wasn’t something he was interested in doing himself.

Then came his very first session.

And, believe it or not, Mason’s first ever martial arts class was in a field! 😂

Lockdown had hit, our normal sessions couldn’t run indoors, and we were doing everything we could to keep people training.

While Mason stood on the sidelines, one of our instructors, Nathan, connected with him.

Nathan saw something.

A little spark.

Something that Mason’s parents hadn’t really seen from him in any of the other activities he had tried.

Eventually, Mason decided to give it a go.

From training outside, to joining our Zoom sessions from home, something had clicked.

And the rest really is history. ❤️

Because the young lad who spent years watching from the sidelines didn't stay there for long.

Mason began competing and developed into a seriously talented young fighter. In 2023, he won Full Contact gold at the ISKA North West Open, alongside silver medals in K1 Light and Light Contact.

Then came a huge 2024.

At the WKO European Open, Mason finished the event with 2 golds and 3 silvers, putting him among the competition's top-performing individuals.

Later that year, at the WKO World Championships, Mason became a double World Champion, taking 1st place in both A-Class K1 and Full Contact Kickboxing. 🌍🏆🏆

And he's continued challenging himself.

Most recently, at the 2026 WKO European Open Championships, Mason stepped up into the 17–18 age categories and came away with European Full Contact gold and Light Contact silver. 🥇🥈

But this next chapter isn't about Mason collecting more medals.

It's about taking everything martial arts has given him and learning how to give some of it back.

Mason has now completed his Level 2 Instructor Training Programme and is moving forward into Level 3 ITP.

And when we think about what we want an apprentice at The Combat Academy to represent, Mason's story says so much.

Confidence isn't always loud.

Sometimes confidence is the child standing on the edge of a field watching everyone else.

It's having an instructor notice something in you that perhaps you don't even see in yourself yet.

It's eventually having the courage to say, "I'll give it a go."

Then it's turning up again.

And again.

And again.

Until one day, the child who wasn't sure whether martial arts was even for him is standing in a ring at a World Championships with his hand raised. 🏆

That's why instructors have such an important job.

Nathan saw a spark in Mason.

Now, as Mason develops as an instructor, he gets the opportunity to stand on the other side of that story.

To notice the quiet child.

To encourage the one standing at the edge of the mats.

To see potential in someone before they can see it in themselves.

Because somewhere in one of our classes could be another Mason.

They might just need somebody to notice that spark. ❤️

Mason, we're incredibly excited to see where this next chapter takes you.

From the sidelines of a field…

to fighter, champion and now apprentice instructor.

🎉🥋 WELCOME TO OUR NEW APPRENTICES! 🥋🎉

We are incredibly pleased to announce that The Combat Academy will be taking on THREE apprentices this year, and what makes this even more special is that all three have grown up through our Academy. ❤️

⭐ Lily Thompson
🥇 2 x World Champion
🥋 2nd Dan Black Belt
Lily first walked through our doors at just 8 years old. Since then, we’ve watched her grow from a young student into a World Champion, Black Belt and now the next generation of instructor.

⭐ Taylor Bowen
🥇 5 x World Champion
🥋 2nd Dan Black Belt
Taylor started his martial arts journey with us at just 6 years old. Years of training, competing, learning and never giving up have taken him from that six-year-old beginner to a five-time World Champion.

⭐ Mason Decaro
🏆 Multiple Title Holder
Mason started with us at 10 years old after coming along and watching his sister train. Not long afterwards, we went into lockdown. Mason joined our Zoom classes, trained from home and kept going. The rest is history.

All three have already completed our Level 2 Instructor Training Programme (ITP) and will now be working towards their Level 3, developing the skills and knowledge needed for the next stage of their coaching journey.

But becoming an instructor at The Combat Academy isn't just about being able to kick, punch or win titles.

It's about who you are and the example you set.

These three represent so many of the values we want our students to develop.

🥋 Commitment – turning up year after year, even when it's difficult.

🥋 Discipline – balancing school, training, competitions and everyday life while continuing to work towards their goals.

🥋 Resilience – because their journeys haven't always been easy. There have been tough training periods, losses, injuries, failed gradings, moments when progress felt slow and challenges outside the Academy too. Resilience is learning that a setback doesn't mean you stop. You learn, adapt, get back on the mats and keep moving forward.

🥋 Respect – understanding that being a champion isn't just about what happens in the ring. It's about how you treat your coaches, teammates, and the people around you.

🥋 Leadership – knowing younger students are watching you and choosing to be someone worth looking up to.

🥋 Confidence – developing from children learning martial arts into young adults capable of standing in front of a class and helping someone else believe in themselves.

They were once the little children standing at the beginning of their martial arts journey, looking up to our instructors.🥋

….. Now they get the opportunity to become those instructors and help change the lives of the children coming through behind them. ❤️

This is what Changing Lives Through Martial Arts looks like.
…..Not just creating champions.

Creating confident, disciplined and resilient young people with skills they can carry into their futures.

Lily, Taylor and Mason, welcome to the team. ❤️🥋

The next chapter starts here. 🌟

🔴⚫️NOW ITS THE BIGGER KIDS….THE ADULTS⚫️🔴

🖍️I mean you’ve heard of a pack of wolves….but when a pack of wax crayons walk in….then it’s going to get colourful🤣🤣

🔴⚫️FANCY DRESS WEDNESDAY⚫️🔴

🙌🏽WHAT A EFFORT, absolutely wonderful to see the creativity an imagination of you amazing ninjas an junior students…..

🥇Everyone looked amazing….but a special shout out to our very own Darcie, walking in the gym an made me looked twice, thinking an old lady was walking in…..it was only Gangster Granny🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

🔴⚫️SHORT CIRCUIT…..NOT ON YOUR NELLY⚫️🔴

🙌🏽WHAT A NIGHT….last night adult class was wonderful way to train with people you ain’t even spoke too before, my my goodness what a delight to witness❤️

🌪️ Everyone putting their best skills on show, quick fire rounds, laughing an loving what we do🥊

🙏🏼So heart warming to see a full community just hitting highs and and getting wise🙏🏼

⁉️Always got that friend that thinks they know it all, ever had someone say “na that’s easy…..I used to…….” HERES YOUR CHANCE….ITS BRING A FRIEND NIGHT TONIGHT, let’s see if they have what they say they have…..⁉️

🔴⚫️WAR IS OVER…..WELL NERF WARS IS ANYWAY⚫️🔴

🔫 What a fantastic afternoon we had having our annual Member appreciation week kick off down at The Combat The Combat Academy - Wath🙌🏽

🌟All our members having a blast, we work hard an install focus, discipline and structure but you just have to let loose, a that we did❤️

🙌🏽Massive thank you to all who attended and joined in….NEXT UP…BRING A FRIEND🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️

*Please note, all children to be accompanied by a parent or guardian*

🔴⚫️ Leadership sharpen, Positive start toughen⚫️🔴

🥊 Some absolutely brilliant work going in across the classes in our leadership and positive start programs, but we all know that when it gets hard, our focus can slip…..so……you must have fun too!!

💪🏼That been said….strengthening our core an been focused under fire is where we put ourselves….so why not use them focus pads to give our partner an little bit of conditioning🤣

🙌🏽Seeing everyone thriving and learning an becoming strong individuals while training together is phenomenal to see🙌🏽

⁉️NEED THAT FOR YOU OR YOUR CHILD….WE ARE HERE FOR YOU🙏🏼

🔴⚫️🙏🏼APPRECIATION WEEK IS EDGING CLOSER🙏🏼⚫️🔴

🙌🏽What a week we have planned for our amazing members🙌🏽

🔫Nerf wars is back…..back to finding bullets for the next year🤣

🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️ Bring a friend Tuesday…..show them what they are missing🥊

🦸🏻‍♂️ Fancy dress Wednesday…..Incognito Ninja🥷🏼

🥋 Black belt Thursday….its the prestigious Golden syllabus time🌟

⁉️EPIC QUIZ FRIDAY!! Prizes to be won…..wooden spoons to be dished out…..who’s got the brains….few surprises no doubt involved👀

❓❓❓Guest seminar Saturday…..who could it be❓❓❓

🍻🍹Relax and have a well earned drink over at our HQ in Barnsley, great way to chat to our members in different gyms and exchanging stories, goals, achievements and much more🥂

👀KEEP YPUR EYES PEELED FOR MORE UPDATES…DO NOT MISS IT👀