Mastery Martial Arts - Troy has been named the winner of Best Children's Martial Arts School in Troy Michigan 2026 by American Recognition Awards.
Mastery Martial Arts - Troy has been named the winner of Best Children's Martial Arts School in Troy Michigan 2026 by American Recognition Awards. The award recognizes the school's child development program that uses martial arts as the delivery method for teaching leadership and life skills.
Owner and Chief Instructor Denny Strecker said the focus is not on the martial art itself, but on the child. "People see martial arts and think we’re teaching kids how to kick and punch. What I’m really watching for is the moment a quiet child raises their hand, speaks in front of the class, or tries again after something feels hard. The skills on the mat give them a place to practice. The confidence they take home is the point."
Mastery Martial Arts - Troy is a children's only martial arts school. It teaches children aged 3 to 17 through a program that develops public speaking, leadership training, and physical fitness. According to the school, it has the only program in the United States that combines these three areas for that age group.
The school describes its approach as a child development program that uses martial arts as the delivery method. The goal is to help each child grow into the best version of themselves. Strecker said the school works on growing the child from the inside out, and that the focus is on teaching the human, not the martial art style.
Parents who enroll their children are looking for an advantage in life. The school's customers are parents who want to develop their child's confidence, focus, discipline, and leadership skills so they can achieve any goal they want as they grow up. The program is built around those outcomes rather than competition or belts alone.
Strecker has been teaching martial arts for 35 years. He started training in 1987 and has earned multiple Black Belts. He grew up watching martial arts theatre and was inspired by Bruce Lee, particularly how Lee was able to take on bullies and protect others. Opening his own school was a natural progression from his own training and teaching experience.
In addition to his work at the school, Strecker is the author of two best-selling books on Amazon: "How to Double Your Child's Confidence in Just 30 Days" and "From Chaos to Calm: How to Instill Focus and Discipline in Your Child." The books reflect the same child development principles taught at the school.
This is not the first recognition for Mastery Martial Arts - Troy. The school was named Best Children's Martial Arts School in 2025. The 2026 award from American Recognition Awards adds to that record.
The school's website is available for parents who want to learn more about the program.