Martial arts academy kicks on with England call-ups

A North East martial arts academy is striking out on the world stage after 12 of its students were selected to represent England at an international championship in the US.

Burns School of Black Belts, which has branches in Benton, Jarrow and Cullercoats, will see the group compete at the World Kickboxing and Karate Association (WKA) World Championships in Maryland in October.

The selections continue a successful period for the academy, with a further 30 students recently competing and winning medals at a separate world championship event in Barnsley.

Across its three North East branches, Burns School of Black Belts students have achieved more than 100 world championship qualifications over the years.

The academy was founded by Rick Burns, who has more than four decades of martial arts experience and is a sixth Dan black belt, 16-time world champion and holder of 26 European titles.

Rick began training in judo in 1984 before studying disciplines including Aikido, Taekwondo, kickboxing, freestyle karate and Sambo, eventually concentrating on kickboxing and freestyle karate.

He said: Rick said: “I started martial arts when I was young and have tried a lot of different styles over the years. 

“Eventually I moved into kickboxing and then developed a more family-friendly approach combining freestyle karate and kickboxing.

“I get to do every day the thing that I love, and most importantly, the thing that makes us happy.”

Alongside developing international competitors, the academy focuses on providing martial arts opportunities for people of different ages and abilities, with classes ranging from its Mini Dragons programme for its youngest students through to sessions for children, teenagers and adults.

Its Benton base features a dedicated training facility, allowing students to train in a permanent environment rather than hired community spaces.

The facility includes a spacious training area for beginners and experienced competitors, alongside dedicated seating where parents can watch their children train.

This approach is designed to help students develop fitness, confidence and discipline alongside their technical martial arts skills, regardless of whether they want to compete.

Rick Burns, founder of Burns School of Black Belts

The academy’s latest England representatives will now step up their preparations ahead of travelling to Maryland for the championships.

However, they also face a significant fundraising challenge before reaching the world stage.

The WKA England squad is entirely self-funded, meaning competitors and their families are responsible for meeting the costs of international travel, accommodation and taking part in the event.

The academy says the opportunity to represent England provides added motivation for the students as they prepare for the tournament.

Their appearance in Maryland will build on Burns School of Black Belts’ long record of producing competitors capable of progressing from grassroots training in the North East to national and international competition.

For Rick, the latest selections also reflect the academy’s wider ambition to pass martial arts experience on to the next generation while providing a supportive environment in which students can develop at their own pace.

He added: “It’s fantastic to see so many of our students achieving at this level. 

“We are very much a family, fun and friendly academy, but that doesn’t mean our students can’t reach the very highest levels of competition.

“We have students who have qualified for world championships and many of our youngsters have already reached double figures in terms of international qualifications.”

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