Training Champions: ATA Martial Arts Wins Six Championship Titles At World Expo
Mike Lewis
Owners Wes and Jessica Boyer
"Southlake ATA is more than a martial arts center — it is a family." — Deedee T.
For over 20 years, ATA Martial Arts has been training champions young and old on Southlake Boulevard. The many accomplishments of its martial artists can be measured on its Wall of Champions, which added five new champions last month.
While the studio has been established in Southlake since 2001, Senior Master Wes Boyer and his wife Jessica purchased the school in 2011 and have been molding young martial artists ever since. With Senior Master Boyer growing up in North Richland Hills and Jessica graduating from Carroll ISD in 2004, Senior Master Boyer says they purchased the studio in the hopes of improving the community around them.
“I started martial arts as a family activity with my parents over 30 years ago,” Senior Master Boyer says. “Little did I know the impact it would have on my life and that it would inspire a lifetime devoted to changing lives.”
Since reopening under new ownership, the couple has expanded to a larger 5,000-square-foot facility, a 3,200-square-foot mat and opened a second location in Northlake earlier this year. While the studio faced challenges last year with the growing concern of COVID-19, Southlake ATA Martial Arts adjusted by offering private lessons over Zoom, with six instructors training over 240 students through lockdown and transitioned back to in-person classes as safety guidelines allowed.
That approach has helped their students prepare for the World Expo Tournament, which was delayed to this year in Phoenix, Arizona. Five students ended up being named World Champions, including Jessica Boyer, Luke LaManna, Hondo Garcia, Mark Spurlock and Dr. David Kinnison. All five of them were added to the Wall of Champions, commemorating the 18 world champions that represented the school.
“We frame these uniforms on the wall so that even the 5-year-olds that walk through our doors can aspire to be something bigger and better than they have ever imagined,” Senior Master Boyer says. “It’s our way of helping the world become a better place one black belt at a time.”
