Legacy Martial Arts outshines over 1,000 other locations to earn National School of the Year

QUINCY — Legacy Martial Arts, a member of the American Taekwondo Association, was named the ATA National School of the Year at the ATA World Championships last week, beating out over 1,000 locations for the top honor.

The ATA National School of the Year award is presented to the school that best embodies the spirit of the ATA. It recognizes schools that not only excel in student enrollment and retention but also serve as pillars of support and integrity within their communities.

In a press release, Robert Bentley, owner and chief instructor of Legacy, said, “I’m so incredibly proud of our students, instructors and families at Legacy Martial Arts. This award came as a surprise to us, as all the other schools nominated come from larger markets, better demographics and huge populations. To me, this means it was the level of involvement in our community that won us this award. The number of students we have, the titles we’ve won and the recognition we have received is great, but what I’m most proud of is the hard work our team members and students put in as servant leaders on and off the mat.”

The Legacy team is incredibly active in the local school districts hosting field trips and visiting the schools and classrooms free of charge. In the past eight years, Legacy students have also raised significant funds for the Blessing Foundation, most specifically the Breast Center, through their annual Pink Night fundraising event.

“We love the opportunity we have to serve in our community,” Bentley said. “Our main focus at Legacy will always be teaching life skills; we just get to do in a fun way through martial arts. We love what we do, and we love that our students get to see this award and know that they are a part of something that is making a difference. They’ve earned that trophy.”

Legacy Martial Arts is the area’s leading martial arts academy, focusing on teaching life skills through taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, and fitness training. Self-Confidence, discipline, and respect are the goals, martial arts is the method.