THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THE PRINTED VERSION.
The recent death of a Massillon boy during a martial arts tournament in Indiana has not changed the opinions of those who contend the sport is safe if practiced properly.
Arthur Battin, 14, of Massillon, died during a tournament May 3. The cause of death remains undetermined, but he collapsed during a sparring session after taking a punch to the chest.
Those involved in the sport say the death was a fluke, and studios continue to teach children how to punch, kick and block as well as how to control those skills during sparring sessions so no one gets hurt.
'Overall, I think that martial arts, if done correctly, is a very safe sport,' Dr. Kevin Dieter of Canton, who practices family medicine in Waynesburg, told The Repository for a recent story. 'I actually was more concerned about my son playing football.'
The martial arts are big in Dieter's family. Dieter's wife and 8- and 11-year-old sons hold black belts.
They also are students at the Center for the Martial Arts of North Canton, where Arthur was a student.
Since Jan. 1, 1993, there have been three other deaths and more than 3,900 injuries of people practicing martial arts, according to an analysis of a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission database of emergency room records.
Steve Marcelli, of Marcelli's Tae Kwon Do Academy in Canton Township, said he and his instructors are keenly attentive to safety. They work to know the abilities and limits of each student - and insist on protective gear.
'She gets hurt more at home - there's the bicycle, the trampoline, she broke her arm on the swing set,' said Marsha Stryffeler of Homeworth, whose 12-year-old daughter Marisa has learned tae kwon do.
'I think it's more safe here because it's more controlled. Everybody knows their limits and they're taught their limits.'
Experts say before enrolling their children in a martial arts class parents should visit a class to see how well the instructors work with students. They also should ask whether protective gear is required, how long the instructors have been teaching and whether contact sparring is mandated.
'By asking the questions, they'll very quickly determine what's behind the scenes,' black belt Don Zickefoose said.
