9-14-2022 8:41pm

Ellixson's Tae Kwon Do Academy Competes on Discovery+ Reality Show "Kiddie Kai"

“It’s tough love, Miss Jane. I love the kids, but I work them," explains Donnie Ellixson, owner of Ellixson’s Tae Kwon Do Academy. “That’s my technique as their instructor,” he continues. “And I am as tough on myself in my own journey toward my next degree.”

Ellixson’s technique has earned him uncommon respect in the martial arts community, and that respect has culminated in a 5-season contract to participate in a new 6- episode martial arts reality show series titled “Kiddie Kai” that recently premiered exclusively on the streaming application Discovery+.

“Kiddie Kai” showcases a half-dozen martial arts schools, whose students are training to be Black Belts, as they compete in six tournaments over six weeks for championship titles. Competition is fierce as the kids prove to themselves and others that the confidence and discipline that have developed through their training, the ways of their “sensei” or instructor, and the way of life they have adopted have led to the actualization of their best selves.

Premiere Party

Ellixson, his family, and 50-60 friends, students and their families gathered recently at the Academy in Boyertown to watch the premiere episode. “It was great,” reports Ellixson. “It was entertaining—funny even--to watch the students compete. There was not a lot of fighting in the initial episodes. Instead, the show created character studies--presenting the kids’ back stories--how and why they got involved in the sport--and the trials and tribulations of competing,” he adds.

“In many cases, the kids had been bullied; watching them develop self-confidence through their training was inspiring. Some students—and their parents--learned important life lessons after losing a few matches.

“One story involved an instructor’s kid with Down Syndrome who gave his brother a pep talk after losing a match. While the instructor had to be hard on the kid—gotta call ‘em out when they mess up—for their growth—his brother assured him, saying ‘You got this. Go and finish.’ It was a really touching moment,” Ellixson admits.

“The show’s theme—‘don’t give up—is universal and what martial arts stresses every day. The mantra we follow is ‘Empty your cup—of fears, obstacles, and insecurities—so that the instructor can fill you up."

“One of my favorite moments involved an instructor who, let’s say, presents himself as rough, really competitive, confident to the point of arrogance even. He talks a lot, brags up his team. And I understand. Competition brings out a competitive side. But this guy is often over the top.

“Yet as I watched him throughout the competition, I saw how much he loved his students, and I realized that while he’s tough, his heart is in the right place. Changed my view of him completely,” Ellixson shares.

“It was funny, too,” Ellixson offers. “We laughed a lot. The stereotypes of the martial arts family were on full display. The whole family is involved—100%--and we’re obsessive and super competitive because we live and breathe martial arts; it’s our way of life.

“The whole tournament experience made me proud as h___ of my own kids,” Ellixson insists. “The show is great—the focus is not about the winning. Instead, it’s about spreading the love, having your heart in the right place.”

Donnie Ellixson: For the Love of It

Ellixson earned his 6th degree Black Belt in July 2022. Continued training is important to him personally but also as a model for his students to follow; acquiring the 9th degree Black Belt is his ultimate goal.

"My instructor John Chung had come to Boyertown to help me train for the test for my 6th degree. As we were saying, ‘good-bye,’—in the middle of the good-bye hug—he asked if I would be interested in interviewing for a new realty show about marital arts that the Discovery+ channel was planning."

“This was my master, so I, of course, said ‘Yes, Sir,’ and 3 days later he called to say the interview was scheduled for the next day!” he shares.

“We failed our interview! We had no idea what was expected. But, as I tell the students, ‘You don’t lose, you learn.’ And we were fortunate in that John Chung believed in me and my students and prepped us for a second interview. I’m not sure we did much better, but we were accepted,” he adds.

Ellixson’s interest and commitment to mastery in martial arts started at 6 years old. "I was smitten in kindergarten by Soko, a really talented Japanese violinist, and became obsessed with everything Asian and martial arts. It was the Bruce Lee period, and I was inspired,” he recalls, smiling at the memory. “I had posters all over my bedroom walls; I had beads hung at my bedroom entrance; I took off my shoes and bowed before entering my bedroom.

“Finally, by 14, my parents decided to let me take martial arts classes. I was ‘all in,’ and at 16 I had progressed to the point where I was instructing beginning students. I went to the Olympics in Korea, but I was too young at the time to compete. At 19, I decided to open my own martial arts studio,” Ellixson adds. “I’ve worked with hundreds of students since we first opened. We celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the Academy in 2014.”

Reflecting on his own journey, Ellixson recalls that the turning point came at a tournament Ellixson attended when he decided to ask the world-renowned John Chung to be his master. “At the time I was what is called a ‘ronin’—a student without a master,” he shares.

“I’d followed John Chung’s career—he’s an institution in the martial arts world; his father Jhoon Rhee brought Tae Kwon Do from Korea in 1955 and started the first Tae Kwon Do school in Texas,” he adds. “In 1958, Jhoon Rhee moved to northern Virginia--now the hub for martial arts in the country.

“But, at the convention, I asked myself, ‘Why not?’ and went up to John Chung to ask him if he’d be my master. I remember that he looked me up and down, paused a few long seconds, and finally said, ‘Why not?’ I was thrilled,” he admits, “and the rest is history.”

Look for Jane Stahl’s “B Inspired” podcast episode featuring Ellixson in his own words, scheduled to drop October 14, 2022, on your favorite podcast platform: Spotify, Anchor.fm, Castbox, Google, Apple, etc.

Kiddie Kai: In a press release from the Discover+ website:
In a region of the southeast United States, lies a legendary martial arts hot spot known simply as The Blackbelt Byway. There are dojos on nearly every corner - welcoming kids of all backgrounds to train to be blackbelts. But in an area where every dojo claims to be the best and every parent wants their kid to train with the top sensei, the competition is fierce. While some of us seek out pastors, rabbis, or priests for guidance, in this community of martial arts families, their instructors' word is law. For the families whose children participate in martial arts, it's more than an after-school activity and much more than a sport, it's a way of life. And for the kids who are inspired to learn the ways of their sensei, it's a chance to prove to themselves, and to others, that they have the confidence and discipline to be their best selves. And kick some major butt.

In the all-new series KIDDIE KAI, rivalries and long-standing feuds all culminate into epic showdowns. Rivals Sifu Mark Williams, World Champion Mr. John Chung, Shihan Cliff Kinchen, and Sensei Jeff McGregor all made a name for themselves in the 80s and 90s, and now is their chance to prove, once and for all, whether they are still deserving of their titles. From brand new gi to martial arts glory, which dojos will live up to their reputations and create the next generation of champions?

“In the all-new series KIDDIE KAI, rivalries and long-standing feuds all culminate into epic showdowns. Rivals Sifu Mark Williams, World Champion Mr. John Chung, Shihan Cliff Kinchen, and Sensei Jeff McGregor all made a name for themselves in the 80s and 90s, and now is their chance to prove, once and for all, whether they are still deserving of their titles. From brand new gi to martial arts glory, which dojos will live up to their reputations and create the next generation of champions?”