About Pine Lake TMA
Locally Founded in 1982
True Martial Arts is owned and operated by Sammamish residents Laurel Zoppi and her son, Skyler Zoppi. For over twenty-five years, they have taught martial arts and safety courses to thousands of people in Seattle's Eastside suburbs of Bellevue, Redmond, and Issaquah. The Zoppi's came to the Sammamish Plateau in 1995.
True Martial Arts is a family oriented martial arts school. The scope of our program goes beyond just teaching kicks and punches. We want our students to approach everything they do in the Black Belt Way, with 100% effort, a positive attitude, and indomitable spirit.
We have created a safe learning environment that is respectful, positive, caring, and fun.
We are disciplined and consistent in following the school rules and martial arts traditions.
We provide a place where:
- Families can connect through their training
- Students increase their proficiency in defending themselves
- Students learn to respect themselves, their family members, the school, and others
- Students learn to persevere through challenges
- Students become more physically fit
- Students learn and put into practice setting and achieving goals
- Students become better leaders.
We offer quality instruction at a reasonable rate for people of all ages. We teach two different and unique martial arts, Taekwondo and Arnis. Taekwondo is a Korean style of martial arts famous for kicks. It is the most popular style of martial art in the US today. Arnis is a Filipino weapons and self-defense art. In addition to Taekwondo and Arnis, we offer five electrifying fitness classes, each unique in their approach, as an alternative or a complement to martial arts training.
Choosing a School
There are many types and styles of martial arts schools to choose from. Some teach only fighting, with no concern for tradition. Some are strict traditionalists who spend hours practicing stances and kata. True Martial Arts takes a balanced approach, teaching traditional values and classic martial arts movements, but also teaching modern self-defense techniques that are usable and effective, and life skills that students can put to use every day to become a successful, respectful, and happy person.
A Friend Says
Dear Laurel & Skyler,
I just want to say thank you for all the character training you gave Victor over the last 10 years. He is the young man he is today partially due to your teachings.
I see amazing dedication in him in sticking with even difficult things. I am sure your teaching the importance of coming to class two times a week & on time helped. He did that for ten years. It is ingrained in him & is helping him with homework & football practices & clinics.
He got to practice goal setting at TMA. He set a goal of becoming a first degree black belt before school was out and did everything he needed to achieve that goal. He has set a goal of playing quarterback for Skyline H.S. & is working hard toward that with daily practices with the school & outside practice.
Training also gave him strength, balance & stamina which are helping him with his footwork in football & in excelling in running hurdles in school meets.
You also helped encourage the two traits that I find most important - respect & taking responsibility. I appreciated that every rank's mental requirements included respect. Now if Victor has a 'teenage moment', all I have to say is "RESPECT" slowly & clearly & he smiles & says, "Sorry". He remembers well his training of taking responsibility for actions; I love that TMA instructors never allowed excuses to be given for mistakes.
I could go on & on but his ten years of training did help instill many great character traits such as:
* Meeting challenges head on
* Willing to push beyond personal limits
* Desiring to be above the standard
* Self motivated
* Takes responsibility - does not justify mistakes
* Understands the importance of a proper diet
* Good concentration - does not get distracted easily
One thing Victor would admit that he is especially grateful for learning is how to get out of a stronghold of 4 guys holding him down. Friends were trying to give him a football buzz cut the other day & he was able to throw them all off until one of the boy's mom came over & gave him a bear hug; he was afraid to hurt her (respect?). He did subsequently get a professional buzz cut though.
So thank you for helping to bring up my little boy into the nice, respectful young man that he is.
Thank you for your dedication to our youth!
— Susan Evans