Sarah Harney’s Endeavour Taekwondo in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, isn’t just another martial arts club; it’s a trailblazing powerhouse where about 70% of its 200 members are female. This isn’t some accident either, it’s a direct result of Harney’s vision to craft a truly safe, supportive space for women and girls to absolutely crush it on the mat.
A Black Belt Vision Born From Frustration
Harney’s own journey into taekwondo started later in life, in her 30s, as a mother of five. She made a vow to herself: she wouldn’t quit until she earned her black belt. And guess what? She absolutely did it, alongside her husband and all but one of their six children. Talk about family goals! But her path wasn’t always smooth. She told the BBC that the spark for Endeavour Taekwondo, which she founded in 2020 at 51 years old, came directly from some seriously bad experiences at other clubs while learning alongside her young kids. She knew there had to be a better way, a more inclusive way. And she built it.
Redefining the Mat: Kicks, Ice Cream, and Unrivaled Support
At Endeavour, the focus is all about the students. Sarah teaches multiple classes, often with two of her sons, and tailors the sessions. For her majority-female classes, that means emphasizing kicks over moves that lean on upper body strength and power. It’s smart, it’s intentional, and it makes a huge difference. Harney felt that at previous clubs, topics like periods were seen as “embarrassing” or “taboo.” Not at Endeavour. Here, the women and girls “support each other” through everything. She shared a powerful story about a girl on her first period: “We just hit things and ordered ice cream, that’s the beauty of girl groups.” If it’s “one of those days,” they put the word out and come in black uniforms instead. It’s that level of understanding and empathy that creates a real community. Harney summed it up perfectly: “Here, we have a safe space for us to train in, where we don’t feel like we’re competing with men, where we don’t have to perform to somebody else’s standards.” Endeavour also incorporates psychology, self-help, and self-defense lessons, going beyond just the physical. As her son and fellow instructor, Aidan Heaney, pointed out, taekwondo is “a male-dominated field,” and having “lots of wonderful high-ranking women” at Endeavour makes a massive difference, helping new students feel safe and represented.
This club isn’t just about building confidence; it’s about building champions. Two of Sarah’s students have already won world titles, and the club brought home 11 medals from a competition in Germany just this past May. Kirsty Harrison, a 39-year-old student from Mansfield who achieved her first black belt last December, perfectly captures the vibe: it feels like “part of an extra family.” She said, “We can truly be ourselves, no awkwardness or feeling like you just aren’t good enough.” What Sarah Harney has built at Endeavour Taekwondo is more than a club; it’s a movement, proving that by creating a truly supportive environment, you unlock unparalleled potential. This is a blueprint other clubs need to be watching, and hopefully, copying.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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