RDMAA was founded in 2003 in Norton, MA. by Professor Bob Downey. With his wife Trish and children Bobby and Ali by his side, they began teaching karate classes for children and adults in September of 2003 to rave reviews from parents and students. Family owned and operated, the personal touches in the way they conducted classes at their academy is what has always separated their dojos from the rest. Although contracts had become popular in the karate world, the Downey family chose to not try to sell their students into contracts, but instead to trust that their program and philosophy would contribute to the success of their Martial Arts program. Their beliefs would prove true over the next 16 years.
Professor Bob began his training in Shaolin Kempo in 1980 with Shihan Don Spink, and has trained with other skilled martial artists such as Associate Master Craig Lowe, Ed Parker, Jr., and Grand Master Larry Tatum.
In 2007 RDMAA grew and moved right across the street from it’s first location to its new larger facility at the PAGODA on route 140 in Norton, just south of what is now known as the Xfinity Center. The school had an 1150 sq. foot Dojo, 1st and 2nd floor viewing, and a pro-shop filled with martial art supply needs.
In the summer of 2010 RDMAA opened their second location in Foxfield Plaza just off of route 140 in Foxborough. This offered students an opportunity to go to either school that was more convenient for them on any given evening of classes.
In the summer of 2011 the Collins family, long time students since 2005 and assistant teachers, began managing the Foxborough school while continuing their study of the art with the Downeys. John and his children Patrick and Sophie continued their tutelage with the Downey family and were fortunate to have attended several lessons thanks to Professor Bob with Associate Master Craig Lowe, Ed Parker, Jr., and Grand Master Larry Tatum along the course of their studies. The Collins family shared their passion and knowledge of the Arts with the students in Foxborough while still continuing their studies in Norton, and were humbled when they received the compliments they got from students and their families. The Collins family became partners in ownership of the Foxborough Dojo in 2011 to continue the proliferation of the unique, successful and practical teaching style that the Downeys’ system practiced. Sophie and Patrick went on to be great leaders and teachers as they embraced their journey as students, teachers and owners of a Red Dragon dojo with their father.
In November of 2012, after several discussions with the Barletta family, we moved the Foxborough school to their Rodman Arena (formerly Iorio Arena) Ice Skating, Hockey and Sports Complex on Route 1 in Walpole between Gillette Stadium and Route 95. The Barlettas shared our philosophy in offering the best training facilities and instruction possible to their students to be able to pursue their passions and goals. RDMAA expanded into a huge facility with this move, offering lots of Dojo space and plenty for their families to do and see while there. The facility had been active and ever growing since its inception as a U.S. Olympic training facility, and offered Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy many years of stability and security. RDMAA became blessed to have the ability to teach students who were coming to the Walpole location to train from a radius not at all typical of karate schools. Students at the Walpole facility stemmed from Dorchester, Dedham, Norwood, Walpole, Sharon, Wrentham, Norfolk, Franklin, Plainville, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton, and Taunton. Despite the huge area that our families traveled from, the sense of community remained strong and even still does today.
The RDMAA Norton Pagoda remained the roots of Red Dragon, hosting seminars, clinics, special events and tournaments for both locations throughout the years as well as regular classes for its students. Professor Bob continued to teach Sensei John, and in the late part of 2017 Sensei John was asked to bring himself and his students to the Norton Pagoda and become its Chief Instructor. With a very dear and cherished following Sensei John and RDMAA left Walpole, only sorry that it couldn’t bring every single person and journeyed back to Norton with several of his students. We are thrilled and forever grateful to have crossed paths with the Barletta Family, and equally thrilled and honored that many of our students have remained with us in our journey and continue training with us. Sensei John continued to work and train with the Downey family to begin teaching the Norton classes and expand upon his deep knowledge of Kenpo combined with his over 30 years of experience coaching, mentoring, leading and training children and adults both personally and professionally. Patrick and Sophie have made very successful use of all they have learned as Martial Artists at RDMAA to excel in all facets of their busy lives as they pursue their education and enter adulthood while continuing and starting their college and professional careers.
In late 2018, in order to continue offering and applying the philosophy of Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy, the Downey Family asked Sensei John to take over the management and ownership of Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy. The Downey children had taken their knowledge into adulthood a few years before Sensei John’s children. Professor Bob knew that he should focus on his teaching staff. At the same time, Professor Bob was approached by a student who expressed interest in managing and owning a Red Dragon dojo. It didn’t take long for all to decide what the right thing to do would be for the benefit of all of the RDMAA community. Knowing what it takes to properly care for a dojo, Sensei John was happy to share those responsibilities with Sensei Dan and his family so that they could all focus on the heartbeat of the RDMAA community, which is it’s students and their families from the many different communities that they call home. Sensei Dan, his wife Karen, and their daughter Cat have been students of RDMAA for several years beginning in 2014. Dan and Cat both took on teaching roles since they were Brown Belts prior to earning their Black Belts at the Pagoda. Karen also brings her experience as a licensed elementary school teacher to RDMAA while she focuses at the dojo as a student of the Arts. With the Collins and Giovanoni families partnered in the continued success and teachings at RDMAA, the personal touch instilled by the Downey family is still the outstanding quality that separates us from the rest.
Family owned and operated, we teach and share what we know because of our passion for the Arts and our experiences in how it applies to both the successes and abilities to overcome adversities in many facets of so many families’ daily lives. Throughout the years, Red Dragon has always promoted and fostered leadership training to those with interest in teaching and coaching. We are fortunate to be able to see leadership qualities in our students as we work closely with them, we take the initiative to offer teaching the ability to take leadership roles as our students are trained and qualified allows them to transfer and apply those skills in their everyday lives. We wish to thank those who have assisted us in teaching at RDMAA both past and present as you’ve helped us at least as much as we may have helped you and we are forever grateful. Only students become teachers! Red Dragon’s very history is proof of that.
In March of 2019 with our newly formed partnership, Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy opened its doors to its families at the new location just 2 miles from the Downey family’s former Pagoda, now located at 184 W. Main Street (Rte. 123) in Norton, MA. RDMAA is now in its largest facility yet. More than 2,700 square feet of Karate School allows our students more opportunities to focus on certain facets of their practice both before and after classes as well as offering many amenities to the families that come to class with our students. A large entryway with hangers for coats and mats for shoes pays tribute to our Pagoda where we trained for so many years. Through the pagoda entrance you’ll find a children’s activity table with lots of pictures to see and some books to read. Beside that table, a tall table and chairs with outlets and media charging availability offer a place for laptops, tablets, or phones to help you get even more work done while your loved one takes class at RDMAA. Of course, we offer free Wi-fi to our Red Dragon Guests! A large viewing area is close to the dojo mats with several chairs so that families and friends can view and hear what is being taught during classes or view demonstrations, events, clinics and ceremonies. With over 650 square feet of dojo covered by mats plus an additional 250 square feet of mats for our kicking and punching apparatus in a separate area, we offer maximum opportunity to train students and let them improve their skills before, during, and after classes. We have a large Pro – Shop for all of your retail needs whether it is patches, sparring gear, weaponry, Kenpo jewelry, Gift Certificates, RDMAA apparel, and more.
Sensei John and the Giovanoni family still continue their tutelage with Professor Bob so that they will always be prepared and have much to teach their students in their Kenpo journeys, no matter how far it takes them, and continue the family owned and operated philosophy that the RDMAA brand was founded upon.
