Lombard master uses martial arts to teach life lessons

Parents are glad for all the help they can get in raising their kids and teaching them respect, self-esteem and character.

That's why some Lombard parents say they are thankful for a man they call “Master Sky,” a Lombard martial arts teacher whose main goal, other than training kids in karate and kickboxing, is to develop their character.

“Focus, respect, self-control, learning to become a leader all those things are more important to us than how hard they can kick or punch,” said Master Sky, otherwise known as George Matejovsky. “I do feel that all of our students are qualified to defend themselves, and they work really hard on their martial arts skills. But we really use that as the conduit for teaching the life skills and the character development.”

The twice weekly character- and fitness-enhancing workouts, which last about 45 minutes, have improved many aspects of 9-year-old Jake Ritchie's life, said his mother, Gina Ritchie.

“This is a kid that had no self-esteem. He's overweight, he gets bullied at school and since he started with Master Sky amazing turnaround,” said Ritchie, of Lombard. “Master Sky has helped him lose weight, gain self-esteem.”

Matejovsky, who operates Sky Centers gym, at 112 W. St. Charles Road in downtown Lombard, also teaches traits like generosity and caring through his actions, Ritchie said. He ran a school supply drive late this summer, asking the kids he trains to bring items to donate to local students.

He also organized a Thanksgiving food drive the same way, bringing in enough food and money to make baskets for 25 families, donate 15 extra pounds of food to the Lombard-Villa Park Food Pantry and give $400 to another food outreach charity.

Matejovsky displays his generosity of spirit on a personal level, too. Just months after beginning lessons at the gym, Jake Ritchie was in and out of the hospital. Matejovsky drove two hours in traffic to visit Jake personally, Ritchie said. He also offered thoughtful advice after Jake suffered a recent bullying incident at school.

“Master Sky took 20 minutes out, one-on-one, to talk to Jake about how to handle it,” she said. “He made Jake feel empowered and better about it.”

After all, messages about the importance of charity or how to respond to a bully sometimes resonate more strongly with kids when they come from someone other than their parents, Ritchie said.

But Matejovsky doesn't shut parents out from the lessons he teaches to kids as young as 3. He invites parents to sit in a row of chairs behind the mats and punching bags of the main instruction area.

“We invite that interaction,” he said. “We like the parents to see what they're doing.”

Sky Centers offers classes for adults as old as 63. And when parents participate in lessons instead of simply signing up their kids, they set a good example and emphasize the importance of physical activity and dedication, Matejovsky said.

“The family that kicks together sticks together,” he said.

Lombard trustee Dana Moreau said Matejovsky is someone the community should be thankful for because of his tireless support of downtown Lombard.

At a time when the village is developing plans for its commercial center, Matejovsky said he had to convince people of the value of his business, which is a far cry from the restaurants and retail shops many want to bring to the area.

“My position is that I bring traffic. I'm a business that brings hundreds of families here once or twice a week,” Matejovsky said.

Students pay between $8 and $12 per class, and can enroll in a Lil Dragons course for beginners, a juniors course or more advanced options such as black belt club or master's club.

And while students are learning to kick, punch and defend themselves, they're also in the presence of a man Lombard parents say is praiseworthy.

“He has a way of demanding (his students') respect without making them feel fearful,” Ritchie said. “He just has a very empowering way about him.”