About Us...

It was always Chief Master Minton's dream to build a facility in his home town that gave the residents a state-of-the-art martial arts training center with a professional staff and an outstanding curriculum.  He is now specializing in Songahm Taekwondo and the many  training systems of the A.T.A.  The Academy's official name is now "Minton's ATA Black Belt Academy".  Their focus is training students to reach their Black Belt and beyond goals and become Leaders in our society.  Minton's believes that Leaders are made, they are not born and their goal is to guide and assist all ages to do just that!

The Minton's have been teaching and managing martial Arts Programs in Terre Haute, IN for the past 50 years.  Chief Master Minton has taught 1,000's of students throughout the years in the Wabash Valley area. In some cases, he is now teaching third generations.  He started with teaching Judo in the early 60's at the local YMCA and YWCA.  He ran programs at both Y's into the 70's.  Minton's first Academy was started in 1970. The Academy was located at 16 South 8th Street (Terre Haute Judo-Karate-Aikido School) and was at that location for 10 years.  It was a one room facility totaling 1,000 sq. ft.  In 1980 he purchased a building at 820 Lafayette Avenue  (Terre Haute Taekwondo Family Center) and was there for an additional 14 years.  He continued to teach Judo, Taekwondo, and Aikido in this 3,000 sq. ft. facility.  During these years Chief Master Minton also taught for the Vigo County School Corporation.  In 1994 he retired from teaching with the School System and built the present 7,200 sq. ft. facility at 3051 South Third Place (behind Honey Creek Mall & in front of the Movie Theaters.)

Even though Chief Master Minton's first class was taught many years ago, the focus of his programs have remained the same:  to provide students the highest quality martial arts instruction available in a safe and positive learning environment that people of all ages can enjoy.  They strive to provide good student instructor ratios.  Their instructors are graduates of an instructor program that represents more than 40 years of research and development.  He or she will be with you every step of the way to help you reach your individual goals (and maybe even reach some new goals you never before thought possible).