Hadlock’s Self-Defense Course

By: Natascha Lambing

Photographed by: Imogene Eagan

NEWBERG Ore. – Before the COVID-19 pandemic, George Fox University’s (GFU) Hadlock Student Center has offered a range of courses, from cycling to dance to yoga group fitness classes. This academic year, a new self-defense course has been added to its offerings.

Beginning mid-way through Fall semester, the 45-minute classes consist of three parts. The first includes exercise, cardio and stretching, intended to build the strength of the students in students. The next focuses on basic techniques of self-defense. The class concludes with a “self-defense scenario.” Bertrand describes this last portion as “how to get out of [a] situation as fast and effectively as possible.” Due to COVID-19 restrictions, these courses initially began on Zoom, but eventually transitioned to in-person and hybrid style learning.

According to Herzberg, the shift in class structure posed a challenge, but Betrand managed it well. Herzberg said with respect to how the class has shifted over the course of the semester. “What I appreciate about Mason is that he’s able to adapt his course and content,.” said Herzberg. This has made it possible for a wide variety of students being able to take part in the course.

Mason Betrand photographed by Imogene Eagan

Upon arrival at GFU in Fall of 2020, Mason Bertrand noticed a lack of self-defense related courses and resources available to students. With a background in martial arts and other related topics since childhood and teaching experience since his freshman year of high school, he saw a potential place to meet a need in the GFU community. In collaboration with Kyle Herzberg, Hadlock’s group fitness coordinator, he worked to develop a course appropriate for students and faculty.

According to AJ Heil, GFU’s director of Campus Recreation, students and students’ parents have expressed interest to Campus Public Safety about self-defense courses, so the creation of this class has afforded students the opportunity to feel safer in their day-to-day lives. “Our hope with the self-defense class is that people feel that they can be autonomous,” Heil said.

Although widely considered a relatively safe campus, GFU students do not always reside in the haven that Newberg offers. Heil said he hopes that students can “go places and encounter a variety of situations and get themselves out of that [situation] and evade if needed.”

Heil additionally noted “now that we’ve gotten it [the program] off the ground, we’re at the point of expanding it.” Heil hopes for the possibility of offering longer intensive courses to better equip students. With courses like the self-defense class, Hadlock has now been able to better differentiate between “group fitness” offerings and “instructional courses,” providing opportunities for students to be more selective with the limited time they have in Hadlock’s spaces due to current COVID restrictions.

Along with Hadlock’s other class offerings, the self-defense course can be accessed through IM-Leagues and occurs on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.. If students are unable to attend, recordings of prior instruction for interested individuals can be accessed by contacting AJ Heil at aheil@georgefox.edu or Hadlock Student Center.