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Local kids learn life-saving skills

Posted at 6:46 PM, Jul 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-27 18:46:29-04

The owner of Floyd Systema in West Palm Beach is making it his mission to teach kids life-saving skills. 

The students in Coach Tom Floyd's class range from 9 to 14-years-old and many of them say in a dangerous situation they're ready to fight back.

"I want them jumping out of cars and I want them dodging bullets," Floyd said.

But for him, the training isn't just a game.

"You have to have a good balance of fun and nice and then strict and serious," he said.

That's because the students in his class are acting out real-life scenarios where their lives could be in danger.

"We were trying their hands up and first we taught them how to move and what does it feel like to have your limbs restricted," he said. 

Now with a zip tie and blindfold, he's teaching Systema which he says is all about survival. He says now is the time for kids and adults to know how to protect themselves. 

"A lot of people that I know are sitting at home not doing a lot and not learning how to protect themselves in any way shape or form," one student said.

Now they not only have the knowledge but more confidence.

"I do feel like I can protect myself because I've learned a lot from this program," another student said. 

For Floyd the job doesn't stop at making these kids fit and confident.

"They can do all the cool stuff, they can run around the chairs, at the end of the day I don't care," he said. "What I care about is this a good human being and can he make a difference in life with how he reacts and responds to people."

The last day of Floyd's camp was Friday, but he plans to hold more camps in the future.