I heard about this program via Facebook, and was excited to try the opportunity to try a…read morechallenging and engaging fitness challenge. After several classes, I was less than impressed. The instruction was not motivating and after four tries I could see that this program was not the right fit. I politely contacted the instructor, James, to inform him of my dissatisfaction and was completely shocked at his disrespectful manner. I told him that his classes were not the right fit for me and that I would appreciate a partial refund, but he responded by telling me "there would be no refund, I was the problem". Not only is this unprofessional, but very demeaning to anyone trying to achieve their fitness goals. A normal coach would be understanding of the need for different techniques, and James was a HUGE bully.

We did try another Dojo in the area but they were about cramming as many students in as possible…read moreand were about selling products. Strong Tiger Kempo isn't like that at all. We have been going here for over 2 years and my son loves it. My son is on the Autism Spectrum with Pervasive Development Disorder. Basically his a genius but not athletically inclined. The Sensei, James, has taken the time to work with my son and we have seen him blossom into an amazing student. He has moved up in rank 3 time so far. He doesn't progress as fast as the other students but that's okay. James sets the standard of what is expected and sticks to it. James instills confidence and accountability for all the students. My son attends class twice a week and gets a 30 minute private lesson before class 1 day a week. Prices are very reasonable.

My cousin has been coming here for over a year and I've observed several classes. Everyone is super…read morefriendly, welcoming, and are very happy to take the time to help beginners and cater to all skill and fitness levels. The atmosphere is one of respect, compassion, hard work, and friendly humor. They've really helped my cousin build her confidence, and her skills and strength have improved exponentially in a short period of time. They have you work on different techniques against several partners in each lesson, so there's never a shortage of variation and action. There is also no shortage of passionate and knowledgeable people with whom to connect, learn, and practice. Seeing my cousin's experience there, her deep love for it and her happiness with herself, I highly recommend this dojo to anyone interested in taking up Aikido or any traditional martial art.

Excellent instructors. Very kind and work well with all ages. Amazing to see the progress of my…read morestudent.

Awesome gym and great owners! I was very impressed with the tour I was given and plan to join!read more

The weight room was updated about 2 years ago! Very nice weight room. The locker room is poorly…read moreventilated and the shower in the women's locker room isn't cleaned very often as evidenced by people brushing their hair onto the floor and the drain which isn't cleared often. Overall friendly staff with a few not so friendly. Use of the pool is very sporadic. They do have good youth sports for teens.

As YMCAs go in Phoenix, this is likely as good as it gets in the valley. First, to be clear,…read morePhoenix IS NOT a priority for YMCA nationally. Collectively, the locations in Phoenix have the fewest amenities of any YMCA in the country. And because I have relocated over 14 times over the last 25 years, I can confidently make that claim. For instance, the YMCAs in phoenix - which I believe is a total of six clubs in a city of over 5 million people - only have one functional sauna and no steam room facilities TOTAL. In addition to this, not all of the locations have a pool, including the downtown location, which you think would be a key location. No, the scottsdale location doesn't have either! And in general, the locations are pretty dated with equipment that averages 20 years of age or more. The one functional sauna in the downtown Phoenix Location is probably close to closing as the wood planks, and several areas have either been replaced because of age or are currently heavily splintered. And while there is a steam room, it has a sign on it that says permanently closed and it looks like it hasn't been functioning since the late 70s. The YMCA board of directors should be embarrassed with the overall condition of their operation in Phoenix. Even in Tucson, a much smaller city about an hour south, the downtown location has steam, sauna, and a swimming pool. Fortunately, for me, I am relocating again to Savannah, Georgia where I have already confirmed the YMCA there has the amenities that I would expect, and even have a 24 hour format, which is a really nice benefit. Here's hoping that the YMCA patrons of Phoenix are given more for their money in the future.

We love SafeSplash Swim School! Coach Trey has far exceeded our expectations. Our 3 year old loves…read moreto swim with him and he now has so much confidence in the water. We receive multiple compliments every time we are at a local pool about how great of a swimmer our son is. The entire team is great to work with, highly recommend SafeSplash! And of course a special shout out to Coach Adrian (Senior Swim Coach) who gave our son a great swim foundation last year and then to Coach Trey who has taken our son to the next level this year.

Both kids have learned to be great and confident swimmers. We are happy with safespalshread more

Bill and the team are the best karate studio we've tried. Very good program for the kids. There are…read moreso many great things this school does. Bill raises money for schools and people in need. He gets the parents involved with muffins with moms and donuts with dads. They will even host fun nights where you can drop the kids off for a few hours and have an adult night out and the kids get to have fun. Our 9 year old loves the school and so do we. Thanks to Bill, Matt and the team.

Awesome karate class. Both my girls are learning karate there. They are just too good. Mr Burch, Mr…read moreSammy, Mr Matt everyone is so nice. Love learning karate there!!!

My boys love this place - they've been through a couple class sessions and really enjoy it…read more We've had a birthday party here which was a lot of fun, we had the place to ourselves. The only downside is that the seating is on the perimeter so if your kids are on the ninja course it's tough to see. Overall would highly recommend you try this out if you're looking for a fun gymnastics class.

I was interested in signing my daughter up for classes, but before I could do so, or even see the…read morefull fee schedule, I was required to accept several "policies". The first several inches of text were all reasonable; things to expect, class rules and expectations, etc. Then, way down towards the bottom was the waiver. Basically, this waiver states that if injury or death occurs, even if directly caused by the negligence of the company, then I waive any claim of fault, both for the company itself, and all officers and employees of the company. Not only that, but, in the case that a third party attempts to follow a claim, I must DEFEND them!! So basically, even if my 5 year old gets hurt because they put her on a rotted piece of gymnastics equipment, I'm just expected to shrug and say "mea culpa". Caveat emptor - make sure you read the fine print.

While I haven't been a member of the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, I have visited it…read moremany times as a part of the community for meetings and events. I have family members who are Valley of the Sun JCC members though. I have always been impressed with their facilities, thought highly of the staff there, and have enjoyed occasional meals at the onsite restaurant. From observing Yom Haatzmaut (Israel Independence Day) and Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) as a community to meetings for one of the organization boards of directors I have served on to the programs that have hosted meetings at the Valley of the Sun JCC like Valley Beit Madrash's Start Me Up Fellowship, I have always felt right at home there. I have also attended resource fairs, exhibit fairs, and travel fairs while getting tested for the Jewish Genetics Diseases Center or going to a special lecture open to the community. I appreciate the security right by the front door as safety is our top priority when coming together as a community. Visit the Valley of the Sun JCC website at https://valleyofthesunj.org where you can learn how to be a member, find out about events and ways to get involved, and so much more. You can also find information about affiliated programming including 92nd Street Live!, ASU Jewish Studies, Jewish Film Club, Phoenix Art Museum, and J Teen Connect AZ, among other groups. The building opened at this location in 2002. The regular hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 AM to 10 PM, Friday from 5 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 7 AM to 6 PM. There are separate holiday hours along with competition pool, activity pool, open court, and pickleball court schedules. Whether it's the sports programs, the education, or the Kosher Milk + Honey Espresso Bar & Eatery, there's something for everyone at the Valley of the Sun JCC. I will be back again soon for another board meeting or event. I'm looking forward to it!

I have come to really enjoy this community center. The management team really strives to maintain a…read morewarm, welcoming but safe environment. Badges or identification are requested upon entering the building. The facilities appear to be well maintained as well as the exercise equipment. They have a variety of programs for all ages which is definitely a plus! I recommend JCC!