Isshin Ryu karate...
Simple blocks?
Takedowns?
If he can join the wrestling team, he should learn a few useful holds pretty quickly...and build a support group among his teammates.
I have a manager at work that teaches this sort of thing to families.
I’ll get back to you.
Check out the Israeli martial art Krav Maga, not elegant, but brutally effective.
Most Isshin Ryu instructors teach “street techniques” every Saturday...
Jiu jitsu or Israel Kragma or Judo
If he’s small, he’d be better off learning a style where an opponents size can be used against him, rather than a striking art where strength is paramount.
Take a look at Krav Maga or Sambo.
Does the YMCA still teach Judo?
Mixed martial arts. In terms of practical defense there isn’t much competition.
I think they could benefit from aikido. I recommend it.
aikido
Have you looked into Krav Maga? I’ve heard it’s very practical from the outset but can be pursued to any level of proficiency you want. Of course, it is kind of brutal and its use can result in irreversible harm to the attacker so it might not be a good idea in a school setting
Wrestling.
Forget the martial arts baloney and go for the real thing.
If you want a sensible, practical, and useful defense system that is not a treadmill for belts you should look at Krav Maga.
Recommend judo or even better, krav maga. It will give him the knowledge and confidence that will help him avoid confrontation, but at the same time get him quickly up to speed with self-defense. As he matures, he may well gravitate to one or more of the other arts.
BTW anything worthwhile will take time to learn. To many movies have been watched. Skill takes practice, practice takes time.
Wrestling is a character builder as well.
http://www.mademan.com/mm/krav-maga-vs-karate.html
Martial arts are really good for kids in many regards. Krav is not a polite spiritual discipline.
Krav Maga or Haganah Israeli style self defense.
Our son was small and blond and already in the early 90s the school he went to was taking on the feel of the ghetto. He took tae kwon do for I think three years and achieved blue belt. One day some large young man said something rude about a girl and C responded with less than respect for the large young man. He followed C around all day kicking at his feet and making whispered threats. Finally, last hour, C punched him and down he went, twice the size of C. And although C was teased and bullied that year, he was not attacked and survived and went on to HS where he basically became a rock star. he sort of still is or so he tells me.