Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Did you know the biggest event in the martial arts industry is coming up? Stay tuned. Let's talk about it.
[00:00:06] Speaker B: Sir, I will live with perseverance in the spirit of taekwondo, courtesy for fellow students, integrity within myself, and to become a black belt leader.
Welcome to the ATA Nation podcast.
[00:00:26] Speaker A: Ladies and gentlemen, sirs, ma'am, instructors, students, parents of Songom Taekwondo, this is the ATA Nation podcast. Welcome to episode 116. We are thrilled to be back with you. And today we are talking about what may be the most exciting event in all of martial arts history. I may be biased, but we're talking about the ATA World Championships. This one of a kind event is taking place this July 23 through 28th. And for many of you, you have been to world championships over and over and over again, like myself. But some of you listening may never have been to world championships before, and we want to give you the rundown of what to expect and why you should make it a priority to go. Now. This is going to be a two part episode. Today, we're going to be featuring two interviews with different individuals who have been to world championships and want to tell you why you should be going to world championships. And then in the next episode, we're going to give you a little more information about what to expect at world championships. Not just the training, because we talked about with that, with chief Master skiles, but most importantly, things like the Master ceremony, things like Super 20 tournament, things like tournament of champions these and way more at the ATA World Championships this coming July. It is not too late to book your flights, plan your hotel, get driving directions, whatever you need to do to plan to attend world championships 2024.
But let's not just listen to me tell you why you should go to worlds. Let's talk to Miss Hallie Reeves.
[00:02:10] Speaker B: Special guest interview.
[00:02:16] Speaker A: Hey, Ga Nation. I am super excited to have with us today. Miss Hallie Reeves. How are you, ma'am?
[00:02:22] Speaker C: Good, sir. How are you?
[00:02:23] Speaker A: I am fantastic. I'm excited to talk to you today, but before we get started, can you tell us where you're from, how old you are, who your instructor is?
[00:02:32] Speaker C: I'm from Pittsicola, Florida, and I'm nine years old, and my instructor is senior master carol.
[00:02:37] Speaker A: Well, that is awesome. We wanted to talk to you today about a couple of things, but first and most importantly, world championships is right around the corner. Districts registrations are open, and I think you're going to worlds, aren't you?
[00:02:51] Speaker C: Yes, sir.
[00:02:52] Speaker A: Have you been to worlds before?
[00:02:54] Speaker C: Yes, sir, I went last year.
[00:02:56] Speaker A: Was last year your first year?
[00:02:58] Speaker C: Yes, sir.
[00:02:58] Speaker A: And what did you think about it your first time there? What were your thoughts about world championships?
[00:03:04] Speaker C: My thoughts were it was amazing. It was one of the biggest experiences I've ever had and it was just one of the best times I've had.
[00:03:13] Speaker A: And what are you looking forward to this year at world championships?
[00:03:17] Speaker C: I'm looking forward to seeing my friends, my fellow competitors and all these new people and new instructors and I'm really excited for that, sir.
[00:03:26] Speaker A: Are you competing in any toc competitions or anything like that?
Any of the tournament of champions?
Are you going for any big titles this year?
[00:03:39] Speaker C: Yes, sir, I'm going for the world title and the Super 20 tournament.
[00:03:42] Speaker A: Very nice. Excellent. Now, you went last year, you said, did you, were you a black belt at that time? Were you competing in one of those championships or did you just go for the awesome event?
[00:03:54] Speaker C: I was a black belt, sir, and I was competing for the world title.
[00:03:57] Speaker A: Excellent. Very cool. So you've been at both the tournament of champions competition and the Super 20. Can you tell us a little bit about like, what the nerves were, like what you were thinking while you were doing it?
[00:04:12] Speaker C: When the first time I was there, I was like, wow, this is like the biggest places I've ever seen and I was super nervous, but hope my parents were there and they helped me calm down and get ready to compete.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: What are you, do you think you'll have those same nerves this year? Maybe calm down a little bit. What are your thinking this year?
[00:04:31] Speaker C: I might have those nerves, but maybe not that bad of a nerve.
[00:04:35] Speaker A: Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. What are you doing to get ready for world championships?
[00:04:40] Speaker C: I'm practicing on my forms and getting ready for that big tournament and I'm super excited for it.
[00:04:49] Speaker A: That is awesome. What's your favorite event to compete in?
[00:04:53] Speaker C: Well, actually, sir, I have two favorite events and those are creative forms and extreme forms.
[00:04:58] Speaker A: Oh, you like the creative and extreme stuff? I saw you were just at the max gathering in Little Rock. What did you think of that?
[00:05:05] Speaker C: That was an awesome experience, sir. I learned so much, so many combos to add to those forms and I'm super excited.
[00:05:12] Speaker A: So are you taking some of that information and tweaking your competition forms for worlds? Are you going to stick with what you've been doing?
[00:05:20] Speaker C: We're trying to add more stuff, get better at it and hopefully make up a new form by worlds and come out with a ban.
[00:05:27] Speaker A: Oh, that's going to be exciting. Excellent. What would you tell someone who is they're just not sure if world championships go into the super 20 is for them. What would you tell them? Would you tell them, like, hey, yeah, just sit at home and don't do it or maybe get off the couch and come?
[00:05:46] Speaker C: I would tell them to get off the couch and come because this is a great experience. It's one of the biggest stages out of all of these competitions for a black belt to do.
[00:05:54] Speaker A: What if they're really nervous? Should they? What should they do if they're really nervous and just not sure they want to?
[00:06:01] Speaker C: They should really take a breath and calm down and just get ready and it just. It's going to be okay.
[00:06:07] Speaker A: Oh, I love that advice. Take a breath. It'll all be great.
So as you're looking towards finishing up this competition year, what kind of goals do you have? Or is it just obviously, you know, you probably shooting for that world title?
Is it in creative extreme? What else are you kind of looking.
[00:06:26] Speaker C: Goals wise this year instead of just winning it in extreme forms? I want to try to win it in all of the creative and extremes and maybe even traditional weapons and traditional forms.
[00:06:37] Speaker A: Oh, what's your traditional weapon that you've been doing?
[00:06:40] Speaker C: I've been doing the traditional nunchuck, sir.
[00:06:42] Speaker A: Oh, very good. Excellent. And what's your favorite thing about doing the songs? Bongs?
[00:06:47] Speaker C: My favorite thing about doing the songs is like, the strikes and cool tricks with them.
[00:06:52] Speaker A: What about that 360 hand spin? What do you think about that 360 hand spin?
[00:06:56] Speaker C: I think it's really cool to do because it's like it's spinning while it's on your hand.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: Do you, do you drop it ever? I drop it sometimes, yeah, I do when I practice. Yeah. Not in competition sometimes, yeah. Yeah. And, you know, it happens to everybody once in a while. Sometimes you have an off day. What would you tell somebody who is a maybe new at competition? You know, you're nine.
Maybe there's another nine year old out there who's like, you know what? I'm not sure about competition. Should I go out there and do it?
What? How would you encourage them?
[00:07:32] Speaker C: I would say if just try your best and try to do your best at all of your forms and give it your best shot.
[00:07:39] Speaker A: Very good. That's really good advice. Have you been competing for a long time? Did you compete as a color belt?
[00:07:47] Speaker C: I've started when I was a color belt and for the last two years, I just got a black belt two years ago, so I've been competing as a black belt for the last two seasons.
[00:07:56] Speaker A: How exciting.
Are you going to continue in that first degree division or are you going to move to the second 3rd degree division?
[00:08:04] Speaker C: I'm continuing the first degree division, sir.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: Yep. I got some guys doing that same thing. We're still wanting to get comfortable in that division before they move up. Is that what you're thinking?
[00:08:14] Speaker C: Yes, sir.
[00:08:15] Speaker A: Yeah. Cool. What? Uh, so now, uh, we're going to world championships, the tournament of champions, and then the Super 20. Super 20 kicks off the new tournament season for everybody. What goals are you looking for for the new 2024 2025 season?
[00:08:33] Speaker C: My new goals are to get better and learn some new tricks like your front pool and your back layouts. I'm really looking forward to learning those.
[00:08:42] Speaker A: Ooh, those are some ambitious goals. I'm really excited to watch those on instagram. I'm sure I'll be able to see your competition as you go and then see you at world championships. Any last words you'd like to say to Ata nation? Encouraging them to maybe check out world championships this year?
[00:09:01] Speaker C: I would like to say, just do your best at worlds and I hope to see you there.
[00:09:05] Speaker A: Oh, we would love to make sure people come up and see you at world championships. That would be great, ma'am. Well, we really appreciate your time. I'm sure you need to get back to training hard, working on some of those awesome, creative and extreme things for the tournament of champions and for the super 20. We will see you in Phoenix.
[00:09:26] Speaker C: See you there, sir. It's been an honor being on the show.
[00:09:33] Speaker A: Ata Nation, we have back with us today, Ata Ambassador. Miss Kearney. How are you, ma'am?
[00:09:37] Speaker D: I'm great, sir. How are you today?
[00:09:39] Speaker A: I am fantastic. We are talking all things world championships. It's right around the corner. Are you planning on going?
[00:09:47] Speaker D: Absolutely. I would not miss it for the world this year, of course, marking the ATA's 55th anniversary. So I would say to anyone who is contemplating or hasn't gotten their ticket yet to get one, meet me there in Phoenix and get ready to see some pageantry that will knock your socks off.
[00:10:06] Speaker A: Yes, for sure. So, world championships, two tournaments in one. We've got the tournament of champions. Uh, I believe you'll be competing in this year, right?
[00:10:17] Speaker D: I will be, yes. Um, I set a goal for myself at the start of this tournament year, uh, to attain a top ten position in forms and just with life, you know, professionally, um, and personally, it's a little wild. So I'm very proud to say, though, that I was able to attain that top ten position and also for extreme forms. So I know I got a lot of work ahead of me. In training for worlds, and we'll see where the pieces shake out. But at least I met my goal there, so.
[00:10:45] Speaker A: Well, congratulations on that. That's awesome. I know a lot of people are going to world championships for the TOC, but, you know, it's not the only thing happening there. Are you looking at doing some other events at world championships?
[00:10:58] Speaker D: Absolutely. So trainings, I know that will be offered throughout that week. I certainly will be participating in those and especially the masters being inducted. I can't wait to see that ceremony. You know, with the gig of being an ambassador, I've made connections and, you know, through social media for people around our nation as well as internationally. So I know that internationally there'll be a lot of ATA members coming in. One in particular is Master nominee Nicole Abrizzi from Ata Premium in Brazil. And so I look forward to meeting her. I look up to her. She's also, you know, someone very focused on self defense, as I am. So I can't wait to see her there. As well as from my own school, I have Master Cody Gozzo attaining the role of senior master. And then my first ever instructor, Mister Mark Lassick, he will be attaining the role of master. So we're really excited for Ata Murraysville and myself as well.
[00:12:00] Speaker A: That's fantastic. Super cool. Yeah. The world championships, you've got the master ceremony that has always from my very first world championships, but one of my absolute favorite things to go and see and then the super 20 new season tournament are setting new goals. I assume you're going to be competing in the super 20.
[00:12:21] Speaker D: Absolutely. Yes. New goals for sure. I just turned to third degree. I don't know if I'm ready to break out the third degree CHUnG SuN yet at worlds, but I'm striving to work on it. And then, of course, I'm really gotten into the extreme form and weapon war, so I plan to bring the heat there this year for sure.
[00:12:42] Speaker A: Excellent. So, you know, as one of our adult ambassadors, we've got, you know, a lot of times we hear a big focus for the kids. But why for you as an adult, is going to world championships a fun thing and something that you definitely plan on doing?
[00:13:00] Speaker D: I think just because, you know, world Championships is the culmination of your entire tournament year and also gets you to reset for the coming year. Apart from that, you know, seeing everybody in ATa nation, your instructors, your friends, your, your ringmates that you compete with, you know, they'll all be there and we're all there for a common goal. And that's you know, because of our strong belief within the ATA.
And then, of course, for this year, like I said, the 55th anniversary, I know that there will be so many fun things planned and surprises along the way. So I think, you know, apart from competing, just getting to connect with everyone within the ATA, whether you're a school owner or competitor, you know, we all play a role in this ATa nation. And so, you know, I think it's great to be able to come together and celebrate it, for sure.
[00:13:50] Speaker A: I know this year they also have those medals that they have where you can collect all three from nationals, worlds and the next nationals and then get a special pin. Um, absolutely.
[00:14:03] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:14:03] Speaker A: That's super cool.
[00:14:04] Speaker D: I know. So we haven't unveiled the special pin yet, so I can't wait for that. And, you know, we saw spring nationals. We've gotten a taste of worlds. Don't know what fall nationals looks like, but just all of the metals, the intricacies around the flying dragon. And that entire story, you know, bringing together this, this whole celebration of the 55 years is really meaningful. So.
[00:14:27] Speaker A: Well, as we wrap up, if somebody is kind of on the fence, their family's thinking about it. Maybe they were in an event in the TOC, but they're not sure if they want to go with the super 20 or whatnot. What would you say to encourage them to make the plunge and come to Phoenix?
[00:14:46] Speaker D: So I think seeing Phoenix, first of all, I mean, the landscape, for me, I live in western Pennsylvania. Lots of hills. Seeing those mountains, that gorgeous landscape, the cactus, everything, that's just a cool setting to be in. And so I think, really, if you were serious about competition, and maybe even if you're not, but being part of that super 20 competition, like I said, it just sets you up for just a strong tournament year. And even if you walk away with no points, it's just the fact that you went, you competed, you kind of got the lay of the land to see that, who's the best in the country, and, you know, just kick it off from there. And if you get some points, that's an even bigger bonus to really boost you. So.
[00:15:35] Speaker A: Yes, ma'am. Well, and I will add, as a guy who has gone to worlds, oh, a few times, I. For me, world championships is one of my absolute favorite events, like all the things you've talked about. But my thing, I don't compete that much anymore. I'm looking to get back into it. One of these days, I'm going to. I'm going to go for it. Um, but that training, um, I go for the training. There are so many amazing training events, um, going on, and then you just get to add on that tournament at the end. It's such a great week of. Of martial arts. Just greatness.
[00:16:14] Speaker D: Absolutely. Refining your skills and learning from the best in the ATA right there. So, yes, I mean, it's really something.
[00:16:21] Speaker A: Well, thank you for your time today, and, uh, we look forward to seeing you in Phoenix. And if you guys make sure you in Ata nation, stop and see Miss Kearney and say hi, because I'm sure she'll have maybe some swag or something to give out that world.
[00:16:37] Speaker D: Absolutely. See you next time.
[00:16:39] Speaker A: Thank you very much, ma'am.
[00:16:40] Speaker D: Thank you, sir. Take care.
[00:16:44] Speaker B: Listener feedback.
[00:16:47] Speaker A: Well, you don't have to take it from me. These two awesome individuals told you why you should be at world championships this year. And in another episode coming up, we will be talking about a couple more reasons you should be attending world championships 2024. But what I would like is to hear from you. If you've been to world championships before, let us know what your favorite part is. You can do that by sending us a DM over on Instagram or joining our private Facebook group, ATa Nation podcast fans, leave a message. Let us know why you think world championships is the best and why you will be attending this year. We'd love to include your shout out next week on the episode. So until next time, ladies and gentlemen, make sure you're out there taking action.
[00:17:37] Speaker B: Thanks for listening to another episode of the ATA Nation podcast. Be sure to subscribe and share with your ATA family.
[00:17:51] Speaker A: Man, I don't. I don't miss world championships. I haven't missed world championships in. Man, I don't know how many years it's been 90.
I don't know. Something in the nineties. There's late nineties because I'm, you know, a little young, but. And 2020, obviously that dumb.
You know what I'm talking about? We don't want to. We don't want to bring it up. Hey, guys, send me why you're going to worlds. What you're excited about for world championships this year, I want to include it on the show. Till next time. Take care, guys.
