Green County students attending State Games of America
Sadie Conway, 13
Hannah Derrickson, 16
Isaac Derrickson, 11
Chris Capps, 23
Gabriela Golubov, 12
Aden Goebeli, 11
Carrie Quinn, 10
Wyatt Emmerton, 13
Nick Kohn, 13
Raven Neath, 26
MONROE - Ten taekwondo students from Monroe Martial Arts are heading to Lincoln, Nebraska to compete in the State Games of America this weekend.
The games are run much like the Olympics, said Monroe Martial Arts owner and head instructor Greg Bowles. There's competitions in sports ranging from swimming to sailing to ultimate Frisbee to skydiving, attracting 19,000 athletes to this year's games. There will even be an Olympic-style opening ceremony Friday night at the Cornhuskers' football stadium.
For Bowles, taekwondo is a passion that began 35 years ago.
He said he went to college in the "David Carradine days," referring to the star of the popular TV show "Kung Fu" in the 1970s. That prompted his interest in martial arts, but it wasn't until he moved to Monticello a short time later that a friend badgered him into checking out the martial arts classes at Turner Hall.
"He practically dragged me in," Bowles said.
After one night, he was hooked. Bowles said he went home and demonstrated to his wife Wanda "what I thought was a front snap kick." He raised his back leg, went too high, and his other foot followed.
"Ka-boom. Flat on my back on the linoleum floor," Bowles recalled.
"Wanda said, "I don't know if this martial arts thing is really for you.'"
But Bowles stuck with it. Now 57, he's a registered master in taekwondo and possesses a fifth-degree black belt. He is also a certified national judge for competitions.
He shares his love of the martial art form with his students at his schools in Monroe and New Glarus. The Monroe school meets at Turner Hall.
This year, 10 of his students, ranging in age from 9 to 26, qualified for the biannual State Games. Competitors must rank in the top three of their division at the Badger State Games or Iowa State Games to qualify.
Then the work really begins.
After qualifying, competitors undertake a rigorous two-year training regime. Bowles said students are practicing four nights per week and running a mile per day.
He has three returning veterans heading to Lincoln who went to the games two years ago in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said. Sadie Conway, then 11, took gold in all three taekwondo events: forms, free sparring and board-breaking.
To reach this level of competition requires support. Bowles said the competitors' families are very supportive, as are the sponsors who help fund trips to tournaments and the State Games.
The taekwondo competition will be Saturday. As the day draws near, Bowles is getting excited.
"It's so exciting. It's hard to sleep nights," he said.
The key is to have the competitors peak the day before or the day of the tournament so "they will be at their absolute best."
They have to be totally committed.
"It's not an easy feat. They sweat. They work hard," Bowles said.
The games are run much like the Olympics, said Monroe Martial Arts owner and head instructor Greg Bowles. There's competitions in sports ranging from swimming to sailing to ultimate Frisbee to skydiving, attracting 19,000 athletes to this year's games. There will even be an Olympic-style opening ceremony Friday night at the Cornhuskers' football stadium.
For Bowles, taekwondo is a passion that began 35 years ago.
He said he went to college in the "David Carradine days," referring to the star of the popular TV show "Kung Fu" in the 1970s. That prompted his interest in martial arts, but it wasn't until he moved to Monticello a short time later that a friend badgered him into checking out the martial arts classes at Turner Hall.
"He practically dragged me in," Bowles said.
After one night, he was hooked. Bowles said he went home and demonstrated to his wife Wanda "what I thought was a front snap kick." He raised his back leg, went too high, and his other foot followed.
"Ka-boom. Flat on my back on the linoleum floor," Bowles recalled.
"Wanda said, "I don't know if this martial arts thing is really for you.'"
But Bowles stuck with it. Now 57, he's a registered master in taekwondo and possesses a fifth-degree black belt. He is also a certified national judge for competitions.
He shares his love of the martial art form with his students at his schools in Monroe and New Glarus. The Monroe school meets at Turner Hall.
This year, 10 of his students, ranging in age from 9 to 26, qualified for the biannual State Games. Competitors must rank in the top three of their division at the Badger State Games or Iowa State Games to qualify.
Then the work really begins.
After qualifying, competitors undertake a rigorous two-year training regime. Bowles said students are practicing four nights per week and running a mile per day.
He has three returning veterans heading to Lincoln who went to the games two years ago in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he said. Sadie Conway, then 11, took gold in all three taekwondo events: forms, free sparring and board-breaking.
To reach this level of competition requires support. Bowles said the competitors' families are very supportive, as are the sponsors who help fund trips to tournaments and the State Games.
The taekwondo competition will be Saturday. As the day draws near, Bowles is getting excited.
"It's so exciting. It's hard to sleep nights," he said.
The key is to have the competitors peak the day before or the day of the tournament so "they will be at their absolute best."
They have to be totally committed.
"It's not an easy feat. They sweat. They work hard," Bowles said.
