More than a half century ago, Turner Hall in Monroe served as Marie (Blumer) Hoesly's training ground, as she prepared for the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland.
Fast forward 59 years and six Monroe Martial Arts students are reviving Turner Hall as a destination for athletic training. Six Monroe Martial Arts/ New Glarus Tae Kwon Do students, who train at Turner Hall and in New Glarus, are leaving Aug. 4 for the U.S. Games in San Diego.
"If the walls could talk in that place (Turner Hall), it would be unbelievable," said Greg Bowles, fourth degree master of Tae Kwon Do, who is the head instructor of Monroe Martial Arts/ New Glarus Tae Kwon Do. "Maybe we can go to San Diego and one of the students will get a chance at the Olympics, who knows. Maybe we can recreate what happened in 1952."
The opening ceremony is set for Aug. 5 at Qualcomm Stadium, with an expected 30,000 people on hand. The Monroe Martial Arts students will compete in Tae Kwon Do Olympic-style sparring and forms on Aug. 6.
Several students a couple years ago had a craving to learn martial arts, so they set up practice by hanging an Army duffel bag from a ceiling in a shed on the west side of Monroe. There was no heat in the building, and that's when Greg Bowles was convinced he had to contact the Turner Hall Board to see if Tae Kwon Do practices could be started again at Turner Hall.
Travis Bowles has been competing in Tae Kwon Do tournaments since he was 6.
"From then on my goal has been to make it to the Olympics," said Travis Bowles, who is a black belt. "I'm going to try my best to bring home a medal or at the very least some glory for the school and Turner Hall."
It's been a long road with some adversity for Travis Bowles. He was attacked by a big dog when he was 12 and suffered some serious injuries. And while riding his bicycle when he was 18, he crashed and ruptured his spleen.
"It's been my dream since I got into this training as a toddler," Travis said.
Cory Valentino is eager for the U.S. Games.
"I'm really proud to represent our school at the tournament," Valentino said. "I want fierce competition. My expectation is to head there and meet with other schools and learn."
In addition to Travis Bowles and Valentino, the other Tae Kwon Do students who are making the trip include Brenna Myers, Tim Faber, Adam Zemlicka and Brett Childs. The six martial arts students have been training for the last two years for the opportunity to compete. Each one had to finish in the top three at either the Badger State Games in Appleton in 2010 or at the Iowa State Games in Dubuque, Iowa.
"We want their energy and skill level to peak that day," said Greg Bowles. "I have asked other instructors and this is the first time they can remember a Stateline school that has been to the U.S. Games. This will be as close to the Olympic experience as you can get without being there."
Greg Bowles is one of 7,500 masters of Tae Kwon Do worldwide.
The Olympic-style Tae Kwon Do sparring will require the Monroe Martial Arts students to wear head gear, chest protectors and a rubber foot protector. Competitors are awarded four points for a kick to the head, three points for a kick to the chest and one point for punches.
"It's something exciting to look forward to," Myers said. "When I'm done I will have something to feel accomplished with."
Myers moved to Arizona, but is still keeping up her training to prepare for the U.S. Games.
The Tae Kwon Do forms for the tournament will follow World Tae Kwon Do Federation rules that require shorter and concise stances. The forms competition includes punches, kicks and concise movements of the feet and hands.
"The L-stances must be perfect and the walking stance must be perfect," Greg Bowles said.
Faber, who is a brown belt, said the most challenging aspect of Tae Kwon Do is becoming more flexible.
"I plan to win my free sparring and do my best in the forms," Faber said. "It's hard to get used to the short stances, which are required in the World Tae Kwon Do Federation guidelines. "You have to retrain your muscle memory."
Bowles said there is a set baseline score for each and most scores range from 6.5 to 9.9.
"I've never seen anyone hit a 10," he said. "If you get up there in the 9's that is pretty flawless."
Fast forward 59 years and six Monroe Martial Arts students are reviving Turner Hall as a destination for athletic training. Six Monroe Martial Arts/ New Glarus Tae Kwon Do students, who train at Turner Hall and in New Glarus, are leaving Aug. 4 for the U.S. Games in San Diego.
"If the walls could talk in that place (Turner Hall), it would be unbelievable," said Greg Bowles, fourth degree master of Tae Kwon Do, who is the head instructor of Monroe Martial Arts/ New Glarus Tae Kwon Do. "Maybe we can go to San Diego and one of the students will get a chance at the Olympics, who knows. Maybe we can recreate what happened in 1952."
The opening ceremony is set for Aug. 5 at Qualcomm Stadium, with an expected 30,000 people on hand. The Monroe Martial Arts students will compete in Tae Kwon Do Olympic-style sparring and forms on Aug. 6.
Several students a couple years ago had a craving to learn martial arts, so they set up practice by hanging an Army duffel bag from a ceiling in a shed on the west side of Monroe. There was no heat in the building, and that's when Greg Bowles was convinced he had to contact the Turner Hall Board to see if Tae Kwon Do practices could be started again at Turner Hall.
Travis Bowles has been competing in Tae Kwon Do tournaments since he was 6.
"From then on my goal has been to make it to the Olympics," said Travis Bowles, who is a black belt. "I'm going to try my best to bring home a medal or at the very least some glory for the school and Turner Hall."
It's been a long road with some adversity for Travis Bowles. He was attacked by a big dog when he was 12 and suffered some serious injuries. And while riding his bicycle when he was 18, he crashed and ruptured his spleen.
"It's been my dream since I got into this training as a toddler," Travis said.
Cory Valentino is eager for the U.S. Games.
"I'm really proud to represent our school at the tournament," Valentino said. "I want fierce competition. My expectation is to head there and meet with other schools and learn."
In addition to Travis Bowles and Valentino, the other Tae Kwon Do students who are making the trip include Brenna Myers, Tim Faber, Adam Zemlicka and Brett Childs. The six martial arts students have been training for the last two years for the opportunity to compete. Each one had to finish in the top three at either the Badger State Games in Appleton in 2010 or at the Iowa State Games in Dubuque, Iowa.
"We want their energy and skill level to peak that day," said Greg Bowles. "I have asked other instructors and this is the first time they can remember a Stateline school that has been to the U.S. Games. This will be as close to the Olympic experience as you can get without being there."
Greg Bowles is one of 7,500 masters of Tae Kwon Do worldwide.
The Olympic-style Tae Kwon Do sparring will require the Monroe Martial Arts students to wear head gear, chest protectors and a rubber foot protector. Competitors are awarded four points for a kick to the head, three points for a kick to the chest and one point for punches.
"It's something exciting to look forward to," Myers said. "When I'm done I will have something to feel accomplished with."
Myers moved to Arizona, but is still keeping up her training to prepare for the U.S. Games.
The Tae Kwon Do forms for the tournament will follow World Tae Kwon Do Federation rules that require shorter and concise stances. The forms competition includes punches, kicks and concise movements of the feet and hands.
"The L-stances must be perfect and the walking stance must be perfect," Greg Bowles said.
Faber, who is a brown belt, said the most challenging aspect of Tae Kwon Do is becoming more flexible.
"I plan to win my free sparring and do my best in the forms," Faber said. "It's hard to get used to the short stances, which are required in the World Tae Kwon Do Federation guidelines. "You have to retrain your muscle memory."
Bowles said there is a set baseline score for each and most scores range from 6.5 to 9.9.
"I've never seen anyone hit a 10," he said. "If you get up there in the 9's that is pretty flawless."
