NEW GLARUS - For about six years, Christian Arnett, 14, of New Glarus, has been pushing to get to the biggest stage as a taekwondo black belt. On Saturday, Aug. 3, Arnett will have arrived there, at the State Games of America in Harrisburg, Pa.
The Monroe Martial Arts and New Glarus taekwondo representatives will compete in taekwondo Olympic-style sparring, forms and board breaking. The students include Arnett; Travis Bowles, a first degree black belt, of Monticello; Sadie Conway, a brown belt, of Monroe; Rachel Heittola, of Belleville; Gabriela Golubov, of Monroe; Taylor Venden, a green belt, of New Glarus; and Robert Oliver, of Monroe.
The opening ceremony is set for Friday, Aug. 2 at the Giant Center, and 30,000 sports fans and 800 athletes are expected to be on hand.
"It's nerve-wracking," said Arnett, who is making his first trip to the Games. "You never know what you will go up against. I've never been to anything this big or professional. I just want to do as best as I can and medal."
The seven 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 in sparring, forms or board breaking at the Badger State Games or the Iowa State Games.
Arnett said the best part of taekwondo is the discipline and forms he is required to master.
"The discipline is something that incorporates the rest of your life," he said. "Anything you do in this sport you can take later into your life."
Conway has been a taekwondo student for four years. She was excited about qualifying for the State Games as a brown belt, the second time she has qualified for the national event.
"They are trying to do what I'm trying to do - get into the top three," Conway said of her brown belt competitors. "A lot of them are going to be going hard and are going for a black belt."
Two years ago, the taekwondo team from Monroe and New Glarus won 13 medals including seven gold medals at the State Games. Greg Bowles, the Monroe Martial Arts and New Glarus taekwondo owner and coach, is a fourth degree Black Belt and is one of 7,500 taekwondo masters worldwide. He's confident the seven representatives from Green County can bring home a haul again.
"I think we truly could bring home a lot of medals again," Greg Bowles said. "They have put the time and work in. I look at the work and sweat that goes into this. It takes a lot of heart and support from parents to do it."
Greg Bowles will have a daunting task at the State Games. In addition to serving as a coach, he will also be a judge. He isn't sure what division or event he will be judging, but he respects the honor.
"It makes me feel nervous because you want to do things right," Bowles said. "You want to be non-partial and fair."
Travis Bowles, Greg's son, is the only returning student who competed at the State Games in San Diego in 2011. Travis Bowles was a gold medal winner in the first degree black belt heavyweight division, and he is looking to repeat as champion.
"I think my chances are pretty fair," he said. "I'm pretty experienced in tournaments. I know what to do."
As a seasoned taekwondo competitor, he has advice for his teammates.
"You have to give it your all," he said. "The next thing you know it will be over. I think the only thing I can use for energy is to say tomorrow I will be at home so today I should try as hard as I can."
The Olympic-style 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.
Conway said her strategy when sparring is to take action.
"When I spar, I want to be more aggressive," she said.
The taekwondo forms for the tournament will follow World taekwondo Federation rules that require shorter and concise stances. The forms competition includes punches, kicks and concise movements of the feet and hands.
Venden, 9, started taking taekwondo lessons just three years ago. This is the first time Venden has qualified for the State Games of America and she is looking forward to the trip.
"It's a little bit scary, but exciting," Venden said.
She finished second in forms and third in sparring at the Badger State Games earlier this year.
"I want to try my hardest and get a first place in at least one thing," Venden said.
The Monroe Martial Arts and New Glarus taekwondo representatives will compete in taekwondo Olympic-style sparring, forms and board breaking. The students include Arnett; Travis Bowles, a first degree black belt, of Monticello; Sadie Conway, a brown belt, of Monroe; Rachel Heittola, of Belleville; Gabriela Golubov, of Monroe; Taylor Venden, a green belt, of New Glarus; and Robert Oliver, of Monroe.
The opening ceremony is set for Friday, Aug. 2 at the Giant Center, and 30,000 sports fans and 800 athletes are expected to be on hand.
"It's nerve-wracking," said Arnett, who is making his first trip to the Games. "You never know what you will go up against. I've never been to anything this big or professional. I just want to do as best as I can and medal."
The seven 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 in sparring, forms or board breaking at the Badger State Games or the Iowa State Games.
Arnett said the best part of taekwondo is the discipline and forms he is required to master.
"The discipline is something that incorporates the rest of your life," he said. "Anything you do in this sport you can take later into your life."
Conway has been a taekwondo student for four years. She was excited about qualifying for the State Games as a brown belt, the second time she has qualified for the national event.
"They are trying to do what I'm trying to do - get into the top three," Conway said of her brown belt competitors. "A lot of them are going to be going hard and are going for a black belt."
Two years ago, the taekwondo team from Monroe and New Glarus won 13 medals including seven gold medals at the State Games. Greg Bowles, the Monroe Martial Arts and New Glarus taekwondo owner and coach, is a fourth degree Black Belt and is one of 7,500 taekwondo masters worldwide. He's confident the seven representatives from Green County can bring home a haul again.
"I think we truly could bring home a lot of medals again," Greg Bowles said. "They have put the time and work in. I look at the work and sweat that goes into this. It takes a lot of heart and support from parents to do it."
Greg Bowles will have a daunting task at the State Games. In addition to serving as a coach, he will also be a judge. He isn't sure what division or event he will be judging, but he respects the honor.
"It makes me feel nervous because you want to do things right," Bowles said. "You want to be non-partial and fair."
Travis Bowles, Greg's son, is the only returning student who competed at the State Games in San Diego in 2011. Travis Bowles was a gold medal winner in the first degree black belt heavyweight division, and he is looking to repeat as champion.
"I think my chances are pretty fair," he said. "I'm pretty experienced in tournaments. I know what to do."
As a seasoned taekwondo competitor, he has advice for his teammates.
"You have to give it your all," he said. "The next thing you know it will be over. I think the only thing I can use for energy is to say tomorrow I will be at home so today I should try as hard as I can."
The Olympic-style 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.
Conway said her strategy when sparring is to take action.
"When I spar, I want to be more aggressive," she said.
The taekwondo forms for the tournament will follow World taekwondo Federation rules that require shorter and concise stances. The forms competition includes punches, kicks and concise movements of the feet and hands.
Venden, 9, started taking taekwondo lessons just three years ago. This is the first time Venden has qualified for the State Games of America and she is looking forward to the trip.
"It's a little bit scary, but exciting," Venden said.
She finished second in forms and third in sparring at the Badger State Games earlier this year.
"I want to try my hardest and get a first place in at least one thing," Venden said.
