By Summer Crawford

Staff Writer

Diligent athletes from across the country practice their skills, the room filled with sparks of energy. Everyone has thoughts twirling through their minds as they devise a gameplan to win against their opponent. Perfectly timed and angled kicks fly between competitors. Athletes of all ages and sizes bring their best attitudes every time their feet touch the mat.

This is the daily life of a taekwondo athlete at the National Taekwondo Association (NTA) of Coppell. NTA is owned by Master Sang Cha, a seventh degree black belt with extensive knowledge of the sport.

One of the most important competitions is the national Team Trials. Team NTA was privileged enough to send 19 elite level athletes to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., for trials on Jan. 9-14.

Coppell High School junior Connor Wilson and New Tech High @ Coppell freshman Trinity Sullivan earned spots on the Junior National Team, while CHS sophomores Nick Jones and Madison Giddens were placed on the alternate “B” team for the Junior National Team. Giddens was also named an alternate for the Senior National Team.

“We have practiced in class and done drills, but this competition is the cream of the crop. Everyone is facing the highest athletes in their division, so you are at the highest level to compete for USA and it doesn’t get harder than that, performing under pressure,” Cha said.

The long months of training and hundreds of hours spent at NTA proved worthwhile for these high school athletes who achieved success in Colorado Springs.

“For these kids to be elite level they have to have the right coaching, supportive parents and be the right athlete. It is a combination of all three,” Cha said. “We have five USA national team members from one school, which is unheard of, and six more who made the B team who were one point away. If those six had made the national team, this would have broken every record in the USAT history books.”

With support from friends and family and under the direction of Cha, the four students received results for their hard work. For many, it was the fulfillment of a dream to earn the opportunity to represent the United States.

“I felt that I was the luckiest guy in the whole country. I didn’t even know how to express my emotions towards my parents, friends, or coaches,” Wilson said. “It was just an unbelievable thought and dream come true.”

Wilson and Sullivan could not have been happier to make the Junior National Team, as they saw everything they had worked for come together in one moment.

“To have such a level of success in my first year of high school is outstanding. I also have an amazing group of people who support me at this school, which helps even more,” Sullivan said. “I have gained a sense of a greater purpose as an athlete. When you become a part of something bigger, you have this renewed drive for the sport, as well as a position to uphold as an ambassador for your country.”

Giddens and Jones fought their hardest and earned positions on the alternate B team. Both faced numerous experienced, older taekwondo fighters that put their skills to the test.

“Being a B team member is bittersweet. For my senior competition, I was extremely proud and so was Master Cha. I went against a two-time Olympian and put up a pretty good fight, for only being 16 years old,” Giddens said. “For the juniors competition, Master Cha had to call my final fight. I had already dislocated my shoulder once that day in an earlier match, and it happened again in the finals.”

Some of the other 15 athletes who competed for NTA acquired injuries as a result of fighting multiple matches. But success is worth the risk for these few taekwondo fighters who achieve their goals.

“My heart was set on the A team, but I am so thankful I fought hard and made B team. There were 12 top guys from all over the USA that I had to spar and I respect them all. These guys are the best. I met so many great athletes whom I can call my friends,” Jones said. “USAT Team Trials were tough and they reminded me that I need to work harder and compete smarter.”

With success and personal gain came sacrifice. Each of the four athletes had to sacrifice things in order to come out on top.

“Over the training period, I had to sacrifice a lot to be able to compete and perform at my full potential. My train of thought was the more I fought through, the more I could say that I was able to persevere, and for me that is a big motivation,” Sullivan said. “This competition was a big confidence booster for me and has showed me that if I try, I can perform at great levels.”

In coming months, Wilson will be traveling to Canada, China and Germany to represent Team USA. Sullivan will be going to the U.S. Open in Las Vegas in February, Taipei in China in March and will compete at Nationals in July. Jones will continue to compete in upcoming competitions and hopes to compete at Nationals in July. Both Wilson and Giddens plan on taking their shot at the 2016 Olympic Trials for Rio de Janeiro.

“They still have a lot to learn, and also the ones who made team have the responsibility to maximize their practice and training time because they represent the country and fight for the USA. They all came back with a higher intensity,” Cha said. “ All four had a game plan and the discipline to follow through and to train to achieve their goals.”