CATONSVILLE, Md. — A local Taekwondo school is asking you to help them 'Kick ‘em all for Catonsville.' It's raising money necessary to travel to the national competition this fall.
Trophies fill the front windows showing the accomplishments at Baltimore Taekwondo.
When you step inside, you see this is a training center for world-class athletes.
"I train six days a week. An hour and half from seven to eight thirty. I'm here all the time and I help with younger classes. So, this is basically my life now,” said Sarah Jonsson, who is a competitor.
A lifestyle for 12-year-old Jonsson, she shares with 13 others, developing the skills it takes for the World Cup competition.
"We are training for the ITF World Cup in Mar Del Plata Argentina. It's an event that takes place every two years,” said Dan DeArmas, the Head Coach at Baltimore Taekwondo.
DeArmas said International Taekwondo Federation, ITF, is the original style of training the school uses.
Although the ages within this group range from as young as 12 to as old as 46. Age is just a number when it comes to the punching, kicking and specialty techniques used to come out on top.
"The best part about it is it's all encompassing. It has something for everyone and I think that it's very introspective like most martial arts and it brings out the best in you," said DeArmas.
So much that for Sheldon Spencer, this Korean martial art has become a calling.
"You know when a lot of people, you meet them and they're still looking for their purpose. Like what is meant for them to do on this earth. I know what it is and it's this,” said Sheldon Spencer, another competitor.
The last time this taekwondo school went to the World Cup, the team brought home nine medals. Spencer was there and said countries throughout the world shared the love for the sport.
"Some old countries that are powerhouses still show that they're powerhouses and there were new surprise countries as well that showed we're here to stay and we take this just as serious as everyone else,” said Spencer.
1500 competitors from over 70 countries are expected to be at the competition at the end of October.
This year, the Baltimore team is aiming to come home with gold medals.
Until then, the team is raising money to get there through their efforts called ‘Kick ‘em all for Catonsville’. To help this group, clickhere.
