Have you ever wondered...

[mango.man]

Have you ever wondered who the best TKD'ist in the USA is?

Well now you don't need to wonder any more

http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/19673514.html for full story + video clip.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A Knoxville teen is getting a once in a lifetime honor in the world of martial arts.

She’s only 13, and is the top Tae Kwon Do competitor in the United States.

Five days a week, you’ll find Kelsey Beeler at Chung-Do Black belt Academy in Karns training in a spot she developed a love for at a very young age.

Kelsey says, "Me and my dad would watch karate cartoons and Jackie Chan movies and Bruce Lee stuff, and I always thought that was the neatest stuff."

So, at age four, she picked kicks and punches over pointes and plies.

"There were two places -- a martial arts school and ballet school. And the Tae Kwon Do was really exciting and more fun, so I decided to do that."

Now, nine years of dedication later, Kelsey has been ranked top in the nation – beating out the typical master of this sport: men, and those much older and higher ranked.

Senior instructor Bernie Fritts says, "I get to the list and I’m looking for an old student, Jesse Rodriguez from Florida, he is 20-something, incredible, does flips in the air, and his name was 2nd and I'm like ‘well who is…?’ And I looked, and my jaw hit the floor."

So how does that work? How can a second degree black belt that is 13 years old beat out others higher ranked with more experience?

Easy.

She wins.

Bernie says, "90 points for first and she has a rack of first place metals longer than my arm right now."

She’s 120 points ahead of number two, but it’s the competition closest to her she just may have to watch out for.

That competition is 10-year-old Myia Beeler, Kelsey’s little sister.

Myia says, "I Didn't even think I was ranked. I was very surprised."

It’s a combo that is sure to garner national attention for years to come, and Bernie says, "I'm honored just to be their instructor."

Five of Fritts’ students are in the top 50.

The Beeler sisters have a 5-year-old brother who started martial arts last week.

 

[StuartA]

Dont mean to offend... but its this sort of thing that makes TKD a laughing stock in the MA world!

 

[terryl965]

I have a 14 year old she can fight my son Zachary and I believe she would get knocked out, her backswing sucked and then she is number with who. An association that is based on points and not actual fighting. Please We have gone to these type of tournaments and walked all over those types. Light hitting people/ I am not trying to start crap but that is not even funny a 13 year old number one, let see her fight a adult and she what happens.

I know there are some of GM Sells people on this board and I am ready for there stuff, but really promoting her as the best in the world is a little out rages do not not think so. I would ever put my 11 year old 64 pounder against her and he would do better than she can.
Sorry but Stuart is right this is what gives the Martial Art a bad name.

 

[terryl965]

Mango.man Samantha could knock her out with no problem.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Gotta respect nine years of training five days a week. But I must shake my head at the idea of a thirteen year old being allowed to compete against adults in their twenties. Weight classes, anyone? The whole reason weight classes exist is to prevent a 300 pound wall of muscle from doing permanent injury to a 125 pound opponent. So what gives?

What this tells me is that these tournaments must be light or no contact. I'm guessing on this, since they only show her kicking handheld targets, but doesn't taekwondo require the hits to be a 'trembling blow' to score?

Also, she isn't number one in the US; she's number one in the US on the Chung Do Kwan circuit. Since we're talking top ranked sport TKD competitors, I'd rather hear who the number one USTKD competitor is. Five will get you ten that he/she isn't thirteen.

Daniel

 

[Twin Fist]

everytime I see some crap like this, I am glad i am going with a "no shodan before 16" rule...........

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

everytime I see some crap like this, I am glad i am going with a "no shodan before 16" rule...........

When I open my own school, that will be the first commandment!

Daniel

 

[Deaf Smith]

Five days a week, you’ll find Kelsey Beeler at Chung-Do Black belt Academy in Karns training in a spot she developed a love for at a very young age.

Not bad. Sure wish I could work out 5 days a week at just TKD. If I shot that often and much I'd be a champion IDPA/IPSC shot! Oh, well.

As for weight class. Say guys... maybe she is Yoda! He was a pretty feisty guy.

Look, for her age, she is outstanding. I only hope her parients are making sure she is in school and is getting a good education to.

Deaf

 

[IcemanSK]

They failed to mention that she is ranked #1 in the nation in the US Chung Do Kwan Association rankings. She is not ranked that I know of in any other ranking system. The US Chung Do Kwan Association (of which I am a proud part) is an organization of around 125-150 schools across the country. It was not made clear in the story that it was the USCDKA national rankings. It should have been. Her instructor certainly would have told the reporter that. I'm sure the reporter didn't know any better to make the distinction.

It is a big deal in my organization, but it isn't in a bigger organization like the USAT. It also does not say if it's for poomsae, sparring or a combination of the two. If it's sparring, she's not fighting adults. She's competing against her age & rank. The ratings system is points based on how well one does at all the tournaments held throughout the year. She enters a lot of tournaments & obviously does well.

 

[YoungMan]

When I resume teaching in a few months, one of the rules will be no one under 12 years old. I shudder at the thought of a 5 year old thinking he's practicing Taekwondo. No Tiny Tigers for me thanks.

 

[Tryak]

I don't agree with anything but a poom before 16..and yes there should be weight classes. However let's remember it is the media who is touting her as number 1 not a TKD person...they like feel good stories it's what sells papers! Also I admire her dedication for how much she practices it is only age/muscle mass that is lacking here not committment. I think there can be whiz kid at anything..just have to remember they are the exception not the rule.

 

[IcemanSK]

She is a 2nd Poom, not Dan. The reporter should have made that clear as well.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

They failed to mention that she is ranked #1 in the nation in the US Chung Do Kwan Association rankings. She is not ranked that I know of in any other ranking system. The US Chung Do Kwan Association (of which I am a proud part) is an organization of around 125-150 schools across the country. It was not made clear in the story that it was the USCDKA national rankings. It should have been. Her instructor certainly would have told the reporter that. I'm sure the reporter didn't know any better to make the distinction.

It is a big deal in my organization, but it isn't in a bigger organization like the USAT. It also does not say if it's for poomsae, sparring or a combination of the two. If it's sparring, she's not fighting adults. She's competing against her age & rank. The ratings system is points based on how well one does at all the tournaments held throughout the year. She enters a lot of tournaments & obviously does well.

What you describe makes a whole heck of a lot more sense than the way that the broadcast was done. The reporter made it sound like she's actually fighting against adults. If it is poomsae competition or poomsae sparring, that is an entirely different animal.

Daniel

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

She is a 2nd Poom, not Dan. The reporter should have made that clear as well.

That requires actually doing research into the ranking system if Chung do kwan, and that requires work, which I see very little of in what passes for journalism these days.

Also, it reinforces my stance against poom rank students being allowed to wear a blackbelt. Blackbelts should be for first dan. Period, the end. Thats my opinion. Most school owners that I know of obviously don't agree.

Daniel

 

[StuartA]

It doesnt matter what org shes with or how they do their ranking, whether she has a poom belt, whether its really a state thing or a small org thing etc.

The story read: She’s only 13, and is the top Tae Kwon Do competitor in the United States - and thats what everyone hears/reads as they see this little 13 year old on screen and this reflect back on the whole TKD world!

No offence, but even if they are the best Junior or best 13 year old Id still have my doubts watching the clip! Reading between the lines it seems if you attend more competitions than the next person and in the comps have more bouts (as Im pretty sure WTF junior divisions do), you get more points... is that right and if so its a silly ranking system as its more based on opportunity as opposed to skill!

Stuart

 

[GlassJaw]

Reading between the lines it seems if you attend more competitions than the next person and in the comps have more bouts (as Im pretty sure WTF junior divisions do), you get more points... is that right and if so its a silly ranking system as its more based on opportunity as opposed to skill!

If that is the case (ranking based on a combination of participation and performance instead of performance alone), I'm sure the intention is to encourage experience rather than to reward opportunity.

But it would be really hard to gain much in the way of participation points if your home and dojang are in a small town that's over five hours away from anything that could be called "a city".

Dan

 

[StuartA]

If that is the case (ranking based on a combination of participation and performance instead of performance alone), I'm sure the intention is to encourage experience rather than to reward opportunity.

Then they shouldnt be giving out "Best In the World" titles then, should they! I could also be wrong about that , as its just how I read it!

But it would be really hard to gain much in the way of participation points if your home and dojang are in a small town that's over five hours away from anything that could be called "a city".

Exactly... so its a numbers game really!

Stuart

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Then they shouldnt be giving out "Best In the World" titles then, should they! I could also be wrong about that , as its just how I read it!

Exactly... so its a numbers game really!

Stuart

I doubt that you're wrong about it. I read it the same way. And yes, it is a numbers game.

Daniel

 

[zDom]

That requires actually doing research into the ranking system if Chung do kwan, and that requires work, which I see very little of in what passes for journalism these days.

Sigh. As a journalist AND a person who holds a 2nd dan from the Chung Do Kwan I can see a lot of sides to this.

In defense of the profession in general, it isn't easy to get everything exactly right when you only have an 8-hour shift to make your deadline. Unlike other professions, when we make mistakes, its OUT there, forever and ever, for other people to nitpick.

But yea, it irks me, too. I go out of my way to get things RIGHT and I see a LOT of journalists who DON'T seem to make that effort — they just want to get an entertaining story on the front page.

In defense of the Chung Do Kwan: they are just trying to promote their organization and art with positive news stories.

IMO, someone should have been on the ball to make sure their story wasn't distorted into, well, what we just read.

Ah well. I'm done making excuses. The story rubs me the wrong way, too.

 

[Cirdan]

Well if she trains five days a week she is the kind of student the arts need.

The organisation that awarded her a second degree blackbelt is NOT what we need. Like the other 99% of the population they obviously have no concept of what the dan rank means. GM Sell is it? What an appropriate name.