Four members of Yorkton Kees Tae Kwon Do will be off to Calgary from May 12-15 to take part in the 2016 Canadian Nationals.
The Nationals appearances of black belts Daniel Bazin (14), Zane Chopik (13) and Tyler Buenneke (13), as well as Cho Dan Bo (one belt down from black) Kallie Buenneke will mark the first time since 2013 that any member of Yorkton Kees will compete at the National competition. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a couple of years, since 2013 when we last sent anyone to Nationals and so this is a new, young crew that are coming along,鈥� said Yorkton Kees instructor and Taekwondo Canada President Master Wayne Mitchell, adding that they鈥檙e sending the four athletes to the Nationals in order for them to gain experience. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e mainly going for the experience and to see what the National level is like, where they fit in and see which rung on the latter they鈥檙e on compared to the rest of the country.鈥�
The majority of the athletes also know that while medaling is a bonus, the main thing is that they gain experience for future competitions. 鈥淣ext year I might go in looking for a medal, but this year it鈥檚 more for experience,鈥� said 13-year-old black belt Tyler Buenneke.
Kees athlete Zane Chopik, however, feels that while it will be nice to go there and gain experience, anything short of the podium will be somewhat of a failure. 鈥淚 expect to do well,鈥� said the confident 13-year-old. 鈥淚 wake up every morning and tell myself that I鈥檓 going to win Nationals.
鈥淚t puts that thought in my head and now I have the drive to win and keep on going.鈥�
But Chopik isn鈥檛 just confident in himself; he also believes his fellow Kees competitors have a good chance at finding themselves on the podium in Calgary. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done many training camps and we鈥檙e no long just working on our bodies and technique, we鈥檙e also working on the mental side of it, and because of that I think we鈥檒l all do well,鈥� suggested Chopik, adding that success at the local Wildfire Challenge will help build confidence for the Kees competitors. 鈥淲e all got a gold there (Wildifre Challenge) so that鈥檚 extra positive fuel heading in to Nationals for us.鈥�
In Calgary Chopik will compete in the Cadet Male (33-37kg) class against nine other competitors, while Tyler Buenneke will take part in the Cadet Male (41-45kg) category against 11 other athletes.
Daniel Bazin, the oldest Yorkton athlete attending Nationals at age 14, will compete in the Junior Male (51-55kg) category with 13 other black belts, while Kallie Buenneke will compete in the Cadet Female (Red) group.
