When most people think of sports, their mind immediately goes to those who perform on a field or a court. However, martial arts are some of the oldest sports in the world, many dating back more than 2,000 years. Liberty junior Kalli Tran has found her passion in such a sport, specifically taekwondo, in which she has been competing for the past five years.

“I’ve been competing since I was 12 years old, but I’ve been training since I was 7,” Tran said.

Ever since Tran was young, she has been obsessed with martial arts. Throughout her childhood, Tran has done kickboxing, judo, and, more recently, taekwondo.

“I wanted to do something active, but I wasn’t really interested in more traditional sports,”  Tran said.

While many students might not know much about taekwondo, it is as competitive and engaging as any other sport. At competitions, taekwondoins score points by landing blows on their opponent’s torso or head. Each match consists of three two-minute rounds, with a one-minute break in between. 

“You usually go against your belt level, so it is a fair match,” Tran said. 

While taekwondo is relatively safe compared to other martial arts, injuries can still happen if someone receives a heavy blow. Thankfully, many safety precautions are taken to ensure the safety of each taekwondoin.

“We wear headgear, arm braces, and foot braces that stop us from breaking anything,” Tran said.

Although Tran was introduced to various martial arts at a young age, it was taekwondo that she ended up finding a passion for. After many years, she never lost interest in the sport and continues to strive to reach her goals.

“Martial arts was always a family tradition, but I started taekwondo because it was something I really wanted to be proud of,” Tran said.

While taekwondo requires a lot of patience and discipline, Tran has shown the importance of dedication and hard work after years of practice. By continuing her passion, Tran has found considerable triumph and internal growth while helping others along the way.

“My greatest success was feeling self discipline in myself and teaching others what I had learned,” Tran said.