Whoosh, whoosh. For some, this sound might be made by a pen spinning aimlessly back and forth while trying to figure out a hard math problem. But for sophomore Amy Morgan, it is the determined noise of fists and feet striking through the air.
Through extensive hard work and lessons at Twin Dragons Taekwondo school, Morgan has earned her first degree black belt in Taekwondo and aims to make the US National team.
“I practice four days a week officially, but I practice at home every day,” she said. “I’ve definitely learned confidence, and self assurance that you can do a lot more than you think you ever can.”
To get where she is now, Morgan had to work her way up from the lowest (white) belt over a long time.
“I started doing taekwondo 8 and a half years ago, I was 7,” she said. “One of my friends actually took me to her class and they had ¼ inch boards that they had everyone break, and I thought it was really cool.”
With practice multiple times a week for so many years, Morgan’s Taekwondo lessons are kept from becoming monotonous by a rotating schedule.
“Certain days we do different things,” Morgan said. “One week might be padwork, where we have pads that we slam on to work on power. We have something called punsai, where you’re pretending to fight someone that’s not really there, so you’re focusing on presentation trying to look good, and also accuracy, which is what I compete with. And we have sparring drills, where you’re with an opponent and beating them up.”
On top of her own lessons, Morgan also puts in hours as an instructor.
“Typically every practice I have one class that I teach and one class that I participate in,” Morgan said. “Watching my students achieve is as good as watching myself achieve.”
And Morgan does have significant achievement to show for her toil, even beyond her high rank as a black belt. She received a bronze medal at a National Taekwondo tournament.
“I am a national level competitor, so I’ve been going to nationals for three years,” Morgan said. “My first year at nationals I placed 3rd. Two years ago I placed 9th. And this past summer I moved into the black belt World Class division and placed 21st.”
But Morgan has her sights set on a higher mark. She is soon to be testing for her second degree black belt, and also aspires to win a spot on the USA Taekwondo team.
“Now I’m a black belt so it’s a lot harder,” Morgan said. “If I were to medal I would make the USA team which goes around to different countries and competes, which is my goal.”
To help reach this objective, Morgan goes out of her way to learn new things outside of her usual taekwondo class.
“I travel to other states (last year I went to Illinois, Kansas, and Indiana) whenever there is an opportunity to do a seminar with one of the USA Team coaches and officials,” she said. “So I’m getting knowledge from those seminars and bringing it and back and then practice, practice, practice.”