Martial Arts Team Wins Two National Cups in Competition

An Edgewater and Annapolis martial arts dojo defied the odds this month by winning two top prizes at a national championship.

East Coast Martial Arts (ECMA) and its 38 athletes returned home with dozens of medals earned at the AAU National Tae Kwon Do Championships in Austin, TX, but their greatest accomplishment was something never before seen in the history of that competition.

In an unprecedented victory, ECMA won the coveted Chairman’s Cup in two divisions, point fighting and the forms competition. In total, the team came home with the two cups, 17 national champions, 18 silver medals and 10 bronze medals.

“This has never been done, and we are the first to do it,” said ECMA owner Tommy Lee.

The 38 members of ECMA are comprised of students from Edgewater, Davidsonville, Annapolis and surrounding areas, ranging from 8-51 years of age.

“Our kids take it very seriously when they compete, and we were probably in better condition than most of the other athletes were,” he said.

Lee said the team also spent time training for the tournament throughout the year, preparing for the kinds of tests they’d be up against. At last year’s competition, they were somewhat blind-sided by a change in the rules. They had a year to cope with that change, and came out on top.

The team’s feeling of community also helped bond the athletes and keep them focused before a match, he said.

“There’s a lot of team camaraderie and a lot of support,” Lee said. “We have a buddy system where people are responsible for other kids, and coaches responsible for other athletes. There’s a good support group there. I think that was a big key—their mindsets were in the right place.”

Head Coach Erik Hollon said the team was nervous upon arriving in Austin for the competition. But the momentum toward victory began quickly, and it washed away any sense of dread.

“About half an hour after the competition started, we had already secured out first gold medal. That set the pace throughout the rest of the day. We were just killing it,” he said.

Hollon said his athletes had a fighting spirit, even when they felt outmatched. That’s what gives them the competitive edge, he said.

“There’s no negative attitude of ‘Oh, I’ll never win this division.’ It’s always just, ‘Let’s see how we can do. It’s just another challenge, even if we feel outmatched,’” Hollon said. “And I do see that difference between our athletes and other athletes. They see a negative, but our kids see a challenge.”

To learn more about ECMA, visit its website at http://www.eastcoastmartialarts.com/.