This summer, a pair of tough moms and their kids will represent the United States in a martial arts competition in England.
Warrior Martial Arts head instructor and 5th degree black belt Jennifer Giles says her daughter Jadyn has been selected to be part of the national team heading to the 2024 UTA British Championships in July. He said he was proud of that.
“I'm proud of her no matter what, but I think she would be really proud to represent our country,” Jennifer said.
Jadyn, who is currently working towards her first degree black belt, has been coaching with her mother since she was 5 years old. Like many children, Jadyn suffers from anxiety, and he said taekwondo has given him confidence and motivated him to keep improving. He hopes that this tournament will be a new stepping stone for his personal growth.
“I want to improve my form when it comes to taekwondo. I've also never been outside the country before, so I think it's going to be really different for me,” Jadin said.
Varsity tryouts were held in Rockwall in February. Jennifer said hundreds of other children of various ages also participated in tryouts. Jadin competed in speed sparring and defeated many other candidates on form.
And Jadyn isn't the only young Titus County resident competing on the international stage. Ailey and Isaiah Morales are also scheduled to hop on a plane to the UK. Their mother, Lydia Morales, is also a Warrior Martial Arts instructor.
Lydia, who began her martial arts career in 2003, originally trained with Jennifer. Lydia, who is currently a third-degree black belt and teaches alongside Jennifer, loves teaching, which she said is in her blood.
“It’s not just about teaching art,” Lydia said. “Everything that comes out of it is positive. And it's great to see that change in the kids and see them grow in confidence. See them achieve their individual goals. You may have seen them do that and thought you couldn't do it, but they're really developing strong characters.”
Isaiah, 17, and Eli, 15, say they are both excited and nervous for the upcoming competition.
“It's definitely going to be interesting,” Isaiah said. “At tryouts, the other players were much larger. I'm about 5 feet 8 inches, but the others were at least 6 feet tall.”
His sister Eilee said martial arts had instilled important lessons in her body and she hoped she would learn more about integrity, perseverance, discipline and winning while competing in England.
Ili said, “I think I will continue doing taekwondo for a long time.'' She said, “I know I'm going to university, so I might take a break then, but I want to go back to university.''
Lydia and Jennifer both have experience competing at the international level. Jennifer is representing Team Her USA in Scotland and Lydia also traveled to England to compete in her UTA British Championships. Both said the trip was a valuable experience and encouraged them to continue pursuing martial arts.
“It completely changed my life,” Jennifer said. “I learned a lot about being a mother by watching Taekwondo instructors interact with children and students in general. It gave me so much and helped me learn how to be a mother and encourage my daughters.”
Lydia echoed the same sentiment excitedly. she said: It's a once in a lifetime experience. Martial arts is more than just learning the art. I have seen what it has done to my life and my children's lives. It imbues them with so much personality. Learning to treat people with courtesy, respect and kindness, doing the right thing even when no one is looking, and perseverance when life is difficult. ”
They are looking for sponsors to help the Warriors fly to England. If you would like to become a sponsor, please visit his Facebook page at Warriors Martial Arts and send him a message. You can also call or text Jennifer Giles at 903-563-4316. Businesses that sponsor $500 or more will have their company name placed on the children's uniforms.
Lydia is also holding a number of fundraisers, including self-defense classes for women and teens in April. She plans to publish details of the class through her personal Facebook page.
The 2024 UTA British Championship is scheduled to take place in the UK on Sunday 14th July. The United Taekwondo Alliance will be live-streaming the event on Facebook.
