Michael Pick is a fifth-degree black belt and owner of Master Pick's Precision Martial Arts Inc. in Bonita Springs.
He will take his best tae kwon do students to the Junior National qualifier on May 27 and then to the Junior Nationals in Atlanta in July.
But his fighters aren’t children that have been training for years. Some have as little as a year’s worth of training under their colored belts.
“It’s an open tournament to anybody in the Southwest United States, and they all meet and they all go on their different weight divisions and experienced level divisions,” said Pick of Fort Myers, who has prepared the students by teaching them olympic-style sparring.
He opened his shop three years ago to be near Bonita Springs Charter School, where many of his students attend.
“They are a little excited but nervous. It’s outside their comfort zones, but they can medal,” Pick said.
During his classes, the children learn discipline, politeness and how to kick and punch. They also learn how to control their bodies and what it takes to spar safely.
“I’m very excited to be going to nationals for the first time ever,” said Stefanie Drack, 9, of Bonita Springs. She has trained for three years.
Sheila Godbold of Fort Myers can’t wait to see how the students will do during the competition.
“I think it’s great,” Godbold said. “(Pick) has done it before, and the kids have learned how to apply the concepts.” Godbold’s daughter, Ashlee, 9, will be competing for the first time, and she has the least experience of the seven-member bunch.
But Pick doesn’t expect that to keep her from a medal.
“This is the next level for me to take the gift that was given to me and pass it on to someone else,” said Pick, who took four of the seven students competing this year to the competition last year. “They are stronger than last year, and some of the first timers are extremely talented and they have a chance to metal if not get gold.”
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