South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Truman Elementary pupil earns state tae kwon do championship

By BILL MILLIGAN

For the Mail Call

Winning the Missouri Tae Kwon Do championship never had crossed 10-year-old Jordan Berkbigler’s mind until Sept. 24 when he found himself in the final round of the state’s 13-and-under division at Parkway South High School.

“At first I didn’t feel like I had a chance of winning,” Jordan recalled. “But after I went to the championship I thought I would win.”

The Concord youth advanced to the finals after winning first place in forms and first place in the sparring division among 9- and 10-year-olds. After winning four more rounds of competition against children as much as three years older than him, Jordan claimed a trophy that stood higher than himself.

“That was the funniest part of the whole tournament,” he said. “I went to pick up my trophy and it started tilting backwards on me. Somebody came up and helped me hold it so it wouldn’t go backwards.”

Jordan is a first-degree black belt and pupil at Truman Elemen-tary School in the Lindbergh School District. He has been active in the sport for five years now.

He trains three times a week and his favorite part is sparring.

“We get to put on pads and kick each other,” he said. “I’m going to get my second degree belt this November and my ninth degree this November and my ninth degree in a couple of years. I’m going to continue going to tournaments.”

But Jordan’s mom, Ellyn, had different ideas.

“How about getting your second degree this November and your ninth when you’re about 50?” she said. “Those tournaments are very emotional. That 13-year-old he knocked out of the tournament was crying. I had to go under the bleachers to compose myself after he won.

“There was another mother down there crying with me,” she added.

When asked if he ever would use his skills to protect himself, Jordan first said that he would if he had to, but after thinking a moment he added, “Well, there was one boy who was kicking me in soccer. I finally kicked him back, but that’s not why I got involved with tae kwon do.

“I enjoy it,” he said.

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