I'm on vacation.

That doesn't mean we don't have an episode.

Let's get started.

Welcome to the Ata Nation podcast.

Welcome back to the Ata Nation podcast.

This is episode 150.

Can you believe it?

157.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, I am on vacation.

As usual.

This is a pre recorded episode which is pretty normal, except earlier this week you got to witness a live episode again with senior master Taekwond Lee.

What a joy.

So excited about all these awards, all these things going on.

Don't miss your chance to be at World Championships.

Don't forget, World Championships is not just an event for black belt.

It's not just an event for people who are in the Tournament of Champions.

The World Championships is actually three different events.

We've talked about this recently.

Number one, it's the World Conference.

This is a great opportunity to train.

We had a Grandmaster Stauber on a couple of times ago on our live episode talking about the Empower her seminar.

For the ladies out there, we've got the ATA Max seminars.

There's so much training opportunity at that.

Talk to your instructor about getting registered for those now.

Also there is the Tournament of Champions.

This is the the only tournament really, except for districts.

Districts in the Tournament of Champions you have to qualify for and you have to be qualified to participate in those.

And then we have the Super 20.

This is the new season tournament.

Anyone and everybody with instructor permission can compete there.

So don't miss your opportunity.

There's.

It's still.

You can still register.

There's still time to come and join us with all the fun.

Speaking of all the fun, we have an awesome athlete of the week this week.

Let's go now at Nation, I am super excited to have with us another amazing athlete and hey ma' am, can you introduce yourself for us?

Hello.

Ha Nation.

My name is Maya Mo and I'm from Wanakee, Wisconsin.

That last name seems familiar to me.

Do you have some instructors that might have the same last name?

Yes, both of my instructors, my parents, my mom and dad.

Our master is here.

Excellent.

Yeah, go ahead, go ahead.

Name them all.

Master Mike Mo and Master Michelle Moe.

Yes, they are pretty awesome people.

So I'm gonna guess that you've been doing Taekwondo for a long time then?

Yes, for sure.

When did you do you know, when you started?

Was it basically when you were born, they just like threw you on the mat and made you start kicking and punching?

Basically.

So I started when I was 3, almost 4 years old.

So like back 2016.

Nice and how old are you now, ma' am?

I'm 12 years old.

You're an old lady now, man.

Okay, so what rank are you?

I forgot to ask that.

I'm a second degree black belt.

I got it in May.

Very good.

Congratulations.

Okay, so you tournament season is over.

The main tournament season.

We're getting ready for the toc.

So how did the tournament season go for you this year?

Did you have some goals that you were working towards?

Yeah, so last year I got two world titles in traditional weapons and extreme forms.

This year I'm in a new division, so districts went pretty great.

I got all four titles in all four of my events that I do mainly.

And yeah, so I'm hoping for at least one title this next coming up.

Worlds.

Excellent.

Congratulations.

That's fantastic.

Now speaking of, you know, competition and things like that, what is your favorite event to compete in?

So ma' am, what with tournaments is kind of the event that you really enjoy doing the most.

So that is a really hard question.

I do four events most of the time.

I think one of my favorite for sure is traditional weapons.

It's hard between traditional weapons and extreme forms because I think I started weapons mid last year and I really liked it.

I used the sword, so I think I'm going to have to go with traditional weapons.

Cool, very good.

And then do you do extreme weapons or extreme forms or both?

I do extreme forms in creative form.

So no extreme creative weapons.

Okay, very cool.

Excellent.

I actually think I just saw a video.

Is there maybe, I mean, I don't want to spill the beans, but is there a, like a maybe a level up team coming to some team competition like, like at Worlds or something?

Yes.

So we just started our new demo team.

It's not coming to Worlds just yet.

I think we're gonna start competing next year in April, something somewhere.

But yeah, after I asked that I realized they don't even have that competition at World Championships.

You guys are getting ready for the next.

Ooh, I saw that video and I was like, they are working on some cool stuff.

I love to see it.

Start competing with it.

Yeah.

Okay, so if you had to pick an event that was like not your favorite, which one would you pick for that?

So can I do one that I'm not currently doing?

Yeah, go ahead.

Sparring is my least favorite event.

I used to do sparring.

The only thing is my competitors grew and I didn't.

So.

I think that's your dad's fault.

I don't think that's your mom's fault.

I think that's your dad's fault.

So, yeah, maybe, maybe that growing, it's still coming.

It's coming and then you'll get the legs and you can be able to whack them in the head and all that kind of stuff.

Do you.

Do you do combat sparring or is that something for later on too?

So I don't do it currently for these like, like these current tournaments.

I am going to do combat sparring at our Level Up Invit tournament just to check that.

That's coming right up, isn't it?

After worlds?

Yes, it's August 16th at the Kalahari.

Yeah, the Kalahari.

Yeah, That's a good one.

You get to go tournament and water park all together.

Can't go wrong with that.

Well, hey, ma' am, what does it mean to you to be an athlete that goes beyond the belt?

I think what it means to me is beyond the belt could mean like on the mats and off the mats.

Like if you're training, you're working really hard, it doesn't mean that you are not able to when you're off the mats.

So like still be a good student, a good friend, good family member, all that stuff.

I love that.

Yeah, I love that you added in there.

A good friend and good family member.

You know, I think a lot of times we, our instructors talk to us about making sure that we're good at school, good at home, and we want to make sure that, that, you know, our family, those are the people we should be, you know, really treating well.

And sometimes I don't know about you, but those are the ones that have hard time treating well sometimes, you know, brothers and sisters are rough.

Yes, sir.

You got a brother, right?

I have two.

A younger brother and an older brother.

Oh, so you're a middle, right?

In the middle.

Those are the best kids.

The best kids are middle kids.

Well, ma' am, we are really thankful for your time today and good luck with your competition at World Championships this year.

It's going to be awesome to see out there competing hard and then maybe people can come visit you up at the Level Up Invitational.

That'd be awesome.

Awesome.

Thank you so much, sir.

I'm really, I really appreciate being on here for athlete of the Week.

Thanks so much.

We love it.

I don't know about you, but I'm excited to see some level up demo team competition in the future.

They are rocking up there.

So thank you for Ms.

Amo's time today.

It was great to have another awesome athlete on.

We've had a variety of ages ranks different parts of the country.

It's so great across the globe.

Actually, speaking of across the globe, we have the Songam cup at World Championships.

This is the international team competition that'll be coming up.

You can find out more about that on the atamartialarts.com website for the schedule for World Championships.

They're going to have the finals for that during the kickoff party.

You do not want to miss that event.

It's going to be so much fun.

Amazing things you'll get to see there.

And we want to, you know, make sure that we're inviting everyone to join us.

On July 12th, we're gonna have another live episode on YouTube and Facebook live as well.

So don't miss out on that until next time.

You guys better be training out there.

TOC is coming, Worlds is coming.

Get out there, take some action.

Go beyond the Belt ADA Nation podcast.

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