Posted: 12/8/04
Two Sun Yiís students make AAU team
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
When Tanner and Danie Gibson and Nova Schuler of Sun Yiís Traditional Tae Kwon Do Academy in Forest Lake attended the AAU National Tae Kwon Do Tournament in Ft. Lauderdale, FL with six of their teammates they just wanted to gain some experience competing on the national level. The three did so well they were invited to try out for the AAU Tae Kwon Do national team in Houston, TX.
The three traveled to Houston in Sept. again with the goal of gaining experience, but also the hopes of making the team of course.
ìI think that since it is a new experience it wouldnít be a huge letdown if we didnít make the team,î Nova said before going down to Houston.
When the national team tryouts were done and over with, Nova and Tanner were new members of the national team and Danie was in a bit of pain. All three agree Danie would have made the national team had she not been injured during her bout. Danie was in the second bout of her team tryout when she severely dislocated her right pinky finger so much so that the bone was protruding out of the skin.
ìShe didnít start to cry until she was told she couldnít fight anymore,î Danieís brother Tanner said.
Danie was taken immediately to the hospital where she was rushed into surgery to fix her finger.
The emotional trauma of seeing their teammate/sister experience such an injury could have ended the hopes of making the team for Nova and Tanner, but they used it as motivation.
ìI told Danie that I was dedicating my fights to her,î Tanner said. ìDoing that made making the team that much more special.î
ìShe (Danie) was calling us from the hospital on her cell phone to see how we were doing,î Nova said. ìShe wanted to be there so bad just to see us fight.î
With Danie rooting Tanner and Nova on from her hospital bed the two made the AAU National Tae Kwon Do team.
The two now get to travel the world for the next year representing the U.S. in international Tae Kwon Do tournaments. They also get to defend their team spot next year at the team tryouts.
The goal for next year is to, of course, have Tanner and Nova retain their spots on the team, but to be joined by Danie and maybe some other Sun Yiís students.
ìThe three will be back there again next year and Danie will make the team with them,î Sun Yiís Master Eddie Gibson said.
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