Tae kwon do inspires 2 Bangor athletes

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David Chapman and Crystal Jackins, both of Bangor, took up tae kwon do for different reasons.

The love that Chapman and Jackins have developed for the sport is reflected in their dedication to training and in their eagerness to act as instructors for others. But it is also apparent in their success on the competitive circuit.

Chapman, a 13-year-old student at the William S. Cohen School, placed fourth in the 11-to-15-year-old division at the American Tae Kwon Do Association Spring Nationals in Las Vegas on March 1-2.

Jackins, a 42-year-old French teacher at John Bapst Memorial High School, was a member of a five-member team that captured Maine Ketsugo and Karate Association grand champion honors at Tracy’s Annual Kumite and Team Fighting Tournament in Ellsworth in January.

Chapman, who was inspired to learn tae kwon do by watching action movies, plans to keep building on his success.

“I’m gonna do it until I drop dead,” he said.

Jackins, who started the discipline after her oldest son took it up, values tae kwon do for the challenge it presents and the camaraderie she enjoys with other athletes.

“You have to work hard to succeed. It’s a good, wholesome sport. … You get to meet a lot of neat people,” Jackins said.

Champion Chapman

Kathy Gallimore, Chapman’s instructor in the Orono Parks and Recreation’s Karate for Kids program, knew there was something special about Chapman long before his fourth-place finish at the nationals.

Chapman is a second-degree black belt and a junior instructor. At age 15, athletes may be promoted to the rank of trainee instructor.

But Gallimore said that because Chapman and Sean Sevey have shown such skill and maturity, they would be promoted to trainee instructors next month despite their youth.

Junior and trainee instructors advance by teaching, learning teaching skills through workbook exercises, and community service.

“As they progress in rank, many of the athletes want something more than working on their own techniques and skills, and they get a lot of enjoyment out of helping others. … David is excellent and he’s made huge strides in the last year. We’ll get a provision to promote him to a trainee instructor – which is something I wouldn’t have even considered until David [and Sevey],” Gallimore said.

Gallimore also praised Chapman for patiently developing his own skills since he started in her Tiny Tigers program at age 6.

“He’s flexible, determined and has an easygoing temperament. … He doesn’t take things too seriously or get bent out of shape,” Gallimore said.

Chapman’s methodical approach to the sport is apparent in his mastery of the “forms” – set programs of moves that competitors perform for judges.

At nationals, Chapman placed fourth of 18 athletes in the forms competition and earned a first-round bye for the sparring. He lost his sparring match, but still finished fourth overall.

Chapman, who is the Maine state champion in forms, weapons and sparring, said he was pleased with his performance.

“I was figuring that since it was my first time at nationals, I wasn’t going to win anything. I wasn’t nervous, but I did my best,” he said.

“Anyone that goes to the national competition, even if they come in dead last, has obviously been doing an outstanding job in their region. Anyone who goes to nationals and competes well is definitely a winner,” Chapman said.

Chapman earned the right to compete at nationals by accumulating points in regional competitions. Gallimore said she hopes Chapman can accumulate enough points to qualify for the world championships in June 2003. His point totals would have to be among the top 10 in the world.

“There’s an awful lot of road between here and there [the world championships] and anything can happen. But I’m so proud of him -whether he takes first or last I love him just the same,” Gallimore said.

Jackins: Teamwork ,Teaching

Jackins took up tae kwon do in 1997 and now trains and instructs at Bangor Tae Kwon Do.

She has enjoyed individual competitive success, finishing first in the Over 35 division at the Ippone Independent Practitioners and Promoters of New England’s New Hampshire National last year.

But it’s team competitions that Jackins enjoys most of all.

At team competitions, athletes arrive and are assigned to five-person teams by drawing numbers. Then the athletes – most of whom have just met – must work together.

“If I had to choose [between individual and team fighting], I’d choose team fighting because it’s so neat to cheer on your fellow teammates. Even though you’ve just met them, and they could be from places you’ve never been, it’s such a neat spirit to see people come together,” Jackins said.

At the competition in Ellsworth, Jackins’ team was first out of 36 teams in the black belt division. The team won eight matches at the one-day tournament.

The athletes on the team matched up with their individual opponents based on height. A panel of judges watched the simultaneous matches, and team winners were declared based on the total number of points accumulated by the athletes on each team.

Jackins’ teammates were Bruce Cameron, Carrie Snow, Tom Tardiff and Linwood Bridges.

About 200 athletes from Maine, other New England states and Canada participated in team and individual competitions.

Jackins competes in six to 10 tournaments every year. She trains every day, and teaches classes twice a week. She said she enjoys participating in the sport with her two sons, James and Ryan Bailey, and values the physical skills it has given her.

“Of course, bad things always happen in life, and this is for self-protection and has given me self-confidence,” Jackins said.

She also enjoys a bit of family rivalry. Younger son Ryan won a grand championship as a yellow belt in 1999.

“I’d been dying to get one since then,” Jackins said with a laugh.

On March 17, she earned a third place in fighting and a fourth place in kata at the Vermont National. Son James Bailey picked up a third place in fighting.

Jackins also enjoys the success of her students. She said she was particularly proud of 9-year-old Michael Whiteley of Bangor, who finished second in the individual white belt division at the tournament in Ellsworth. It was Whiteley’s first tournament.

“I love watching other people succeed as they grow in the sport,” Jackins said.