Taekwondo tournament draws hundreds from across the country to Idaho Falls

IDAHO FALLS — Around 300 martial artists, from across the country, converged on Idaho Falls and the Bonneville High School gym last month for an annual Taekwondo tournament — the “Battle at the Falls.”

Ferocity ATA, in Idaho Falls, has hosted one of the Pacific Northwest’s three annual regional tournaments each of the past 12 years, according to gym owner and chief instructor Joshua Schultz.

Competition, Schultz said, is an important part facet of growth for any youngster.

“Competition helps the students see themselves, to see what they are capable and what they can overcome,” he said.

Because the Battle at the Falls is “classified as a regional tournament,” Schultz explained, the majority of its competitors were from Idaho and surrounding states. But there were also competitors who came from as far as California and Texas for the event.

As part of the Pacific Northwest region — which includes Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah — Ferocity competes every Taekwondo season for the right to host one of three tournaments in the region. It has earned that right each of the past 12 seasons, Schultz said.

“That’s something that we’ve worked hard every year to earn, to be able to host,” he added.

Along with some individual accomplishments, Ferocity won several team medals, including first and second place — for their “A Team” and “B Team,” respectively — in Team Sparring and Team Combat Sparring.

The combat competitions, Schultz explained, have always been where his students find their greatest success, though he plans on focusing a bit more on presentation events, like katas, next season.

Schultz is a firm believe in the benefits of competition, in martial arts and all sports. Through competitions like the Battle at the Falls, his students learn to overcome adversity — they develop self-confidence, self-worth and a greater self-esteem — while creating friendships with fellow competitors from well outside of their bubble, Schultz said.

“Competition can bring out the worst in people, but can also bring out the best. If competition is done in a healthy way, you grow,” he said, explaining that growth is limited when kept in a limited environment. … “When you get into a competitive environment, now you’re being pushed. You want to win, and that’s driving that edge — making you push boundaries.”

The Battle of the Falls does not mark the end of the Taekwondo season. Ferocity, which qualified for the Pacific Northwest District Championships, in June, will not compete for a spot in the world championships — which will be held in July, in Phoenix.

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One of Schultz’s team qualified for worlds last year. Ferocity will look to return even more of their competitors this year, and perhaps return with some hardware.