BEAUMONT, Texas — Young athletes of Southeast Texas are getting the chance to compete in a taekwondo tournament at Parkdale Mall.
Tiger Rock Martial Arts is hosting its very own Southeast Texas taekwondo district championships Friday and Saturday.
The tournament features over 200 competitors from Beaumont, Orange, Lumberton and Bridge City all putting their martial arts skills to the test.
The kids are participating in tests of forms, sparring and even board breaking.
"In Tiger Rock our motto is compete, defend, advance," said Tiger Rock Grandmaster David Howells.
Howells has been training in various martial arts for 38 years and he's excited to see his young students showcase the the hard work and time consuming dedication required to be a martial artist.
"Now I'm trying to create a legacy. When they come to class it's a sense of structure and order and discipline about the class but there's also a strong sense of community," Howells said.
The tournament gives a community of martial arts experts the opportunity to earn their brown and black belts as teenagers.
To the young combatants, martial arts is key to becoming a dedicated disciplined leader.
"It took me two years to get my first black belt. It was very challenging. The forms and sparring. Just working up the mental ability," said Hannah Faithcrump, one of the participants.
Jackson Cobb is a brown belt and he's just 12-years-old.
"It's been a real journey," he said.
Cobb utilizes the focus and commitment learned over two years in taekwondo to make him a better baseball player and leader.
"I've always been a real active kid, short attention span. It's helped me so much with my discipline. Before, I couldn't do a lot. Now, I'm the best I've ever been," said Cobb.
The competition continues Saturday, March 9 near the food court at Parkdale Mall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It's a $10 entry fee for the public.