By Matt Wiley
If you’ve ever seen the popular 1980s film “The Karate Kid” or any of its sequels, you probably know that martial arts competitions can get pretty intense. Now, imagine being seven years old and representing Team USA on the world stage in another country. One young New Tampa martial artist doesn’t have to use his imagination because, in just a few weeks, he’ll be living it.
Live Oak resident Luca Guida will be competing at the Black Belt level in three competitions during the week of October 4-9 in Dublin, Ireland, during the World Karate Commission (WKC)’s 2014 World Championships.
Competing in the 12 & under division, Guida will be facing off against kids almost twice his age in Point Sparring (25 kg {55 lb.} & under weight class), as well as in both Creative Weapons (nunchucks) and Traditional Weapons (bo staff).
“I’m really excited,” Guida says. “It’s my first time (going to the WKC World Championships).”
However, qualifying to represent Team USA was no easy feat. In fact, it’s taken nearly three years of training with Master Robert Robaldo in the art of Chung Do Kwan (a form of Tae Kwon Do) at the Black Belt Academy on Cross Creek Blvd. to learn the skills necessary for such a high-stakes competition. Luca began the week he turned 5, and quickly excelled, says his mother Meghan.
“Because he learned so quickly, he was asked to begin black belt training within just a few months,” she says.
Luca says he was drawn to karate at an early age. “I just had a taste for action,” Luca says. “So I asked for karate lessons for my birthday and started as a white belt.”
His road to the World Championships began in May at the Regional Qualifier in Randallsville, Maryland on May 3. Finishing in the top 4 in his age group for Sparring, Creative and Traditional Weapons, he was invited to the National Championships in Detroit, MI, where he was named National Champion in Sparring and Traditional Weapons and earned a bronze medal in the Creative Weapons competition. He and three other kids from across the nation now go on to represent the U.S. in Ireland in their age group.
However, making the more than 4,000-mile trip to Dublin, as well as paying entry fees, staying for five days and purchasing uniforms will not be cheap and several fund raisers are being held in the next few weeks to help get Luca to Ireland.
The first of which is a fund raiser at Burger Monger (located on BBD in the Shoppes of New Tampa at Wesley Chapel shopping plaza) on Thursday, September 18. If you mention Luca when you place your order, the restaurant will donate 10-percent of the proceeds to helping fund Luca’s competition. Two days later, on Saturday, September 20, a car wash will be held at the 7-11 off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (in front of Home Depot ).
In addition, Meghan has set up a GoFundMe.com account for Luca for anyone that wants to help a young martial artist become a World Champion. So far, only $275 has been raised, but the family hopes to raise $4,000 before October 1.
For more information, please visit GoFundMe.com/LucaToIreland. Good luck, Luca, from the New Tampa Neighborhood News!
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