June 22, 2022
Raritan Valley ATA sends 7 athletes to NorthEast District Championships in Lancaster, PA.
Branchburg, NJ – Raritan Valley ATA (RVATA) is sent 7 athletes to the American Taekwondo Association’s NorthEast District Championships on June 17 & !8 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The District Championship is an invitational tournament open only to the top athletes in the NorthEast District, encompassing all the states from Pennsylvania to Virginia and up to Maine. Over 650 competitors took part in the tournament this year.
RVATA students were eligible to compete in up to four different events, depending upon their state rankings. For the black belt competitors, the top prize included a place in the Tournament of Champions being held in Phoenix, AZ during July. Winners of the Tournament of Champions are crowned with the title of World Champion.
“The students chosen to compete at District Championships have displayed tremendous dedication and perseverance to get to this point. Competing at this level is certainly not easy. To win at this Districts is even more difficult, because so much is on the line. A title, an invitation to World Championships and a competitive edge for next year are all at stake. These people are spending more time training now than they did to get here, and we couldn’t be prouder of their efforts,” said Brian Peterson, owner and chief instructor of Raritan Valley ATA.
Three of RVATA’s students achieved the District Champion title. Darian Patel, 7, of Bridgewater, is now the District Champion in Traditional Forms. Emily Schwiederek, 28, of Bridgewater is now the District Champion in Traditional Sparring, and Brian Peterson of Somerset is now District Champion for both Traditional Forms and Traditional Weapons. Ms. Schwiederek and Mr. Peterson now have an opportunity to compete for the title of World Champion in Phoenix, AZ during the Tournament of Champions.
A member of the American Taekwondo Association, RVATA teaches Songahm Taekwondo and life skills through the decades of combined experience of it’s instructor team. The school is led by nationally certified instructors who are continually training in best instructional practices and safety standards derived from the ATA’s 700+ independently owned & operated locations. RVATA also benefits from on-going involvement in the ATA international tournament circuit allowing students and staff to challenge themselves physically against the best in the World.
Any questions about the students, training or tournaments can be directed to Mr. Peterson at Raritan Valley ATA.
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