Geathers

SARVER — They're 11 years old and on top of the world.

Roman Geathers of Freeport and Collin Smith of West Deer achieved that status recently at the American Tae Kwon Do Association World Championships in Little Rock, Ark.

Both are students of Makowski's ATA Martial Arts Academy in Sarver. Their instructor, R.J. Makowski, is a fourth-degree black belt and 2003 U.S. Open Men's Sparring champion.

Makowski, a Butler resident, is a two-time ATA weapons world champion in his age group. Geathers captured the ATA world title in sparring for his age group this year.

"It's a yearlong accumulation of points through competitions that got them to this point," said Makowski, a top-10 world championship finalist many times himself. "They've been to national, world and regional events, piling up points.

"You have to be among the top 10 in the world in points to even go to Little Rock for the world championships."

Four of Makowski's students qualified for Little Rock.

Smith was first in weapons points, eighth in forms and was tied for ninth in sparring. Geathers was second in sparring.

Chelsee Gavel of Gibsonia was ninth in double weapons form among second- and third-degree black belt girls ages 11 to 13. Krysty Hawk of Buffalo Township was tied for ninth among women in sparring for first-degree black belts ages 17 to 29.

While Smith is a two-time world champion, Geathers didn't allow a single point in any of his four matches in Arkansas en route to winning his world sparring title.

Besides Arkansas, Geathers and Smith competed in ATA events in New Jersey, Nevada, Florida, Michigan and Indiana. Smith is in Atlanta this weekend and will accumulate points for next year.

"A new season starts right after worlds," said Smith, a second degree black belt. "I want to keep moving up in ranking and maybe open up my own (tae kwon do) school someday."

Smith, who started in the sport at age 4, has been a student of Makowski's for a year.

"I've improved my sparring since coming to this school," Smith said. "I made the top 10 in sparring for the first time."

Geathers plays basketball as well as competing in tae kwon do. He's been involved in the latter since age 3 and is a three-year student at Makowski's academy.

"It's great for cardio work and character building," he said of tae kwon do. "The accuracy and speed I've picked up help me in basketball, too."

Geathers has a goal of becoming a master in tae kwon do, a level that requires attaining a sixth-degree black belt. He plans to test for his third-degree black belt in August.

"I became a first degree when I was 7, a second degree at 9," he said. "It's rare for kids our age to be this far advanced."

Geathers and Smith come to Makowski's academy three or four days a week.

"Both of these guys are extremely dedicated to what they're doing," Makowski said. "You're talking about kids who get up at 5:30 a.m. and work out before they go to school, then come to the academy after school.

"In tae kwon do, wherever they set their minds to go, they can go," he added. "When you work toward a goal, it's achievable. That's different from a dream."

Students at Makowski's Martial Arts Academy in Sarver combined to win 17 state championships this year:<B>Chelsee Gavel: </B>girls form, weapons and sparring<B>Krysty Hawk: </B>women's weapons and sparring<B>William Fullerton: </B>men's sparring and weapons<B><B>Jared Lampus: </B>men's forms, weapons and sparring<B>Tom Brunner: </B>men's form<B>Collin Smith: </B>boys form and weapons<B>Roman Geathers: </B>boys sparring<B>Austin Moore: </B>boys sparring<B>Teddy James: </B>boys form and weapons

Smith