SOUTH BUFFALO TWP — Teddy James hardly ever spoke up in school.

Now people from all over the country come to talk to him.

It’s all about the magic of taekwondo for James, 14, an incoming eighth-grader at Freeport Junior High.

“When he was younger, he didn’t have any confidence,” Tony James, Teddy’s father, said. “He was shy and backward, rarely spoke in school.

“Once he began taekwondo, he developed the confidence to speak to people. His grades in school greatly improved and he decided he wanted to try some competitions.”

Three years later, James is a world champion, having won the weapons division of the American Taekwondo Association World Championships last week in Little Rock, Ark.

Two of his biggest competitors are from Galveston, Texas, and New York state.

“They know him well and so do other world-class competitors,” Mr. James said. “They see Teddy at these events and approach him.

“He’s earned a lot of respect in this sport.”

Teddy James said that “a lot of us exchange phone numbers and stay in touch.

“I have friends all over the country now,” he added.

James has been a student at Makowski’s ATA Martial Arts Academy in Sarver for nearly five years.

“Teddy probably did 20 competitions this year and you accumulate points through those,” his father said. “The top 10 point-getters in the world qualify to compete in the world championships.”

Competitors are only eligible to score points in five regional events, two national events and the world championships. James qualified for the world championships last year and finished fourth.

He entered this year’s ATA world competition as the top point-getter and No. 1 seed.

“You compete at the world championships one at a time, with the 10th-ranked points person going first. So I went last,” James said.

“The judge calls out the commands and you execute them. There was a little bit of pressure on me, going last, but I got to see what I was up against, too.”

James has done well under pressure before. He entered this tournament as a state triple crown holder in taekwondo, winning ATA state titles in forms, weapons and sparring.

Makowski’s Academy produced 19 state champions this year, three of those ranked among the top 10 in the world. Collin Smith of Deer Lakes, a two-time world champion, placed fourth this year.

Jared Lampus, a sixth-grade teacher at Freeport, ranked sixth in the world, but was unable to attend the world championships.

“We have 200 students and maybe 25 of them compete,” instructor Bob Makowski said. “Teddy has a lot of finesse and he’s extremely quick. He’s got dexterity in both hands and that benefits him gretly when he competes.

“His left hand is as good as his right and he’s got a good trigger.”

And for James, practice makes perfect.

“I go to multiple classes four times a week and practice for 45 minutes a day on my own,” he said. “I always wanted to try martial arts.”

James’ performance at the world championships was only one-tenth of a point from being perfect. But it only tied him with two others.

His repeat performance in the tiebreaker was flawless and earned him the title.

“Once Teddy took part in his first local competition and got a trophy, he’s taken off,” his father said. “In the weapons division, he won 90 percent of the tournaments he’s done in the past year.”

James isn’t satisfied with one world title.

“I’m hoping to go after a second one next year,” he said.