LI Teen Competes For USA At International Taekwondo Competition

DEER PARK, NY — Kayla Tyson remembers being afraid to start taekwondo.

At 3 years old, Champions Taekwondo was right around the corner from her Amityville home. Kayla’s mom, Alexis Tyson, thought it would be a good thing for her to try.

“It took me a whole week to actually get on the mat because I was so scared,” said Kayla. “But I’m glad my mom made me start.”

About a decade later, the country is glad she started, too.

Kayla, now 14, recently represented the United States at the 2022 Cadet and Junior World Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria, which ran from July 28 to 31.

“It was just a great experience,” she said.

Kayla told Patch this was the first time she ever competed for her country. But before Bulgaria, she already held a successful athletic career.

The Deer Park teenager said she began competing in taekwondo at the age of six.

“I had a lot of losses, but I kept doing it,” she said. “It was fun.”

Her family later moved from Amityville to Deer Park. However, Kayla remained loyal to her coaches, and making a 30 to 40 minute commute to practices at Champions Taekwondo. Even when the pandemic hit, Kayla stayed dedicated to her craft and trained over Zoom.

Earlier this summer, Kayla traveled to Fort Worth, Texas, where she went undefeated and earned her spot on the 2022 USA Taekwondo National Team.

Her taekwondo teacher, Master SoonKwon Kang, she said, was a constant motivator.

“He'd always help me and pushed me through to keep going, and not give up,” Kayla said. “I kept going, and look where it got me.”

Her mother, Alexis, has also been one of Kayla’s biggest fans and pillars of support.

“I’m just very proud of her,” said Alexis. “She told me, she thought she needed to win to make everyone happy. I said, ‘Are you kidding me? You're Team USA. How many people can say that?’”

Although she did not place in Bulgaria, Kayla continues to challenge herself. This month, she started a new chapter as a freshman at Deer Park High School, and competes for their varsity cross-country track team.

She also continues taekwondo, and trains at least four times a week at Champions Taekwondo, which has since moved to a Merrick location.

“It’s taught me a lot of respect for elders,” she said. “It's made a difference in my life.”