BUILDING CHARACTER

At 4'5", Matthew Patterson I used to looking up-sometimes, way up - his taekwondo opponents. But the once-timid 11 year old has learned victory in martial arts, as in life, has little to do with stature. It is the sweet reward of hard work driven by passion for the sport, a drive to excel, confidence that the goal is within reach and the knowledge that 'the goals we set are the goals we get.' It's a mantra he repeats about six times a week, during training sessions at White Rock's Seung-ri Black Belt Academy. And one the solid-muscle, dark-haired Grade 6 student has taken to heart. Readying for his first Taekwondo tournament on the international state, Matthew is quick to explain the outcome he's shooting for at the World Traditional Taekwondo Union Spring Nationals next month in Las Vegas - his best.

"If I'm not first, second or third, I want to be, like, the top eight," Matthew said.

The Event draws Taekwondo enthusiasts from across Canada, the U.S. and South America. In past years, competitors have also hailed from as far as South Africa and Korea. Matthew will be up against competitors up to two years his senior, and likely one of the smallest in the ring. It's a challenge he's grown to love.

"Sometimes it's harder, but it's fun," Matthew said, as he suited up to practice his blue-belt skills against 11-year-old red belt Gurjot Sidhu.

Sidhu stands a full foot taller than Matthew, and has a clear advantage when it comes to notching the higher-point kicks t the head. Still, when the match was called, the score was 4-3 - for Matthew.

Such progress in the ring has brought more than a few trophies and metals Matthew's way, enough that his dad build a special shelf at home on which to display them.

But his mom, Dawn, is perhaps even more proud of the success Matthew has found in other areas of life ever since finding his niche. For one his grades have improved at school and he's determined to keep them up. "After about six months (in taekwondo) he had five Bs," Dawn said of Matthew's report card. "He's never had Bs in his life. (And) this is the first year he actually got a letter grade in English and math. He did that all on his own, he refused help."

Matthew, too has noticed the difference. "Taekwondo helps me a lot in school. I never used to get marks I math," he said. "This year when I looked at my report cad, I got a C" he said. "I liked it."

"I used to not focus and didn't have good grades. This helped me stay focused on what I was doing. It teaches you to work hard at anything you're doing."

Another highlight of training came in the form of Matthew's recent election by his White Rock Elementary classmates to the position of conflict manager. The pilot project calls on him to help his peers peacefully resolve problems on the playground - problems much like those he used to face himself, before he gained the confidence to stand his ground.

"He used to be a real shy, quiet, mousy little guy. if he didn't like something, he just wouldn't say anything," Dawn said. "Now, he's not afraid. He's definitely a different kid."

Matthew's instructors, too, have seen him blossom.
"He has come such a long way," said Robert Davidson, the son of Seung-ri owner, Lorne Davidson. "Confidence-wise, definitely." The Junior Davidson has worked with Matthew regularly since the boy started at the school just over a year ago. He has no doubt the Las Vegas tournament will serve him well.

"It is such a big step for him," he said. "No matter what happens in Vegas, he's going to get such a good experience out of it. From what I've seen from him, he will get nothing but good things out of it."

Matthew isn't letting his height limit the size of his dreams, either. He's aiming for top standing in Canada in each of three TKD categories: forms, weapons, and sparring. And by the look of things, it's not unattainable. At the moment, Matthew holds top spot for his ager category in sparring and second place in weapons and forms. Any points he earns in Vegas will boost those American Taekwondo Association standings. Lorne Davidson said the support Matthew's parents have shown for their son's efforts deserves recognition, too. The pair encourage Matthew to follow his dreams, offer guidance when the effort hits a speed bump and as do as much as they can to accommodate his insatiable desire to train. "You get that support, that encouragement from the home, it makes a big difference to the attitude of the child," he said. Dawn summed up her motivation simple: "It's worth it" it's clear the formula is working for Matthew. "I'm good at what I do," he said. "I work hard, as best as I can".