A local group of young
men proved to be a big surprise to the officials, coaches, and competitors at the International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF)
Jr. & Sr. Nationals held in Pleasanton, CA on April 28 and 29, 2007. They will represent the United States both
individually and as a part of Team USA at the ITF World Championships in Birmingham, England to be held August 1st to 5th,
2007.
Competing was Sean Risko and Zakery Russell from Legacy Taekwon-Do
of Pottstown as well as Jesse Schane and Richard Chieffo from Mark Cashatt’s Taekwon-Do of Souderton and Chris Mege
and Patrick Rutledge of Bill Lees Taekwon-Do of East Greenville. Risko, Schane, Mege and Chieffo won Gold medals for
Team competition in patterns (forms), sparring and board breaking.
Individually, Schane won Gold in 4th degree patterns
and Silver in sparring. Mege won Silver in 3rd degree patterns and Gold in Sparring, Chieffo won Gold in 2nd degree
patterns and Silver in specialty breaking and Russell won Gold in Jr. Sparring. Risko also qualified with a Bronze in
sparring and Rutledge competed in patterns and sparring.
The young men, ages 14 to 26, come from a collective of area Taekwon-do schools under the United Taekwon-do
Federation (UTF), led by Master Bill Lees, 7th degree black belt and owner of Bill Lees’ Taekwon-do, East Greenville,
PA.
