One of the top Taekwondo masters in the world made a stop to Smithville last week, as a local martial arts studio hosted the Tennessee State Tournament. Middle Tennessee Taekwondo hosted the tournament, welcoming competitors from around the south.

Senior Grandmaster Brenda J. Sell holds a ninth-degree black belt in the art taekwondo and is the highest ranking female practitioner in America, and second highest in the world. She visited Middle Tennessee Taekwondo last week, as the tournament took place.

“This is my 53rd year in the arts,” Sell told the Smithville Review. “Master George and Chief Instructor Amy Lloyd of Middle Tennessee Taekwondo are my students and we certify them and their students their rank, and provide for them their curriculum, training, certifications and tournament competitions.”  

Sell explained that typically, the school travels to Florida, where the national headquarters are located, for training conferences and championships each year. “Their school has really taken off in the last couple of years, and this is the second year that we’ve held a Presidential tour, where I come in and train their students rather than them having to travel down to Florida. It’s a big step for the school, but the growth that they’ve had and their impact in the community has really put them in a position to make a difference. We want to help them in their goal.”

“Taekwondo is actually included in the Olympics, so there is a sports aspect to it,” Sell said. “This school is highly active in sports, and as a matter of fact, last year they brought over 20 students down to the nationals in Florida and their demonstration team won the grand championship. This is truly a place where champions are made.”

Sell was in Smithville for the Tennessee State Tournament held at Elizabeth Chapel Church with schools coming from all across the state as well as Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Florida for the competition. When asked about the martial art, Sell explained the meaning of the word itself. 

“Taekwondo is fabulous,” Sell said. “If you take the word Taekwondo and break it down, ‘Tae’ means to strike with the foot, and your legs are the strongest part of your body with the most power. The kicks are very powerful in Taekwondo. That’s one of the things that attracts the kids. They love kicking, jumping and flying through the air.”

“‘Kwon’ means to strike with the hand. We have the fist, the back of the fist, the edge of the hand, the ridge of the hand and the elbow.”

“‘Do’ is the most powerful weapon we have, the mind. The ability to control your emotions, and to stop and think and let your reactions take hold rather than your emotions.”

When asked how Taekwondo differs from other martial arts, Sell simply said laughingly, “Well, it’s the best. To me it’s a family type of sport. If you come here to Middle Tennessee Taekwondo and watch some classes, you’ll see moms and dads training with their kids. We don’t encourage parents to just sit and watch, we encourage them to get out on the floor and reap the benefits that their kids are getting.”

“It’s not just about kicking and punching,” Sell continued. “They’re going to develop focus, confidence, self-discipline, and we work on developing social skills. Since we’ve come through COVID, the isolation we went through and the depression that hit our young people, this gives them something both physically and mentally active and strengthens not only the individual, but also the family. This is a safe place for families to come.”

The Lloyds are the owners of Middle Tennessee Taekwondo and they themselves have quite a bit of experience in the art. Amy is a third-degree black belt while George is a fifth-degree black belt having been training since 1979.

In addition, the Lloyd’s son, 12-year-old Bane Averitt, is a second-degree black belt and serves as an assistant instructor. Bane is a national champion and is one of the top 10 in the entire nation.

Amy said that since the pandemic, the studio has taken off. Middle Tennessee Taekwondo now has over 100 students ranging from ages three to 64. The studio also offers birthday party events at their site with Nerf wars, obstacle courses, or even art themed parties.

You can contact Middle Tennessee Taekwondo on their Facebook page or call 615-225-7493.