Competitor Spotlight
Spotlight Archive (By Last Name)
Trent Koder
Competitor: Trent A. Koder
Rank: 2nd Gup (Kyu) Red Belt
Age: 11 Years Old
Team: Team Illuzion
Base Style: Tang Soo Do
School: Yowell Karate, Jacksonville, AR
2006 AKA Titles: Extreme Weapons, Traditional Weapons, Musical Weapons and Sparring
Trent is more than just your average 11 year old boy. He likes video games, television, movies, snacks and, some days, even girls. Trent is different, however, from many of his peers in that he spends hours a day and weekends practicing martial arts, especially with his Katana.
Trent started training in the art of Tang Soo Do at Yowell Karate when he was only 5 years old, at the school’s Hohenfels location in Germany, under the tutelage of his grandfather James D. Yowell, Sr. Trent picked up the sword 18 months ago with a desire to compete in Traditional Weapons and Musical Sword forms and has never looked back, despite the long grueling hours of practice.
During the most recent 2006 Season, Trent Koder won four national titles - Traditional Weapons, Extreme Weapons, Musical Weapons and Sparring. When asked how he did it, he replied, “A lot of work and help from my Uncle and Granddad.” Trent is excited about the upcoming AKA South awards banquet and cannot wait until March of 2007 when the banquet is scheduled to take place. In his own words, “Getting an AKA jacket would be so cool!” It’s a good thing then that they are planning to give jackets this year, though Trent says he would be no less excited about any award.
When asked about his future plans, Trent responded with a serious look and a moment of thoughtfulness, “Well, I want to be a better competitor and get better at the Extreme stuff, and I would like to be able to twirl a Bo staff as good as Michael Felix or Mr. South. Mr. South is awesome. Most of all though, I want to achieve one of my goals next year and get my black belt. I have been working for it for a long time and this year or maybe at the end of next year go to Atlanta and test for it.”
Trent also wanted to add, “I want to thank my mom, grandma and granddad for getting me to practice and my granddad and Uncle Jamie for helping me with my forms and stuff. I even want to thank my sister Noel, even though she puts all of my trophies into her collection.