For the uninformed, the martial art of taekwondo is not what’s expected.
It looks something like kickboxing, but according to Cort Newby, taekwondo is more similar to boxing where it’s common to trade quick jabs than hard blows.
“It’s the art of kicking and punching,” Newby said. “That’s literally what it means. It moves a lot like boxing. It’s a game of who can touch who the fastest.”
Newby is a practicing taekwondo martial artist and instructor who recently opened the Santa Maria Taekwondo Academy in Orcutt. With the new academy, Newby is hoping to build a local team in a widely practiced sport.
“We want to put together a team that can compete at tournaments,” Newby said. “That’s what we’ve been focusing on. Now the team has a place to train.”
In addition to being an Olympic and collegiate sport, Newby said taekwondo is a competitive sport that’s practiced throughout California. Newby said students who compete could earn full-ride college scholarships.
In 2002, following a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps, Newby started teaching taekwondo along with his colleague Jess Gonzalez, through the city’s Recreation and Parks Department.
A Santa Maria native, Newby recognized the importance of teaching the city’s youth as a way to keep them occupied and out of trouble.
“It’s a good place to really affect the community,” Newby said. “That’s why we started doing it.”
In the age of televised mixed martial arts (MMA), Newby distinguishes taekwondo from similar disciplines.
Like in the Thai combat sport of muay thai, kicking is a core component, but in the former, the competitor maintains a wider stance. And whereas muay thai utilizes hard strikes with the legs, Newby said taekwondo is like a whip. It’s a matter of utilizing punch-and-kick combinations to defeat your opponent. Newby said MMA fighter Conor McGregor is a good example of mixing taekwondo movements with boxing.
There’s also another difference between taekwondo and other disclipines: In taekwondo, you don’t have to worry about getting punched in the head, Newby said. However, he emphasized that no discipline is better than another.
For the second year, Newby will be hosting a taekwondo tournament starting at 9 a.m. on April 30 at the Edwards Community Center in Santa Maria, located at 809 Panther Drive, next to Pioneer Valley High School.
Anyone as young as 3 years old is allowed to compete, Newby said. The tournament is expected to end around 3 or 4 p.m., he added. Anyone who is interested in competing in the tournament or joining the academy can call Newby at 268-2097 for more information. The Santa Maria Taekwondo Academy is located at 3556 Orcutt Road in the Evergreen Shopping Center, next to the Dollar Store.
Highlights
• Vandenberg Air Force Base is one of Santa Barbara County’s largest employers. On Wednesday, April 20, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Vandenberg small business outreach event to give the public a chance to connect with base representatives regarding contracting and sub-contracting opportunities. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m. at the Santa Maria Fairpark located at 937 S. Thornburg. Vendor tables are $100. Otherwise, there is no cost to attend. For questions or to RSVP, contact Justin Stoner at 925-2403, Ext. 817, or through email at edc@santamaria.com.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Apr 14-21, 2016.