Episode 153
Ep. 153 - Meet Ruby Freitag: Our Inspiring Athlete of the Week
The focal point of this episode centers on the critical importance of registering for the Tournament of Champions (TOC), with the deadline for registration set for noon on June 18th. I emphasize the necessity for all eligible participants to ensure their registration is completed online, as there will be no opportunity for in-person registration at the event itself. Furthermore, I express my heartfelt gratitude to our ATA family for the numerous birthday wishes, reinforcing the sense of community that we cherish. Following this, we introduce our Athlete of the Week, Ruby Freitag, a first-degree black belt from Arizona, who shares her passion for Taekwondo and aspirations for the upcoming championships. As we delve into Ruby's journey and goals, we celebrate the spirit of encouragement and camaraderie that defines our martial arts community.
Takeaways:
- The Tournament of Champions, a vital component of the World Championship, requires advance online registration.
- Competitors must ensure their registration for the TOC is completed before the deadline of June 18th.
- We emphasize the significance of community support in martial arts, encouraging participants to check on each other's registration status.
- The ATA Nation podcast features inspiring young athletes who exemplify dedication and sportsmanship in martial arts.
- Listeners are invited to participate in a live podcast episode scheduled for June 21st, featuring notable guests and discussions.
- The overarching theme of our podcast is to promote excellence and camaraderie within the ATA martial arts community.
Transcript
EEOC registration is open.
Speaker A:Let's talk about it.
Speaker A:Welcome to the ATA Nation podcast.
Speaker A:Instructors, students, parents, family, masters, Grandmasters of Songam Taekwondo.
Speaker A:Welcome back to the ATA Nation podcast.
Speaker A:I am your host, Senior Master Zach Hayden.
Speaker A:And thank you, thank you to all of you out there who were wishing me happy birthday this week.
Speaker A:I really appreciate it.
Speaker A:I love my ATA family.
Speaker A:Whether it's just my local ATA family or my international ATA family.
Speaker A:Thank you guys so much, that was very generous of you.
Speaker A:Now ladies and gentlemen, as we mentioned in the pre intro, TOC registration is open.
Speaker A:So let's remind everybody just in case you are a newbie, we love you.
Speaker A:We want you to come in to the fold that is ATA nation.
Speaker A:TOC is the Tournament of Champions.
Speaker A:This is one of three parts of World championship.
Speaker A:So world championships really consists of three things.
Speaker A:One, the world conference, a bunch of amazing training which we're going to talk about soon.
Speaker A:Two, the Tournament of Champions.
Speaker A:This is an invite only event.
Speaker A:You have to have earned your spot in and this is where our world champions will be crowned.
Speaker A:And then the Super 20 which is the beginning of the brand new tournament season.
Speaker A:Anyone and everyone can compete in the TIA or excuse me, not the TOC, the Super 20.
Speaker A:So if you are eligible for, for the TOC, you must register online.
Speaker A:There is no in person registration at the event.
Speaker A:None, zero, zip.
Speaker A:You go, you don't register, you will not be able to compete.
Speaker A:I had the absolutely horrible job, one year of being a judge at the toc, which is a great job, I don't mind that.
Speaker A:But this gentleman was not on our roster.
Speaker A:We go and look, he didn't register, couldn't compete.
Speaker A:It was heartbreaking.
Speaker A:So make sure if you are in the TOC, you have to register ata easy sign up and the registration ends noon on June 18th.
Speaker A:Noon on June 18th.
Speaker A:So do not miss your opportunity to register.
Speaker A:Get on there, register.
Speaker A:You can only register for the events that you are qualified in.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:But make sure you do that.
Speaker A:You don't have to print out the registration sheets for that event.
Speaker A:Okay, Just, just a quick heads up on that.
Speaker A:Now get that registration done right away and then do all of your friends a favor and check with them to see if they've registered.
Speaker A:If we help each other, talk to each other, make sure, hey, did you get registered?
Speaker A:Make sure you get registered.
Speaker A:Hey, get registered.
Speaker A:And then licenses you can go on.
Speaker A:Make sure you check, make sure you're, you're checking in with your people.
Speaker A:We want to make this a great experience for people.
Speaker A:So got to get that TOC registration taken care of.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:That is our top news.
Speaker A:Like, you've got to know that.
Speaker A:We don't want to miss out on that.
Speaker A:But we've got more news for you at the end of this episode.
Speaker A:But let's get to our athlete of the week, Atnation.
Speaker A:We're super excited to have yet another amazing athlete with us.
Speaker A:Young lady, could you introduce yourself for Atnation?
Speaker B:I am Ruby Freitag and.
Speaker A:Yeah, what, What?
Speaker A:Ruby, where are you from?
Speaker B:I'm from Arizona.
Speaker B:Surprise, Arizona.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:And tell us who your instructor is and what rank you are.
Speaker B:My instructor is Jonathan Thornton, and I am a black belt.
Speaker B:First degree black belt.
Speaker A:Oh, excellent.
Speaker A:Well, you know what?
Speaker A:I just talked to your instructor on a podcast a couple weeks ago.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:It was the first time I really got to talk too much.
Speaker A:It was a great conversation.
Speaker A:Really enjoyed talking to him.
Speaker A:So you guys got an awesome school down there.
Speaker A:It's probably getting a little toasty.
Speaker A:What's the.
Speaker A:What's the temp down there today?
Speaker B:It's like 80 something degrees.
Speaker A:Okay, getting.
Speaker A:Getting warmed up for us to come down for world championships, right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So, Mr.
Speaker A:Ruby, what, you know, you.
Speaker A:You were one of these athletes, got picked by the junior brand ambassadors when it comes to, you know, competing at tournaments and stuff.
Speaker A:What's one of your favorite events to compete?
Speaker B:I love doing my extreme and creative forms, and I also love doing combat.
Speaker A:Oh, okay, okay.
Speaker A:Extreme and creative.
Speaker A:Open hand or weapons or both?
Speaker B:I do weapons for creative weapons and then I do extreme forms.
Speaker A:Yeah, very good.
Speaker A:What weapon do you like to use?
Speaker B:Double nunchucks?
Speaker A:Double chucks.
Speaker A:That's a great one.
Speaker A:Very good.
Speaker A:Cool.
Speaker A:Now, you know what I forgot to ask you.
Speaker A:How'd you get.
Speaker A:What first.
Speaker A:Did I ask how old you were?
Speaker A:I can't even remember now.
Speaker A:How old are you?
Speaker B:I'm nine, but I'm about to turn ten in June.
Speaker A:June.
Speaker A:Birthdays are the best.
Speaker A:What day in June?
Speaker B:Third.
Speaker B:June 3rd.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:June 3rd.
Speaker A:Mine's on the 10th, but still pretty close, so I'll take it.
Speaker A:So, ma' am, how'd you get involved in martial arts?
Speaker B:Well, it actually started with my brother.
Speaker B:He started in taekwondo, and when I saw him doing classes, I was like, you know, that looks really fun.
Speaker B:I want to try it.
Speaker B:So, yeah.
Speaker A:You just started from there, huh?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:How was it?
Speaker A:Was it a long time after your brother started, or was it pretty soon after Brother?
Speaker B:No, it was like, maybe like a month.
Speaker A:Okay, so pretty, pretty close after him?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Now, is he still doing Taekwondo no, he does.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So you.
Speaker A:You passed him.
Speaker A:I did the same thing with my brother.
Speaker A:My brother and I started at the same time, and now he doesn't do it.
Speaker A:And, like, I'm way higher than him.
Speaker A:Isn't that fun to be higher than your brother?
Speaker A:Yeah, I agree.
Speaker A:It was one of the best things when my brother decided not to do it and I got to be high ranking and it was just.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Now I'm sad for him, of course.
Speaker A:So, Abby, if I had to say, like, there's an.
Speaker A:There's an event that maybe you had to pick one that you couldn't do, what would be the one that was like, your least favorite or that you would be like, okay, if I have to not do one, I won't do this.
Speaker B:Probably sparring.
Speaker A:That's okay.
Speaker A:I understand.
Speaker A:I understand.
Speaker B:I'm trying my hardest.
Speaker B:I'm still, like, practicing, but I am getting really.
Speaker B:But I'm getting better at it.
Speaker A:Excellent.
Speaker A:Well, you know what?
Speaker A:It's good for all of us to have something that we.
Speaker A:We're better at and some things that we need to work on because if we're just good at everything, I mean, it wouldn't give us the opportunity to grow.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So, Abby, or excuse me, Ruby.
Speaker A:I'm so sorry.
Speaker A:My.
Speaker A:My brain has just been.
Speaker A:I've got a bunch of interviews today.
Speaker A:I'm talking to all kinds of people now.
Speaker A:We're at that time of the year.
Speaker A:Districts is coming up.
Speaker A:World champions coming up.
Speaker A:What kind of goals do you have for the end of the season?
Speaker B:Well, I really want to get a world.
Speaker B:I want to have a world title on my back.
Speaker B:And I know that doesn't really matter what you have on your back because everyone's like, so good at Taekwondo, but I'm just really excited to get.
Speaker B:I just want one title in the back.
Speaker B:I just want one title.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker A:What title are you really pushing for?
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I'm really pushing for world title because I've been working really hard for that.
Speaker A:Is that in, like a creative extreme combat?
Speaker A:Which.
Speaker A:What event?
Speaker A:Do you know?
Speaker A:Do you have one?
Speaker B:I want to get in sparring.
Speaker A:In spa.
Speaker A:In.
Speaker A:In regular sparring.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:The one you just told me was not the one was your.
Speaker A:Wait a second.
Speaker B:I'm trying to get better at it, but I.
Speaker B:It would be amazing if I.
Speaker A:That would be fantastic.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:That is great job.
Speaker A:I like that attitude.
Speaker A:That's great.
Speaker A:So if you're looking at your martial arts, you know, you said you were first de.
Speaker A:You've been doing this For a while.
Speaker A:But what kind of long term goals do you have as a, a martial artist?
Speaker B:Well, I want to teach other kids to, you know, like stay in Taekwondo and be their best as they can and have a great attitude.
Speaker A:Oh, I love that.
Speaker A:Yeah, that's a great.
Speaker A:Just be a great role model forever for other people.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:I mean, one of my favorite things about getting to interview you guys that get to be these athletes of the week is just getting to highlight some other cool kids all across ATA nation that are doing really neat things, that are having a lot of fun, that are great role models for other people.
Speaker A:So I absolutely love it.
Speaker A:What for you, what does it mean to be an athlete that goes beyond the belt?
Speaker B:For me to go beyond the belt is not just going to competitions to win, but also to cheer on my fellow competitors and my friends and taking Taekwondo, not just in Taekwondo, but in my regular life and also taking those life skills that we learn in home, at home, at school and even at Taekwondo, even though you learn it there.
Speaker A:That is great advice.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:I know, especially as we get to, you know, this time of the year where we have these championships and we're going to have a lot of new state champs, district champ, world champs, There are also going to be a lot of people who aren't going to get the titles that they wanted.
Speaker A:I mean, that's just part of competition.
Speaker A:And like you said, you know, being going beyond the belt is, you know, going, doing your best, cheering for your friends, remembering that we're encouraging our friends.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:What great advice to make sure that we're cheering others on at these events then too.
Speaker A:That's fantastic.
Speaker A:Well, Ruby, it is a pleasure to get to highlight you to all of Atnation.
Speaker A:We're super excited.
Speaker A:We wish you good luck in your districts and world championship title hunts.
Speaker A:And of course, thanks for being an inspiration for everybody.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you for letting me have this opportunity.
Speaker A:We really appreciate it and we'll see you at World Championships.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:Another great athlete.
Speaker A:These are so much fun.
Speaker A:You know, I know they've kind of taken over the show.
Speaker A:I hope you guys don't mind that too much.
Speaker A:But I think just highlighting these individuals is so cool.
Speaker A:I love what the junior brand ambassadors have been doing.
Speaker A:It's just fantastic.
Speaker A:So now our next piece of news.
Speaker A:I need you to mark your calendar.
Speaker A:It's going to be on ATA martial arts Facebook page and their YouTube and we're going to set up events and premieres and stuff online so you'll be able to see it there.
Speaker A:But on Saturday, let me double check my calendar, make sure I get the right date because sometimes I give it away.
Speaker A:On Saturday, 21 June, we're going to be going live with a monster episode of the Ata Nation podcast.
Speaker A:This is going to be live on Ata Martial Arts's Facebook page and their YouTube and we have some amazing special guests.
Speaker A:Okay, Grand Master Tammy is going to be on.
Speaker A:She's going to be on live from.
Speaker A:I think she's going to be an athlete development camp at that same time she's got.
Speaker A:Master Blanks is going to be on with her.
Speaker A:They're going to be talking about the seminar they've got at World Championship.
Speaker A:We're going to have some members from Team Mexico and Team Philippines on.
Speaker A:We're going to start kind of like this rivalry, kind of like pushing these international teams, see what teams are going to be.
Speaker A:I mean all in good sport.
Speaker A:Obviously we want good attitudes, everything but you know, it's nice to have some competition.
Speaker A:They're going to be on.
Speaker A:Oh my goodness, I've forgotten.
Speaker A:Oh, Mr.
Speaker A:Raffle from the ATA Max team is going to be on, talking about all things ATMX and kind of what's coming for world and what we're looking at in the future.
Speaker A:So we've got three, like big segments that we're going to be doing that day.
Speaker A:So it's going to be a monster episode.
Speaker A:It's going to be live.
Speaker A:We're going to have you watching live and you can put in your questions, your comments, shout outs on, you'll be able to see them on screen.
Speaker A:It's going to be so much fun.
Speaker A:So mark your calendars.
Speaker A:June 21st.
Speaker A:Got to nail my time down.
Speaker A:I'm pretty sure I have exactly what time I'm going to do it, but I want to make sure that I don't mess anything up.
Speaker A:So market, it's going to be awesome.
Speaker A:We're going to do two of these before world championships.
Speaker A:One in June and one July.
Speaker A:Hyping up worlds, getting things ready.
Speaker A:And so get ready with your questions for some of these guests.
Speaker A:Get ready, tell your friends about it, share it online when you see the information come out.
Speaker A:So we are all ready to rock.
Speaker A:That is going to wrap it up for today, guys.
Speaker A:The summertime is so busy.
Speaker A:I've been teaching so many classes with some great community people.
Speaker A:We've been going beyond the belt in what we've been doing at our school.
Speaker A:I hope you've been going beyond the belt and training hard for that new tournament season.
Speaker A:All kinds of great events.
Speaker A:Some of you guys are going to athlete development camp.
Speaker A:Good luck there.
Speaker A:We're going to see a bunch of you guys in Phoenix.
Speaker A:District championships is over.
Speaker A:We've got a ton of awesome new district champions.
Speaker A:Congratulations on that.
Speaker A:Let's keep rolling.
Speaker A:Creating champions beyond the belt.
Speaker A:Until next time.
Speaker A:Get out there, take some action.
Speaker A:Podcast.
Speaker A:Be sure to subscribe and share with your ATA family.
Speaker A:Hey, did you notice I did something a little bit different with the way.
