Hoffman Estates teen’s dedication pays off with spot on U.S. team

Fifteen-year-old Brandon Pitak has little time for anything besides taekwondo. Between school, homework and two- to four-hour coaching sessions six times a week, his schedule is pretty booked.

But all of his work has paid off. Two weeks ago, Brandon competed for and won a spot on the USA Taekwondo Jr. National Team, and is now the country’s number one ranked fighter under the age of 18 in his weight division.

“In the last fight, I was down 3-0, but then I got one shot and I tied it up,” Brandon said of the match that earned him a place on the national team. “It boosted my confidence and I ended up winning 9-4.”

By winning a spot on the team, Brandon will represent the U.S. in the Pan American Taekwondo Championship, an international competition Oct. 7-9 in Las Vegas.

“I really want to be the best,” he said. “I want to medal.”

Championships and competitions are nothing new for the sophomore-to-be at Schaumburg High School. He started taekwondo at age 3 and hasn’t stopped since.

“I didn’t really like it at first, but I stuck with it and I ended up liking it,” he said.

In 2003, 2004 and 2005, he won gold medals in the USA Taekwando Jr. Olympics. In 2009, he placed first in the USA Taekwando Grass Roots Division.

“He’s a kid that just doesn’t quit,” said his father, Chris Pitak. “He’s very mild-mannered and very athletic.”

“What sets him apart is his confidence and his focus on the task at hand,” adds Krasimir Rusev, Brandon’s coach of 10 years. “He’s really devoted and intense with his training.”

Though he’s only completed his first year in high school, Brandon has big plans for his future.

“I want to pursue (taekwondo) professionally,” he said. “I just enjoy it a lot.”