Northwest suburban taekwondo team nationally ranked

Posted November 30, 2011 11:00 pm

Submitted by Skip Valle

Team Force TKD is the only nationally ranked taekwondo fighting traveling team in Illinois.

Team Force, founded in 1998, has continued to produce nationally ranked athletes for both male and female juniors (14-17), seniors (18-32), and cadets (ages 10-13) in Amateur Athletic Union Taekwondo.

The team is currently training at College Park Athletic Club in Bannockburn from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 7 to 9:30 a.m. Saturdays.

Among accomplishments of current team members:

Ÿ Ryan Wang of Lake Forest, Lake Forest High School, was a 2011 AAU silver medalist at U.S. Nationals in Austin, Texas, and 2011 AAU silver medalist at AAU U.S. Team Trials in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Ÿ Nick Pitchan of Skokie, Niles North High School, was 2011 AAU bronze medalist at U.S. Nationals.

Ÿ Arthur Kopilevich of Buffalo Grove, Aptakisic Junior High, was 2011 USA Taekwondo gold medal champion at the U.S. Open, Austin, Texas, and 2009 and 2010 USA Taekwondo gold medal champion at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas.

Ÿ Blake Kretschmar of Libertyville, Libertyville High School, was 2011 AAU bronze medalist at AAU Nationals; 2011 AAU bronze medalist at AAU Junior Olympics in Virginia Beach, Va.; and 2010 AAU bronze medalist at AAU Nationals in Ft. Lauderdale.

Ÿ Rikki Renee Valle of Elk Grove Village, a team coach and 2003, 2004, 2005 AAU National team member, returned to taekwondo competition and was a 2011 AAU Nationals silver medalist.

Some of newest Team Force Cadet team members training for 2012 AAU National Cadet Team are:

Ÿ Jason Obrycki, Buffalo Grove, Buffalo Grove Elementary School

Ÿ Caitlin Peirce, Long Grove, Riverwoods Montessori School

Ÿ Spencer Sang, Long Grove, Country Meadow Elementary

Ÿ Aidan Ubaldo, Buffalo Grove, Tripp Elementary

Ÿ Ian Ubaldo, Buffalo Grove, Merridian Middle School

Coaches are Mary Mark Alindogan, who was on the Philippine National Team at the 1992 Olympics, Rikki Renee Valle and Jesus “Chuy” Galvain.

Skip Valle is team manager, AAU National team manager and AAU state chair.

For information, call Skip Valle at (847) 707-7794, email teamforcetkd@aol.com, or visit [URL]teamforcetkd.com.;http://teamforcetkd.com/[URL][/URL]

Arthur Kopilevich of Buffalo Grove has won several gold medals in national competition. Courtesy Team Force TKD

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