Halfway Warriors hit the mat

A group of young warriors recently made a trip from Halfway River to Edmonton, Alberta to compete in a large taekwondo tournament which marked another milestone for a growing program that began just two years ago.

Front row, Kash Hunter- silver in sparring, Dalton Souvie - gold in patterns, Jerome Field- bronze in patterns, Zachary Souvie - bronze in patterns and bronze in sparring, Weston Hunter - bronze in sparring, Kaitlyn Gladue. Back row, assistant instructor Brooklyn Jodoin, Head instructor Ilona Wiebe, assistant instructor Megan Ross

The recent trip to Edmonton lasted three days, while future visits may be extended to include training opportunities with a larger, established club in the city according to instructors. The Halfway program is affiliated with a regional taekwondo organization in Edmonton, so their athletes can compete in tournaments across Alberta.

The group is led by head instructor Ilona, a fourth-degree black belt who brought six students to the tournament where they jumped into a fast-paced competition. One of the events, known as “Sparfest,” features quick rounds which keep both athletes and coaches on their toes.

“Sparfest features quick, one-minute rounds, so both the athletes and coaches have to be ready at a moment’s notice,” said Ilona. “It moves fast, and you don’t get much time to think between matches.”

The Halfway taekwondo program currently runs twice a week and has been steadily growing since it first got off the ground. What started with just a single student has turned into a consistent group, with kids coming and going over time but interest in the program holding strong.

Single photo - Kash Hunter- silver in sparring

To support the students’ development, the program now includes three instructors. While only one is fully certified to conduct belt testing, the additional instructors play a key role in demonstrating technique and helping newer students, many of whom are still at the white belt level.

The idea for the program came from community member Chris Souvie, who wanted to create a positive outlet for local youth.

“He wanted something that would build respect, confidence, and give kids life-skills,” the instructor said. “He had a martial arts background himself and knew how valuable it could be, not just for discipline, but as a way to stay out of trouble.”

After about a year of building participation, the group began attending tournaments, a step the instructor says is essential for keeping young athletes engaged.

“Competition gives them something to work toward,” she said. “Even just stepping into the ring is an accomplishment. It’s about learning to manage fear and push yourself.”

Traveling to tournaments is a full-team effort stated Ilona, with all of the instructors attending the event to ensure each athlete receives proper coaching and support.

“We had three fighters in the same division,” Ilona explained. “Each coach took a fighter and stayed with them, so having multiple coaches worked out really well. It would be very difficult for one person to manage that alone.”

“On behalf of the Halfway River First Nations, we are a proud nation to see our youngest youth compete in these tournaments each year, and we look forward to future events,” said Vanessa Souvie. “They all have come a long way to where they are, and these experiences will only make things successful for each and every one of them. We all can see the fun they have going and participating in each class in the community and thank our trainers for doing this for our youth, you’re doing an amazing job!”

As the group looks ahead, the team plans to continue attending competitions, focusing on accessible events while building experience and confidence among its athletes.

For a program that started two years ago, the progress has been significant and for the young competitors stepping onto the mat, it’s only the beginning.