2009 Summer World University Games

C.W. Taekwondo at Boston and its competition team t.Bos are proud to have 5 competitors who qualified as part of the 22-person 2009 US National Collegiate Team: Jayson Grant, Alicia Zhou, Bobby Ren, Karolina Corin and Becca Hung. Jayson qualified in sparring at the US Collegiate Sparring Team Trials at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Alicia, Bobby, Karolina, and Becca qualified at the US Collegiate Poomsae Team Trials. Also, Coach Dan Chuang, the head instructor of C.W. Taekwondo at Boston and MIT Sport Taekwondo, will serve as a US Collegiate National Team coach.

The athletes and Coach Chuang will be attending the Summer World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia on June 29-July 9. What you might not know is that because of budgetary constraints, the athletes and coaches are getting no financial support from the USOC, NCTA or the USAT, and must cover all of their own expenses for the trip, including airfare, lodging and fees.

The total cost of the trip for the 5 athletes and 1 coach traveling will be approximately $15,000. That's $2000 for each athlete, and $5000 for Coach Chuang. It is a significant financial burden and, especially for the student athletes, beyond their means. While we don't expect to raise the full amount, we are seeking all avenues of funding to at least make a sizable dent in what the athletes have to pay.

I know that times are tight right now for a lot of people, but your help would really be appreciated. Any amount helps! Donations can be made by credit card by clicking the below link: removed

Athlete/Coach Profiles

Jayson Grant is a student at Quinsigammond Community College majoring in criminal justice. He was also a member of the 2008 US National Pan Am Championships Team. Jayson is a US National Champion and a 2-time Collegiate National Champion, and he placed 4th at the Olympic Trials for the 2008 US Olympic Team. Jayson was named the 2008 Freshman of the year at the 2008 National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships.

Alicia Zhou is a graduate student at Harvard University pursuing a PhD in biology. She is also an MIT alumna, and was a former president of the MIT Sport Taekwondo Club and continues to serve as an instructor there. Alicia placed 1st in pairs and team poomsae and 2nd in women's individual at the 2009 US Collegiate Team Trials. She has also earned a silver medal in sparring at the National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships.

Bobby Ren is taking classes at Lake Washington Technical College, and is also a graduate of MIT where he studied electrical engineering. He was a former captain of the MIT Sport Taekwondo Club and continues to serve as an instructor there. Bobby earned league MVP honors in the Ivy/Northeast Collegiate Taekwondo League, and he also earned a gold medal in forms at this year's NCTA Championships. Bobby placed 1st in pairs forms at the 2009 US Collegiate Poomsae Team Trials.

Karolina Corin is a graduate student at MIT, where she is a PhD student studying biological engineering. Karolina is an instructor at MIT Sport Taekwondo, where she has also served as captain and vice president. She has earned numerous medals at the local and national level, including a gold medal in women's team forms at the 2009 US Collegiate Team Trials and a bronze medal at the 2009 NCTA Championships in forms.

Becca Hung is a undergraduate student at MIT, where she is studying electrical and computer engineering. Becca is an assistant instructor at MIT Sport Taekwondo, where she has also served as its fundraising chair, raising money for the Special Olympics and the NCTA. Becca has competed in the Eastern Collegiate Taekwondo Confernce with the MIT Sport Taekwondo. She earned a gold medal in women's team forms at the 2009 US Collegiate Team Trials, a silver in team forms and a bronze in women's individual forms.

Coach Dan Chuang is the head instructor of C.W. Taekwondo at Boston and the MIT Sport Taekwondo Club. He also coaches t.Bos, a group of area competitors who train together several times per week in preparation for competitions. Coach Chuang was a US Collegiate National Team coach in 2008 and will reprise that role this year at the 2009 Summer World University Games. Coach Chuang was named the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association Coach of the Year in 2004 and has coached the MIT Sport Taekwondo Club to win three Overall National Championships.