Rare is the student athlete who excels in both academics and athletics.
One such athlete is Carla Ellaine Vargas Gatdula, a 12-year-old graduating student of Rosario V. Maramba Elementary School of Naga City.
She is currently the president of the Supreme Pupil Government (and Vice President of the Student Council Organization of Naga City) and the school valedictorian.
But what makes Carla Ellaine—Cassey to friends and family—special is that aside from being an honor student, she is one of her school’s top athletes—a taekwondo jin specializing in Poomsae.
When asked why taekwondo, she said in a quick interview, “it’s my preparation for joining the uniformed service, gusto ko po mag-PMA (Philippine Military Academy) and serve.”
“And sport din po ito ni daddy,” Cassey says, referring to his father Carlos, a call center operations’ manager, who dabbles in taekwondo.
Let’s take a lesson about Poomsae and learn from her experience, shall we?
According to Cassey, taekwondo has two categories, Kyorugi, which is about sparring, and Poomsae, which focuses on form and the harmonious relationship of bodily movements.
“It’s more like how the body rhythmically moves along with the principles of the art. In Kyorugi, if you have the basics — speed, power, stamina and technique, the possibility of hitting your opponent is very high and luck is a big plus. Unlike in poomsae, there is no luck, even if you memorize the forms, you would need also to check the degree of elevation of your block, position of your punch, speed and delivery of kicks, turns,” Cassey explained.
She added: “Akala po nila madali, basta mataas lang ang kick mo with a very high angle. It will not count, unless you know the science and art of Poomsae.”
“Sa Poomsae may power din po. If that is not evident in the performance, it’s a point deduction. When you do a 180-degree sidekick with power, pushing all there is in your life to the blade of your foot for power, it can discord or imbalance you that may lead to stammering of your standing leg and that is a point deduction po.”
Cassey said she is thankful to her coaches and trainers, namely Grace Guevara of RVMES (coach and coordinator), Raul Oas of the Naga City Ravens Taekwondo Club and Emmanuel “Noli” Bayonito of the Robinsons Dragons Taekwondo Club.
“Sir Noli gave me last-minute coaching sa TABACO, Albay (provincial meet). It really helped me, was able to outperform Albay and CamSur, magagaling na sila talaga, ang taas ng mga kicks nila, but sabi ni Sir Noli, it’s not how high, it’s about accuracy.”
With a year of training in taekwondo, she has equally dedicated her time to academics and athletics, balancing the two adeptly.
“Hours of stretching and full splits, hours of video recording, rectifying my positions improving power and accuracy,” said Cassey, whose hard work finally paid off when she won the gold medal in the regional games, besting eight other jins for the right to represent the Bicol Region in the Palarong Pambansa national games.
“My parents would have been contented with the silver, but I got the gold! After days of sleeping wearing my dobok because I was too tired to get up and had to read and review pa for examinations to maintain my academic standing sa school, this is, is truly an academic-athletic balance na sabi na mahirap magawa. Mahirap, pero kaya,” she said.
As a result of Cassey’s achievement, she is being serenaded by top private schools of her city to be part of their Taekwondo Varsity Team, but the kiddo opted to continue her studies at the Naga City Science High School.
And her journey continues.