The lengthy trip was worth the time for many ISU Karate Club members this weekend at the National Collegiate Tae Kwon Do Championships.

A group of 26 competitors, accompanied by two coaches and instructor Master Yong Chin Pak, president of the National Collegiate Tae Kwon Do Association, traveled to Lynnwood, Wash., a suburb of Seattle, to compete Friday and Saturday. The two-day competition featured an array of medal winners that helped Iowa State clinch second place.

“We placed second out of 40 to 50 teams,” said club president Keri Andersen, senior in microbiology. “We are a young team after losing lots of medalists who graduated last year. For such a young team we performed really well, especially since we placed in the top three.”

On Friday night, the color-belt division sparring was held, and black-belt sparring was held Saturday. In the championship black-belt division, Iowa State placed second, and the team nabbed third in the novice colored belt division.

Two competitors, Ben Brooks, graduate student in animal science, and Stephen Gertz, sophomore in pre-business, placed third in their respective weights in the championship sparring matches. Brooks, a heavyweight, and Gertz, a finweight, were also chosen to try out for the U.S. Collegiate team in January.

Gertz said his success could be credited to his instructors and coaches.

“After transferring here this year, I feel that my success is just a testament to the work put in by the people who helped us,” Gertz said. “I really credit the coaching staff who did a good job of preparing us for the tournament, like Master Pak, Craig Reuter, Keri [Andersen] and Mark Taylor. They all put in their time to help us.”

In regard to his chance at the U.S. Collegiate level, Gertz remained humble yet positive.

“I wasn’t all mentally there this weekend, but the staff was able to prepare me well. I am excited to try out for the team; it’s like a second chance for me. It’s really a blessing that I get to redeem myself and try to win for Iowa State.”

A change in schedule has made the club’s down time much less than earlier seasons. Because of the senior nationals switching to fall next year, the collegiate tournament will be held in the spring.

“We’re going to take a couple weeks off and then start training again,” Andersen said. “We will compete at nationals again in April in Connecticut.”