Cole Abou-Tibbett can't really describe the feeling when he reached a major pinnacle in his sport.
It was in Regina in early November, 2014. Abou-Tibbett, a 17-year-old student from Prince George's Family TaeKwon-Do had just captured gold in the junior male second degree black belt under-62 kilogram division.
"It felt like I could just let go and I did," he said recently. "(When I won), I knew I had achieved something greater. I knew I would be travelling and representing Canada."
For nine years, Abou-Tibbett has dreamed of wearing the maple leaf on his back and representing Canada at the World TaeKwon-do championships.
He'll do so at the International TaeKwon-do Federation's world championships in Jesolo, Italy (a town just north of Venice) from May 27 to 31.
But he needs some help from his own community to get there.
Abou-Tibbett has launched a crowd funding page, http://www.gofundme.com/osmsfw, in the hopes of raising $4,900 to pay for his trip and the chance to compete.
"It would mean the world to me to go to world's," said Abou-Tibbett, a Grade 12 student at Cedars Christian School. "It would definitely be a great experience, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, competing against the best in the world. I'm confident the community will come through with the sponsorship as long as people keep the faith in me. I'm really appreciative of the sponsorship that I've received already and I'm eternally grateful."
Of the $4,900, $3,405 is for return airfare and insurance from Prince George to Italy for Abou-Tibbett and his mom Erica; $970 for lodging (already sponsors have paid for $900 that's not part of the $970) and $525 for meals and ground transporation.
As of Sunday night, a total of $1,150 had been raised.
Family TaeKwon-Do instructor Jordan Boudreau is impressed with Abou-Tibbett's crowd funding initiative to get to Italy.
"World's is expensive," said Boudreau, himself a former world competitor. "As a club, school and community we can help each other succeed. He's reaching out to the community who might have an interest in helping him.
"We were all blown away with the community support of the Canada Winter Games. The same thing happened with those athletes from people who wanted to help them achieve their goals. I hope there is still some (support) left, people out there to help Cole."
Abou-Tibbett was eight years-old when he was enrolled in the sport by his mother as a way to "blow off some energy."
"I got hooked on it and my ability came naturally," he said. "It's something different. Most kids play hockey and soccer, my sport is taekwon-do forever. I'm addicted to competing."
He's been part of Family TaeKwon-Do for the last nine years and gradually moved up the ranks, eventually earning his Black Belt in December, 2013.
He's won medals at 15 different tournaments.
Boudreau remembers the time when he first noticed Abou-Tibbett.
"He's a natural athlete," said Boudreau. "When I first met Cole at another tournament he wasn't even a student of ours. I looked at this kid who was super intense who had a warrior look on his face. His school (eventually) closed down and lucky for us he walked in our doors.
"He's been training hard and won a number of local, regional and provincial championships. He's shown a lot of improvement and he's won Westerns and nationals."
At the 2013 national championships in Quebec, Abou-Tibbett didn't do as well as expected. That provided him with enough motivation to succeed a year later in Regina.
"I didn't take any time off," he said. "I've been training hard."
That meant 90-minute training session at Family TaeKwon-Do four days a week and doing cardio workouts on his own time such as running and jumping rope. He's in shape.
"2014 was a breakthrough year for him," said Boudreau. "The year he won nationals just happened to be the same year for the World Championships which are held every two years.
Abou-Tibbett has improved on the little things, said Boudreau.
"With Cole, the emphasis is on control and technique rather than knocking someone out to earn the most points. We've been harnessing that energy."
Abou-Tibbett is also proud of his Kaska Dene heritage and was raised on the land near his grandfather's trap line near the Dease River in northern B.C. In the summer, when he's not focusing on taekwon-do, he enjoys hunting, fishing and learning about his culture.
"It means a lot to be from the Kaska Dene First Nation," he said. "I can stand up, put my culture out there and be a role model for other kids. I can also be a role model for younger people in the sport and can help out others, be a mentor."
Abou-Tibbett plans to leave for Italy on May 23.
