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The world is at his feet Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell The discipline of martial arts has proven to be a benefit in other areas of Zach Haveman's life, also. Karate kid, 12-year-old Zach Haveman, cleans up during world competition By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Zach Haveman entered the Super Grand Amateur International Karate Tournament at Universal Studios in Los Angeles late last month with a lot of confidence. After all, the 12-year-old Hedrick Middle School sixth-grader had collected four world titles at a similar tournament in Savannah, Ga., one year earlier. Haveman leaned on that self-assurance, his athleticism and 31/2 years of experience to walk off with age-group world titles in creative weapons, creative forms, traditional weapons, musical weapons, musical forms and Japanese forms at the event in Los Angeles that featured several hundred competitors from several different countries. He also finished fourth in sparring. "My goal was to beat last year's record," said Haveman, who earned a black belt in August 2000. "I was a little nervous at first, but once I got out there, I just concentrated on what I was taught to do." Haveman beat out eight to 14 competitors in each of the six disciplines that he won gold medals in. Or, in this case, plaques. Haveman's parents, Craig and Carla, knew their son might be something special when be began to crawl at the age of five months and began walking at eight months. Zach entered a gymnastics class when he was 6 years old and took his first karate class at the American Karate Academy two years later. "It's a really good workout and just a lot of fun," the younger Haveman says of karate, which he now takes from Jake Brown and Denise Jensen at Superior Athletic Club in Medford. "My favorite part is doing the high kicks." Karate has also aided young Haveman's discipline, self-respect and self-esteem outside of the workout room. He came home with straight A's on his last report card and is no longer afraid to speak in front of large groups. "That's the part of karate that a lot of people don't know about - the fact that it helps a person's self-esteem and teaches them to be disciplined in other areas of their lives," says Craig Haveman, a Medford physician who works as an oncologist at Providence Medical Center. "The workouts and the tournaments are great, but the other things are just as meaningful." Zach Haveman continues to take gymnastics on the side - he recently learned how to do a back flip - and also squeezes basketball into his busy schedule. The family traveled to karate tournaments in Lincoln City, Vancouver, B.C., Kansas City, Mo., and Las Vegas, Nev., last year and plans a similar schedule for 2002. Needless to say, each trip is a golden opportunity. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.