Senior Spotlight: Brandon Splawski - taekwondo

BY RICH PALZEWIC

CORRESPONDENT

Brandon Splawski is a senior at Bay Port High School. Brandon doesn’t currently do any organized sports at the school, but he is very active in taekwondo. Splawski plans to attend Iowa Central in Fort Dodge, will participate in taekwondo there for two years and study criminal justice, in the hopes of becoming a police officer.

Name: Brandon Splawski

Nickname: Spaz

Parents: Julie & John

School: Bay Port

Twitter: @BSplawski

How do you pronounce your last name? “Spa-lau-ski.”

Do you have any siblings? “I have one older brother named Brock that went through Bay Port a few years ago. He’s goes to college in Minnesota and is studying journalism.”

Have you ever done any high school sports at Bay Port? “I did football like half of my freshman year, but then I got an offer to train with an Ohio team for taekwondo and I had to make a choice.”

Any regrets with not sticking to football or doing any other sports? “Not really, no. I just didn’t have the time anymore and I’m happy with where I’ve gone.”

Since no sports, how about any clubs? “E-Sports Club. It’s like competitive gaming. I kind of coach it, but not play it a whole lot. I’m into the psychological and strategy stuff. League of Legends is an example of one of the games we do. I do it because it helps me with my mental game.”

When did you start taekwondo and how did you get started? “I started when I was 3 ½ years old. It started with my dad and brother and ended up getting more serious about it, so my dad ended up being my coach. My mom and brother kind of fell back a little bit.”

What degree Black Belt are you and your dad? “I’m a third degree and my dad is a fourth degree.”

Any thoughts to go all the way to the top? “I haven’t really cared as much what rank I am, so I just haven’t pursued that as much. It would take a lifetime of work to get that high. Right now I’m more into the competitive aspect of the sport.”

Where are some of the places you’ve been for tournaments? “I’ve gone all over the USA – Florida several times, Ohio, other places in the Midwest and I spent a week in Colorado Springs for a youth development camp for a week. I went to Toronto, Canada, for an international tournament, too.”

You’ve won a national championship? “When I was about seven, there was a national championship meet here in Wisconsin and we just kind of went out of the blue. I ended up winning my division. I think I was a first-degree Black Belt then.”

How do you score points in taekwondo? “You are sparring with someone and you use a system called the Daedo System – it’s all based on points. You wear foot guards and there are magnets on your foot, so depending on how you hit your opponent’s chest protector you can gain points.”

What three words would describe you? “Determined, quiet, calm.”

If you could have lunch with any person, who would it be? “Abraham Lincoln because he was a great president and was ahead of his times.”

Do you have any bad habits? “I like to bite my nails a lot, especially when I’m nervous!”

What people have had the most influence on you? “My coaches, specifically my dad. We’ve grown a good bond together through taekwondo.”

Is there a teacher at Bay Port that has influenced you the most? “Mr. Richards – he teachers business and technology stuff. He’s a very determined person and works well with kids. He’s kind of strict in his classes, but I’ve taken a lot from him and his passion for kids.”

What will you miss most about Bay Port? “The friends that I have made here.”

How will Brandon Splawski be remembered at Bay Port? “I’m pretty quiet, so maybe just as a calm and collected person that keeps to himself a little bit.”

Tree house or tiny house? “Tiny house.”

Lie on the beach or ski down the slopes? “Ski down the slopes.”

Carpet or hardwood floor? “Carpet.”

Chocolate or vanilla? “Vanilla.”

Summer or winter? “Winter.”

Favorites

Athlete: Jade Jones (British taekwondo)

Food: oranges

Candy: Skittles

Board game: Monopoly

Animal: tiger

Notes: suggestions for the Senior Spotlight can be submitted to Rich via email (palzewic@hotmail.com) or by Twitter (@richpalzewic)… all spotlights can be found online at thepress.media. Check out last week’s spotlight on Bay Port’s Hannah Hassler.