Black River Falls Park Institute School of Tae Kwon Do qualified nine youth to participate at the Junior Olympics National Competition held at Hubert H. Humphrey Metro Dome in Minneapolis, MN June 30 - July 6th , 2002 and qualified five adults to compete at the Adult National Championships held at Cobo Hall Arena, detriot, MI May 21-26th, 2002.
The Junior Olympics registration and weigh-ins began on Sunday with just under 5000 participants weighing in and registration by Thursday July 4th. Completion started with the 8 to 9 yr olds on Tuesday with Christopher De Marrias and Devin O'Brien
Competing in Form and sparring Events. Both boys came up short in points in the form event and failed to win their first fight to more experienced sparring competitors.

Wednesday the 14 to 17 yr old competitors had their day. Katrina and Desiree Pettibone ran into the same dilemma of not having enough points to receive a medal in form and running into much experienced fighters. Thursday July 4th brought fireworks for the nation and also competition for the 6 to 7 yr olds. Katie Pettibone and Anissa Flick set out to bring some end to the winless streak of medals, Both girls struggled for higher points in the form event, but still there wasn't enough to place, perseverance paid off in the next admired event of sparring, as Anissa with unlimited wave of roundhouses won by a kick to the body over a tough competitor from Maryland an her first match. Next she claimed the gold and a National Championship Title with persistent solid kicking and by a point on another strong but vary determined kicker from Oklahoma. Tears of joy and hurt ran down her cheek for triumph and pain because as time ran out, the spunky tall girl from Oklahoma inadvertently kicked Anissa in the cheek. Katie on the other hand was handed her first defeat in the ring next to Anissa by a vary fast girl from Georgia and was finished. Friday the 12 to 13 yr olds took the rings. Aaron Flick scores were not high enough for a medal in the event, but in the sparring event Aaron really came on strong.

Aaron faced a vary strong long -limbed competitor from Virginia and claimed victory with one point coming seconds in the final round. His second match was his last as he came short on points on a very quick kicker from Texas. Saturday came ending the weeklong competition with 10 to 11 yr olds taking the over dome. Sisters Heaven and Autumn Sylvester gave it their all. With over 30 competitors in each of their division the sisters set out to do their best. Both girls, like the rest of the fellow competitors, came up on the short end for points for form and ran into quicker competition.

Instructor Clarence Pettibone stated, "These students are al winners to me, they have reached for a goal and claimed it, a medal would just be an added bonus. The experience they learn here will benefit them forever, with memories to tell for generations.''
Adult Nations registered just under 3000 competitors for six-day long event.

Wednesday, May 22nd Calvin Whiteagle and Zane Flick competed in the form events. Both competitors scores were not enough to take medals home. Zane qualified for sparring but injured his foot just days before competition started during practice session and did not compete. Thursday, Timothy Whiteagle earned the first silver medal for the Black River Falls Team with total focus and profiction techniques in the blue belt form event. Friday the BRF Team came through with three more silver medals. Mike O'Brien along with Instructor Clarence Pettibone captured silvers in the sparring events and mike took another in the blue belt form event. Mike was just tenths away on points from taking the gold in the form event. Clarence also was just tenths away from the medal round but came up short in the highly coveted black belt form competition. In the sparring event, Mike easily defeated his first combatant from Michigan with his first match. During this match mike scored at random with accurate roundhouses and hook kicks to the head. Next the arena saw plenty of action between mike and opponent from Indiana in his second match. Mike scored head shots on his opponent who also gave mike as time ran out in the final round. Clarence took to the black belt ring with determination,
Perseverance and also not to be outdone by his students to shoot for the gold. Clarence eliminated the 1st degree black belt from California and fought with vary accurate head kicks and hand techniques for his first victory. His second match against a 2nd degree black belt out of Florida was vary evenly match and saw both fighters scoring with head and body shots and taking an even score going into the third and final round. Both fighters fought hard and with the final seconds ticking Clarence lead by two points and saw it disappear with a quick kick to his opponent to his head, the was tied again Clarence countered with a quick axe kick to his opponents head to score as time ran out.

With two victories under his belt Clarence from Illinois? With a ten-minute rest Clarence was back into the ring to go for the gold. The third match, saw a lot less action as both fighters were trying to figure each others strength and weaknesses and saving their last gas for the final round. Clarence fell behind on points into the final third round by giving up a few body points as he struggled to keep his opponent from stepping off the ring. The match ended with Illinois winning with more points to take the gold and Clarence with the silver.

With the National to be held in New Orleans, La. May 2003, the Black River Falls Tae Kwon Do School is already gearing up and training hard to qualify to compete next February 2003. Instructor Clarence Pettibone added, "our goal was the gold and be a National Champion, one of us made it, we know we can do it again. If we can imagine it, think it, speak it, and picture ourselves there, then we will achieve it.''

Many thanks to the Andrew Black Hawk post 129, Hocak Worak, Kraemer Bros.inc.pepsi Co., Hocak Credit Union, Cash Systems Inc., Marx Communications, Bank plus Inc., and Corporate Casuals for their sponsorship and individuals sponsors ken "starr" Lewis, Silas Cleveland, Michelle Greendeer, Elliott Garvin, Dr. Tom Walker, Kathyleen whiterabbit, Sharyn Whiterabbit, Ralph Snake, Christine Romano, Myna Thompson, Gerald Cleveland, HCN Youth Services, Fleet division, and to all our families and friends who put forth their time and effort to help make our accomplishments come true.