From left to right, kickboxing competitors Manny Rodriguez, Dex Morgenstern, Amanda Buckner and Bret Cruver.
Photos courtesy Jason Morris, WildStyle Gym
SNOHOMISH — Local kickboxers came home to Snohomish County grinning after a championship performance at the National Tournament of the sport. The event, sanctioned by the World Kickboxing Association (WKA), was held in Delaware Aug. 23-25 and drew 700 competitors across several divisions.
Five competitors and coaches fought from WildStyle Gym in Snohomish, including Bret Cruver, Manny Rodriguez, Joey Tracy, Dex Morgenstern, and Amanda Buckner. They brought home four national titles.
After several years as a boxer, 17-year-old Bret Cruver came to kickboxing three years ago and took home a championship.
“What stood out to me about the tournament was how so many cultures and fighting styles participated in one competition,” said Cruver, of Snohomish. ”What stood out in my performance was how I could keep calm and follow our gameplan in such a high-stress environment.”
Buckner took double gold in two divisions: Muay Thai Adult Novice 18+ years and Glory Kickboxing in the Female 139.8-147.7 pound divisions.
“I was able to get into the ‘flow state’ and pull off moves and combinations that were much more advanced than my last fight. It was such a wonderful experience, I’m excited for what the future brings,” Buckner, of Snohomish, said.
Buckner has been studying martial arts for around nine years but only started competing about five years ago after the birth of her second daughter.
Dex Morgenstern took first place and the 198-pound Title Belt for the men’s open Kickboxing division and the second-place silver medal for the men’s 198-to-206—pound Muay Thai division.
“Walking away with one title, I proved that the work I’ve done so far has not been wasted, and walking away with a silver medal, I see where I need to get to and know it’s not that far out of reach,” Morgenstern, of Everett, said.
Morgenstern took on-and-off Taekwondo classes as a kid. In 2018, he started training Muay Thai on a whim and gradually started blending his training with Kickboxing gyms. Now, he’s at gyms six days per week as a student and assistant coach to future champions.
Rodriguez took third place. Rodriguez, of Monroe, has been kickboxing for just about a year and was impressed with the level of skill at the tournament.
“The level of competition was high, and I enjoyed every minute of it, from watching the fights to getting ready and fighting in the ring,” Martinez said.
Their head coach Jason Morris had high praise.
“In the end, all five of WildStyle’s fighters performed amazingly, earning three gold medals, two silver, and one bronze. The gold and silver medal winners were also selected to represent the US National Team at the WKA Worlds, where they would have the opportunity to compete against the best fighters worldwide,” Morris said. He’s also the co-owner of WildStyle with his wife, Sara. He has a large background in martial arts and is a licensed WKA referee.
Morris also designs the Wild Style Kickboxing, Fitness, and Youth Programs and is the driving force behind the gym.
The gym’s kickboxing program looks to build and develop a strong foundation for its instruction and programming.
“We honor our Muay Thai influences and use tools from other martial arts to create a harmonious experience where, together, we learn the game of kickboxing,” WildStyle General Manager Maggie Smelser said.
