Haley Creighton is only a Senior in high school, but she has already made waves in the Taekwondo world with her impressive skills. Her passion for Taekwondo began when she was very young and she has spent over a decade remaining dedicated to the sport. As the winner of a gold medal at the US Nationals in 2019, Creighton is known for her commitment to Taekwondo. She now takes pride in coaching others and encouraging them to enjoy the positive impacts of Taekwondo as she has.
Hi Haley, thank you for your time. Can you tell us about yourself to start?
Hi thank you for having me. My name is Haley Creighton, and I am a black belt (3rd dan/ 3rd degree) in Taekwondo. I am also a Senior at Lexington High School in Massachusetts. Taekwondo is a huge part of my life and has become an important way for me and my family to feel more connected to our Korean culture. Since I was a child, I have been training hard to refine my skills and have now competed in a number of championships.
When did you become interested in Taekwondo?
My love of Taekwondo began when I was only 5 years old. I began to train at US Taekwondo in Waltham Massachusetts and was amazed by how much it improved my confidence. Over the last decade, Taekwondo has become a true passion of mine and I have made so many amazing friendships along the way. It has also helped me feel closer to my Korean culture and to my family.
How was your experience on the Massachusetts State Taekwondo Demo team?
Some of the most memorable competitive moments for me on my Taekwondo journey have been as a member of the Massachusetts State Taekwondo Demo team. I competed in 2017,2018 and 2019 at the US Nationals (Team USA) Taekwondo Championships. In 2017, our team earned a bronze medal at US Nationals and in 2019 we won a Gold Medal (US National Champions). It was great to experience these events as it made me feel even more proud of my journey and connected to the people around me who helped make it possible.
How did you become a certified coach?
On top of competing, I also discovered a love for coaching. In 2020, I became a certified associate coach for USA Taekwondo (Team USA certified). I became involved with coaching youths in USA Taekwondo competitions and loved the opportunity to share my passion with others. To further this, I have recently partnered with an elementary school in Uganda and started a virtual program where I teach the children Taekwondo via Zoom. My sisters and I do this every Saturday morning and it is a lot of fun for us and for the kids!
Your sisters are also involved in Taekwondo. What is it like learning alongside them?
I am extremely proud of my sisters and feel very lucky to share this passion with them. I am very close with my sisters and Taekwondo has become a highly important part of our family life. I am very proud of them and what they have been able to achieve despite them being only 15 and 11. In 2019 my sister Audrey joined me as a member of the State demo team. My sister Charlee competed in Olympic sparring at the U.S. National Championship in Minneapolis. She works very hard and in 2019, she won silver at the US National championship in Minneapolis. I was also able to coach Charlee as she won the silver for Olympic sparring at the National Championship in San Antonio in 2021. The determination that my sisters show is very inspiring to me and to other young athletes.
How has the pandemic affected your journey?
COVID has been a difficult time for all of us as all in person Taekwondo events after March 2020 were cancelled for safety reasons. The time away from the sport made me realize just how important it is in my life and how fortunate I am to compete and to coach. USA Taekwondo has now reopened for in person events and I am so glad to be back with my community and doing what I love most.
Finally, what advice would you give to people looking at learning Taekwondo?
Taekwondo is a sport which will help you build confidence, skills, and can introduce you to a supportive and loving community. Everyone has to start somewhere and as a coach I can say that it is possible for everyone to become a master as long as they work hard and have passion.
Thank you Haley for your time!
