The Park family – with deep ties to Pembina Trails – compete and medal at the Pan Am Games

“The family that kicks together, sticks together”  - Jae Park

Team Canada’s taekwondo squad at the Pan Am Games currently taking place in Chile might as well been named Team Park.

Astonishingly, three of the nine members of Team Canada are from the Park family: Skylar, Tae-Ku and Braven. 

Skylar, a Shaftesbury grad, won gold in the 57 kg class. That win guaranteed Skylar a spot on Team Canada at next summer’s Paris Olympics.

Tae-Ku Park won the bronze medal in the 68 kg class and Braven Park lost his bronze medal match in the 58 kg class. Tae-Ku and Braven also attended Shaftesbury and went on to graduate from Vincent Massey.

“To do this as a family is just amazing,” says Jae. “For me as a father, to have all three of my kids represent Canada at the Pan Am Games is a dream come true. It’s been a goal, and it’s reality right now. I’m very, very excited.”

Coached by their father Jae and managed by their mom Andi, the Park family runs the Tae Ryong Park Taekwondo and Hapkido Academy on Scurfield. Their grandfather, Deuk H. Park, is the Grand Master of the academy.

The Parks had the added thrill of competing in front on many relatives in at the Pan Am Games in Chile, which is the birth country of Andi Park.

Taekwondo doesn’t just run in the Park family; it gallops. Between uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents, no less than 16 people in the Park family have black belts in taekwondo. 

Pembina Trails congratulates the entire Park family for their incredible achievements!

(Photos courtesy of Andi Park)