SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego may no longer have professional football or basketball teams, but it does have a fiercely competitive karate team celebrating another world championship title.
Team Freestyle, based out of USA Freestyle Martial Arts in Point Loma, just returned from the International Sport Karate Association tournament in Orlando, Florida, this summer, as world champions in the demo performance division.
"I was really, really happy because we put a lot of time into it," Abigail Hunck, a member of Team Freestyle, said.
"It was really indescribable. It was like a year of just like sacrificing and blood, sweat, tears going into it," Norie McLaughlin, another member of Team Freestyle, said.
The group of young athletes competes in the world's largest martial arts competitions, proudly representing San Diego on the international stage. They do it knowing that the world of Karate is not as popular as other pro sports; however, McLaughlin said that's why they lean into the element of surprise with their performances.
"It's just great, kind of being like the underdogs, and then having people realize San Diego packs a punch," McLaughlin said.
Team Freestyle is handpicked by Sensei Will Jackson. Unlike the all-star teams they compete against, every single member of Team Freestyle comes from the same studio. The team practices together three times a week for five hours. Many members also train individually for their own categories, an additional one to two hours per day.
Team member Judah Sagawa explained the team's journey to victory.
Sagawa said their team won back in 2023, but then some teammates left for college, and they had to start over again, forming a new team that moved in perfect sync. In 2024, they lost by 0.01 points.
"So we really just worked as hard as we possibly could that following year, and then in 2025 we were able to take the win," Sagawa said. "That was one of the most special moments of my life."
The teammates share a strong bond, and their camaraderie even allows them to critique one another to improve their performance.
"Everyone's basically family. We're all really close with each other. We all motivate each other," Sagawa said.
"That's what we need," McLaughlin said. "We don't win without that, and I think having a team where everyone can hold each other accountable, that's the reason why we've been able to be so successful."
Team Freestyle is now gearing up for their next big stage - a tournament in Chicago this January.
Hunck said, "Just because we won last year doesn't mean we can take a break. We still have to keep training and get ready for next year, winning the ISKA world title."
