Two athletes with Chester County ties won World Championships last month at the American Taekwondo Association championships in Phoenix, according to a staff report from The Times of Chester County. 

These individual titles are especially significant for the ATA School in West Chester as they are its first in history. 

On July 10, Dr. Stephanie McGann, a Pocopson resident, and second-degree black belt, won the first World Championship for the school by taking the top spot in X-Treme Weapons for her age group of 60 to 69. The highly challenging and entertaining event mixes taekwondo weapon moves with music. 

“It was an amazing experience,” said McGann. “To win — something I’ve dreamed about for many years — is unbelievably special to me.” 

Meanwhile, Master Kammas Kersch, a STEM Service Coordinator for the Chester County Intermediate Unit and 6th-degree black belt, won first place in the Combat Weapons Sparring event. For the event, combatants spar with short padded sticks in a display of a mix of athleticism, strategy, and speed. 

“It is an incredible honor to be named a World Champion,” said Kersch. 

Kersch is also an instructor at ATA West Chester. 

Read more about the winner in The Times of Chester County. 

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