'Karate changed my life': How the sport turned a bullied kid into a world champion

Young karate champ using tech to get even better A 10-year-old London, Ont. karate champion has used the pandemic closures to up his game using technology. CTV's Marek Sutherland has more.

London, Ont. — The start of 10-year-old Kaleb Boyle’s story is a familiar one.

“I was getting bullied a lot in school so, I wanted to go to a karate school so I could learn how to defend myself if I needed,” he says.

Boyle turns 11 in a couple of months, and that decision to train karate was seven-and-a-half years ago.

“I didn’t like getting bullied, so Karate changed my life.”

Through karate, Kaleb has travelled the globe competing in world championships and other tournaments.

“It’s all because of a 10 year old's focus and ability and being able to do what he does,” explains Steve Boyle, Kaleb’s father.

He says last week they were supposed to be in Spain, but when COVID-19 happened, everything changed.

“2020 was poised to be his year, so we decided that we’re going to make the investment,” says Steve. “We’re travelling to Chicago and New York and we’re going to go through this NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) circuit. He goes in January, February, March. He’s doing first place, first place, he’s rocking it. And then all of a sudden the world stops March 17th, done.”

It didn’t take very long for someone to come up for a way to continue tournaments in a virtual setting. Through Zoom, thousands of kids around the world have been competing since the pandemic began.

“I’ve competed against people from Japan, Iran, a few tournaments back I competed against an Iranian prince. And that was pretty cool for me too,” says Kaleb.

Since March, Kaleb has taken part in 90 tournaments worldwide, and he's making a mark on the sport. An entire room in the family’s basement is dedicated to showing his accolades during 2020.

“He’s pushing 70 golds, a handful of silver and bronze, at this point he’s rarely getting beat,” says the elder Boyle.

Now Kaleb is preparing for the series championships in the fall, with the grand champion title his focus, his daily training of at least two hours in his dojo at home will intensify.

He’s taken what was a way to avoid being bullied and created a passion and drive for success.