Marco’s Karate Kid

Chase Polley figures he has seen all of the karate movies. But his favorite is the original “Karate Kid,” the 1984 classic that is credited with popularizing karate in the United States.

“I’ve watched all of them,” said Polley, a 15-year-old junior at Marco Island Academy. “The first “Karate Kid” with Mr. Miyagi is my favorite. I saw it when I was in fifth grade.”

Polley started taking karate lessons at the tender age of four-and-a-half. He had just finished a tennis lesson at the Marco YMCA and saw the kids in their karate outfits.

"I saw people in karate uniforms,” Chase Polley said, “I thought it looked pretty cool. I wanted to join.”

Polley took to karate like a duck to water. He learned the routines, the proper technique. He picked things up quickly. He learned that he was pretty good at his new sport. In fact, he was really good.

“I didn’t lose until my third year of competing,” Polley said. "I got to the intermediate level and I was going to Nationals."

Polley started competing when he was seven. He was on top of his division until he advanced to the brown belt division at Nationals.

“I was on top through the brown belt division locally,” Polley recalls, "until I went to Nationals. Then I lost in the finals. I got silver.”

Polley’s foundation in karate was developed at the Marco Y. Eventually he moved to a Dojo, or karate school, in Naples.

He advanced so quickly that he had to get approval from Japan to get his junior black belt when he was just 11 years old. Normally one cannot receive their junior black belt until they’re 16.

“They had to change the standards,” Polley said. "I had to get approval from Japan to get my junior black belt because I was 11 years old. I was getting better. I had my brown belt for two years because I couldn’t test for my black belt. So, they had to get permission from Japan."

When he moved to the new Dojo, he had to learn a completely different style. Had to learn the all new Kata, a system of individual training exercises for practitioners of karate. At the same time, Polley enrolled with a Dojo in Miami, where he trained twice a week.

In Miami his Sensei, or teacher, is one of the tops in the nation - possibly the world.

Polley has learned from one of the top students of the Sensei, Ariel Torres.

“He’s my coach,” Polley said. "I’ve known him for five years now. I take private lessons with him every Thursday and Saturday. He’s first seed on the Senior National Team and he was the bronze medalist in the Tokyo Olympics. He’s the first and only American to win an Olympic Medal for karate."

With the advanced training, Polley’s reputation grew. In 2019 he became a member of the Junior USA team, where he became national champion. Recently he competed against the best in the world in Istanbul. There were participants from all over the world - 19 countries competed in his division.

And though he didn’t think he’d advance past the first round in Istanbul, he ended up bringing home the bronze medal, which is even more impressive than his national championship medal. He had to beat a world champion, a continental champion and European champion on his way to the bronze medal.

Next year, as a 16-year-old, Polley will compete in the senior division.

“Next year will be super hard,” Polley said, "because I’ll be the youngest kid in the 16–17 division. If I want to go to Worlds and the Pan American championships, I’ve got to get first. So, I’ve got to work pretty hard.”

Polley knows his competition. He’s hoping the six inches he’s grown during COVID will help him compete. His improved speed, agility and strength are starting to pay dividends.

“I’ve been getting used to my height and my strength,” Polley said. "I started competing again in January, and I was looking at my old videos and it’s just crazy how much I’ve improved.”

Polley was disappointed to learn that karate will not be a sport in the 2024 Olympics. And 2028 sounds a long way off when you’re only 15. His immediate goal is the Senior World Championships.

“Next year I get to try out for the Senior team,” Polley said. "If I get fifth place or higher, I get to go to Colorado Springs, the Olympic Training Center, for team trials. It depends on how much you train, and who you’re trained by."

But if history is any indication, Polley should have a good chance to make the senior team. In over 200 competitions, he has never failed to medal.