SOMERS, N.Y. - In 2024, Aidan No won the Taekwondo National Championship in Fort Worth, and afterwards, he took a break with family in Arizona. But it wasn’t long before he was back to work.
“I don’t want to win big, and in the next competition fall down short,” said the Somers High School senior. Far from it, No stood tall when the 2025 National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA) High School Championships came around again.
This time in Marlborough, MA, the Tusker is now a two-time defending champ.
The run up to the repeat began in the summer, and continued with the start of the school year. But unlike most sports, there’s no competition reward until the winter, and he revealed the formula for meeting the grind.
“I think motivation gets you started, but discipline is what keeps you going,” he said.
Still human, there are times when he’d love to phone it in from the couch. So he just references the results of working harder.
“It’s helping me get better,” said No. “That’s what keeps me going.”
All the mileage can’t be overlooked either. Three days a week, No travels to Flushing to train but knows none of this would be possible without his dedicated drivers.
“I want to give them as much credit as possible, because they’re the whole reason I can do this,” said the grateful son of his parents. “They provide everything.”
Lineage from his dad, the elder has his own Taekwondo school and set up Aidan in Flushing. At the same time, Dad knows the value of not having too many cooks in the kitchen.
“He allows my coach to do his own thing,” said No.
The same goes for No when winter finally brings competition. “The first match is definitely the hardest, trying to get back into the groove. But as soon as you get over that small hump, it’s no problem,” he said.
Three of four tournaments later, the best get down to business for the regionals. The East Coast Grand Prix, No was thrown, but not by the punches. Electronic scoring, he said, “It was very sensitive.”
A lot of unexpected points, No was knocked off his game. Nonetheless, he still made the semifinals. Unable to overcome completely, the 55kg fighter settled for third and didn’t mince words on whether bronze was good enough.
“No,” he said bluntly.
Good enough for the nationals, No reassessed in the face of the disappointment. “I was doubting myself,” he revealed.
So No knew an attitude adjustment was needed.. “I tried my best to stay confident and trust myself and my coach,” he said.
Either way, No had to overcome the first match adjustment. “You’re a bit cold, you haven’t fought yet and you’re not in the groove yet, he said.
The hardest part until it isn’t. “Once you get over the first match and win, you’re body is in that mode,” he said.
The eventual champ getting in gear, round two went easily and the semis brought a familiar face. The same opponent he lost to in the regionals, the mental part was now in check.
Still, No’s personal scouting report made a big difference too. Knowing his patterns and habits,” said No, “I figured them out and watched for them.”
So with the threats neutralized, the previous meeting was completely undone. “I won by a pretty solid margin,” No said.
One to go, his final’s opponent was an old friend too. No pulled out a last second victory last year against the same opponent, and the uncertainty started right away. No lost the first round by a score of 5-1 but the struggle alleviated from there.
He won by scores of 2-0 and 4-1 for the title. “It was much easier this time,” said the gold medal winner.
His hand raised, he stayed in character. “I shook my opponent’s hand, went straight to my coach to handshake him and gave a hug,” No modestly deflected.
A bit out of reach, he still remembered how Dad is always the anchor in the storm. “Sometimes it’s tough love,” said No. “But I always know he wants the best for me. That’s what I appreciate the most.”
Mom is a rock too, but just a different kind. "Very positive,” said the son, “She is my number one supporter.”
Back at school, he has a small group of friends who are aware of his success, and the low numbers are just fine. However, he felt the school came up short.
“I was a little disappointed, because they really didn’t recognize the achievement,” he lamented.
No mention on the morning announcements or some sort of poster, he definitely considers himself among the athletic stampede of successful Tuskers. “I’m representing the school,” he asserted.
Of course, the high schooler knows that competitive success isn’t as important as the future. No has excelled academically and will be attending Stony Brook in September.
Studying to be a doctor, the senior knows it’s a long road educationally. But even though he won’t be competing on the collegiate level, the athletic lesson provides a roadmap.
Hard work, persistence and sacrifice, he concluded, “I will apply that to my studies.”
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