Mayor of Guelph, Cam Guthrie, recognizes world-class martial artist
Last week, Nathan Skoufis was recognized and praised by the mayor of Guelph for his recent achievement of the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA) world championship title. He has now won the title three straight years in a row.
The Ontarion had the opportunity to speak with some of the people who train at Guelph Family Martial Arts, the martial arts school that Skoufis instructs and owns.
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Ben Scott, a member of the school, told The Ontarion: “It’s awesome, a real testament to the amount of work he puts in and the dedication to the sport. Certainly well-deserved, and I expect it won’t be the last award he’ll receive.”
Alva Cunningham, one of the mothers at the school said: “Amazing, just an amazing achievement for someone so young, and he’s just the best mentor for the children who attend his class, and also for the adults who attend the class. He’s just such a positive person, he’s unbelievable. He treats everyone the same, regardless of age.”
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The Ontarion also sat down with Skoufis himself. “It’s definitely surreal to be honoured, the mayor stopped by on behalf of the City of Guelph, and to be able to represent Guelph on an international level,” Skoufis said. “I’m definitely fortunate just to be able to share my story in Guelph and the amount of support they’ve given me over the years.”
Skoufis is focused not only on putting Guelph on the map internationally, but also training and nurturing his own students. After interviewing Skoufis and some of the people in attendance at the event, it’s clear why he is so admired in the city that raised him.
Photos by Mars Chester Chow