NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — It’s been a summer filled with kicking, punching and winning for one Pasco County teenager. He just won a handful of medals in Sweden representing Team USA.
From karate kid to karate champion, Jacob Little broke out on the martial arts scene in 2025, putting his hometown of New Port Richey on the map internationally.
Little remembers the first time he entered Engram’s Karate Center when he was just 5 years old. He wasn’t trying to become a champion; he actually wanted to be a superhero.
WATCH: From karate kid to karate champion, New Port Richey teen represents Team USA
“When I started, the main reason was because I was really into Power Rangers when I was little, and I looked at karate as if it were Power Rangers’ school, so I was like, ‘Mom, mom, you've got to take me to Power Rangers school,'" said Little.
Little was introduced to Sensei Jennifer Davenport, and they’ve been training together ever since.
“The older I got, the more respect I had for it and the more respect I had for my senseis and the people who helped me and just the sport as a whole,” said Little.
Over the past 13 years, Little has punched and kicked his way to a third-degree black belt.
“You start fine-tuning, and that’s when you take it to tournaments and show off all the hard work that you’ve accomplished,” said Little.
All that hard work paid off this summer when Little won a national championship in Fort Lauderdale. Just a few weeks later, he represented Team USA in Sweden in the World Union Karate Federation Championships, where he earned two silver medals and a bronze.
“I was a little bit greedy, I wanted the gold medal,” said Little. “When I started, I was doing it just kind of as a fun hobby, it was like, 'Oh yeah, I’m doing karate,' but now I’ve taken it so seriously that I can go represent not only my country but my dojo on a world stage, which is so mind-blowing."
“I will tell you Jacob is a great ambassador for our style and for our dojo, he is somebody who totally embodies everything martial arts should be,” said Davenport.
Little is now taking his karate journey full circle, becoming a sensei in training for the next generation of champions.
“It’s just like, ‘Wow, I get to be the guy who guides them on their journey, I couldn’t ask for more,” said Little.
Parents weigh in on Florida’s new cellphone ban for K-8 students
Florida's K-8 cellphone ban in schools draws mixed reactions from parents concerned about safety, distractions, and staying connected during the school day.
