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By Brian Pitts
Enterprise Record

Seven-year-old Dominic Anderson-Graham is electric and unstoppable against local competition in martial arts. In six months, he’ll get to compete for Team USA North Carolina in Norway.
Three from Davie County tried out and made Team USA N and will spend a week in Europe in November, including Shea Barney (16) and Tyler Kilmer (18). Anderson-Graham, Barney and Kilmer train multiple times a week at the Davie County Parks & Recreation under Travis Hinson.
“There is Team USA North Carolina, Team USA Georgia and Team USA Tennessee that I know of,” Hinson said. “Every state does not have a team.”
Hinson has watched Anderson-Graham hone his skills for two years.
“Dominic wins everything we do (locally),” Hinson said. “He’s at a beginner level, but when they go with Team USA, he has to compete in intermediate. The thing Dominic has going for him: he has freak athleticism. He doesn’t have to work at it, he’s an athlete and he takes a punch pretty good. He has a great attitude and he’s a great kid. As a matter of fact, he’s a straight-A student and he won the spelling bee at his school (North Hills Christian in Salisbury). When he plays basketball at the rec center, he always plays with kids two or three grades ahead of him. So he’s an athlete.”
Anderson-Dominic might have to compete at the 10-under level in Norway. If so, that will require the best performances of his young life.
“He’s going to have his hands full,” Hinson said. “How is he going to fare in Norway? He’s going to have to be on his A game. Those Germans take it pretty serious. But just being able to go will be an experience of a lifetime.”
Barney is already a decorated martial artist, and she’s familiar with Norway, having made the overseas trip two years ago.
“She’s the first one to get a black belt from me (in Davie Count),” Hinson said. “Shea has been in my class for eight years. Shea is probably going to go and win gold again. To be honest with you, she might win more than one gold again.”
Hinson has watched Kilmer’s martial arts game grow for three years.
“Tyler’s pretty good,” he said. “The only issue he’s going to run into this year … He’s always been a big boy and he’s always used that to his advantage. But this year, because he’s 18, he has to compete in adult, and it’s going to be a little bit different with a grown man hitting him back. He’s going to have a hard time muscling his way around. If he can ever get pissed off and get caught up in the moment, he’ll be fine.”