Cape Fear’s Karate Kid continues dominance, but her attitude might be more awe-inspiring than her accolades
Nine-year-old Shelby Milliken sat down in studio with Sports Director Jake Eichstaedt fresh off a summer full of medals and honors
LELAND, N.C. (WWAY) – The Cape Fear Karate Kid keeps winning. But it’s her attitude that is maybe more impressive than the accolades.
“I think as long as you work hard and you put what you love first, you have a chance,” says Milliken, who beat out girls as old as 14 in her age group. “They say ‘age is just a number … and a famous statement from Bruce Lee – one of my heroes – said ‘a belt is just something to hold your pants up. I felt pretty confident. Yeah, I was nervous, but I was confident in my skills because I know I trained hard.'”
Shelby Milliken of Brunswick County is nine years old and has won multiple gold medals, state championships, and has been honored by the Isshinryu Hall of Fame twice as the Junior Female Competitor of the Year. Her 2024 highlights include an AAU Virginia State Championship (three times), an AAU North Carolina State Championship (two times), an AAU South Carolina State Championship (two times), an AAU National Championship Silver Medal, Junior Olympics Hold Medal in Kumite, and two Junior Olympics Silver Medals.
In her words, she has ‘kicked butt’.
“It has been a lot,” says Milliken, reflecting on the busy summer of winning. “It’s always an honor. It’s been a pretty busy summer so far.”
Her talent is clear, but she is quick to credit the consistency of hard work.
“My edge is discipline equals freedom, “Milliken said in a prior interview with WWAY. “I work hard, and I just keep working. If you stop, then it’s hard to get back going… but if you keep going, you just keep ‘I know I gotta do this.'” Milliken is currently learning a new ‘kata’ – or fighting style – to upgrade her purple belt, and got her brown belt in kick boxing combative, completing 100 crunches among other physical tasks.
The spunky tyke has big dreams of representing the USA one day and also wants to honor the local people who have helped her achieve what she already.
“I have always dreamed since I was very little ever since I started karate that I wanted to represent the USA and make my people proud, make the people that appreciate and love me proud, and I want to represent America – strong, it is a free country. It feels good to represent your people and I’ve always wanted to do that through the sport I love.”
