ELSAH, ILL. -- When Principia College varsity women soccer players
Katie Clark,
Sierra Powell, and
Mel Stein talk about “kicking it around” they aren't just talking about booting the soccer ball – they are talking about kicking with black belt force.
Clark, Powell, and Stein each have achieved the honorable black belt status in their martial arts disciplines. Clark, a freshman goalie earned her black belt in Tai Kwan Do. Powell, a freshman left forward is a “Warriors Heart” black belt. “Warriors Heart” martial arts is a mixture of Tong Soo Do and Doce Pares, Judo and Kickboxing. Stein, a senior goalie, received her black in Uechi Ryu.
Not many college soccer teams can boast having three black belts on their roster. Clark was drawn to the study of martial arts at age 13 to deal with anger management issues. “It gave me an outlet and taught me about respect,” said Clark. She added she no longer has problems with anger. “In Tai Kwan Do you are pushed hard and you can't give up. This helps me with my stamina and temperament out on the field.”
Stein, the team's starting goalie, took up martial arts six years ago because she was simply drawn to it by her nature. The outdoorsy, rugged, athlete says in martial arts your body takes a lot of pounding but you learn how to withstand it. “When I'm in soccer practice or in games, I don't worry about getting hurt,” said Stein.
Powell immersed herself in martial arts at the very young age of four when she made a switch from gymnastics to Kenpo. “It teaches us about respect for elders and equals and about respect for your sport or whatever you are involved in,” states Powell.
The focus the girls have learned from their specific disciplines carries through in their approach toward soccer. “Martial arts teaches us you must practice perfection if you expect to perform with perfection. This is lesson is well taught in sparring because if you're lazy at any level, whether it's practice or competition, you'll get a good blow as a reminder. As a result, this lesson has stayed with me and despite the fact that you can sometimes get away with going half speed during soccer practice without getting 'hit,' per say, I still try to bring game intensity to practice with the aim of performing with perfection.”
“It [martial arts] helps me with my explosiveness, staying on my toes,” added Clark. “When I'm out on the field I pretend like I am sparring.”
The three black belt athletes all agree, despite their proven abilities in, what appears to outsiders as an aggressive activity, they are all about discipline, respect, and sportsmanship . “Martial arts has taught me to be a respectful citizen, to respect the art. We are taught not to brag,” Clark emphasized.
“Sometimes out of habit in showing our sign of respect we will bow in a random building as you would before entering a martial arts floor,” said Powell. “Maybe we should start bowing before stepping onto the soccer field!”
