Two years ago, the Penn State Shotokan Karate Club was founded by JD Swanson, a current graduate student. Filled with very few expectations, Swanson simply hoped to share his love of Shotokan with the college community and to encourage others to achieve a greater state of well being and fitness through this ancient Japanese tradition.
Last weekend, however, the club truly surpassed all expectations. Its traveling national team of 11 members brought home a record 13 medals from the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) Nationals and Collegiate National Championships including three collegiate national championships.
"It is open to all members of the ISKF, which includes hundreds of colleges across the U.S., and is estimated at 65,000 members in this country alone," Swanson said. "The championships had about 600 competitors and we medaled in almost every event we entered."
All of the club's medals were in the collegiate division. In the Kata White belt combined, Ikuko Nakajima placed second and Lori Koch placed third. Koch also placed third in the Kumite White belt women's division, while teammates Nakajima and Angela Amity won first and second places, respectively.
In the Kata Intermediate combined section, Gina Raineri placed third. In addition, Raineri won the Kumite Intermediate women's section, with teammate Amy Gusso placing second. Their male counterparts, Stephen Kado and Mathew Angert placed second and third in the Kumite Intermediate men's division.
The club also garnered several medals in the team divisions. In Kata, the team of Greg Hoplamazian, Raineri and Gusso placed third. In men's Kumite, Hoplamazian, Angert and Brent Wilson placed third, while Raineri, Gusso and Nakajima placed first in women's.
"This was my first karate tournament and as soon as I saw other higher ranked competitors, I felt so scared," Nakajima said. "My club members and JD encouraged me a lot and I could relax a little bit. I was still really nervous, though. They made me feel like, 'I came all the way to South Dakota, I should have fun.' Getting medals was really surprising."
Swanson said the main reasons for the team's success seem to be its constant hard work and its constant dedication to the sport.
"The team did an extremely good job at nationals, considering we have only been in existence for two years," Swanson said. "The kids made significant improvement this year, and really worked hard. We trained about 12-13 hours per week, and they all worked out pretty much every night to prepare for the tournament. They really put their noses to the grindstone and, in the end, it all paid off."
Another main reason for the team's success this year may have to do with the coach himself. Many of Swanson's students mention his contributions and dedication as the motivation they needed to push themselves further than they ever could.
"When we won, we weren't happy about the medals, because that is not what it seemed to be about," Raineri said. "We were overjoyed that our sensei, JD Swanson, was able to help us to improve our skills enough to defeat them. JD has made a huge impact on my life inside the dojo, and I wouldn't have half the skills I have if it wasn't for him. He deserves the credit for those medals."
The training in the club consists of three different parts. First, there is the Kihon, which is another term for the basics. This is where the student learns basic stances, punches, kicks, blocks and strikes.
Then, there is the Kata, which is linked patterns of basics, or when students learn how to apply Karate and how to flow different techniques together. Finally, there is the Kumite, which allows the student to apply the techniques learned in Kata and Kihon to another person, and involves sparring.
For Nakajima, Shotokan is one of her main loves.
"After I got my medals and saw so many people at higher rank, it made me want to continue practicing more in the future," said the native of Japan. "I am not sure if I want to go back to Japan or get a job here. So many things are uncertain right now, but the one thing that is for sure is that I will keep practicing karate wherever I go, because this is something I really enjoy and will for a long time."
Many members of the club frequently mention the positive effects the club has on their lives and the family atmosphere that is always evident during their training, competitions, and other events.
Raineri, a junior, said she joined the club during her freshman year when her friend, Greg Hoplamazian, introduced her to it. She attended the club regularly since then.
"It is a great place to be, we are like a family," Raineri said. "I have made many new friends there, I learn self discipline, and I also get some stress relief from it. As I advance levels, the club means more to me... It has become more than a leisure activity."
Overall, the club members were incredibly proud of their medals, their titles, and most of all, of each other. With a number of tournaments remaining on their schedule this season, they look forward to setting even more milestones in the years to come.
They will be continuing with various regional East Coast competitions, along with two tournaments at Drexel University, one at William and Mary college, and a final match here in State College. In addition, they are planning on attending the 2002 nationals in Orlando, Fla., and will host the 2002 Collegiate Karate Club and Pennsylvania Central District testing during the spring.
"The club has come to mean more to me than I ever thought it could," Hoplamazian said. "Not only have I been able to continue my training, but I've learned the pleasure of teaching something I love to others. It is so great to watch others in the club progress and help them along their path. However, they don't realize that they are helping me learn as well. My life is now, in turn, having a positive effect on others through karate."
The Penn State Shotokan Karate club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. in the White Building in rooms 133 and 113 and every Saturday morning from 10 a.m.-noon in White Building room 106. They can be reached at: www.clubs.psu.edu/shotokan.
