Atsuko Wolcott has always been fascinated by the art of karate, and she reveled in the mental and spiritual aspects of the sport while watching her sons at karate practice.
It wasn’t until the age of 48, after both of her sons had graduated from high school, that Wolcott found the courage to take a karate class herself. Wolcott was inspired to start training so she could develop inner strength and, in turn, learn to be more compassionate to others.
“My desire to overcome my own weaknesses inspired me to take karate,” she said.
Wolcott joined the traditional Karate Do class through the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department, where she began taking lessons with Sensei Miguel Villalobos. Villalobos, an outside contractor with the department, has been teaching and training in karate for 45 years.
Wolcott studies Seito Shito Ryu Karate, one of the major forms of Japanese karate. This type of karate places more emphasis on defense, as opposed to the aggressive tactics of Kung Fu and Taekwondo. Students of Seito Shito Ryu learn physical and mental self-discipline.
At the end of July, Villalobos, Wolcott, and two other Karate-Do students, Scott Ruzzo and Andreya Pineda, ventured to Vancouver, Canada for the 8th World Karate-Do Championships. The three students and their families funded the entire trip out of their own pockets, and each took home a medal.
According to Wolcott, however, the medal was not the only thing that made the trip worthwhile.
“I got to meet a lot of new people from all over. It’s not just a karate thing, it’s also a culture thing,” she said.
Wolcott attends class twice a week for an hour and a half. Villalobos shows up 30 minutes early and stays after class for an extra hour, should students want the additional practice time. Wolcott’s commitment goes beyond practice in the dojo. She practices on her own time during the week and goes to the gym on a regular basis as a part of her training.
She began her karate training with an immense appreciation for the sport, but has grown to understand the mental and spiritual improvements that come with it.
“I found a sense of peacefulness within myself when I train. If you know your own strength, you do not have to prove it to others,” she said.
This article appears in Aug 11-18, 2011.