Stefanie Clark is training for a smoker. There’s not necessarily one in her immediate future—none have been scheduled that she knows of—but she’s training nonetheless.
Clark practices Muay Thai (essentially Thai kickboxing), and a smoker is an unsanctioned fight. Despite the mysterious-sounding name and description, there’s not any back-alley brawling involved. A smoker is simply the term for an off-the-record bout. There are no standings or rankings at stake. It’s almost like a practice, Clark explained.
The Santa Maria resident trains at Budo Ryu in San Luis Obispo. She spent about three years doing freestyle kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu before moving to Muay Thai about three years ago. She stays fit and gets to compete, but her participation is mostly interest driven.
“I really just do it for the love of the sport,” she said.
Clark explained that she fell for the pageantry, ritual, and beauty of Muay Thai. She’s fascinated by the tradition and culture behind the sport, and spent almost five months studying abroad in Thailand last year. She took courses for Cal Poly, but managed to fit in training as well.
To anyone thinking of joining the pageantry, Clark cautioned that you have to be OK with being hit in the face, and be comfortable with hitting other people in the face—and then being friends afterward. It’s a lot of fun, she emphasized.
“And it’s strangely addictive,” she added.
This article appears in Jan 15-22, 2009.