I began my martial arts training August 12, 1986 in Stillwater, OK under the instruction of Steve Wilcox. He is, by far, the best instructor anyone could have and it was an honor to train with him. Our studio was the National Guard Armory, with cement floors, no air conditioning, and the indoor rifle range right in the next room. I earned my first degree black belt in December of 1990, shortly after my 18th birthday. It was one of my greatest achievements and one of the proudest days of my life.

    In June of 1991, I began assisting Steve at his new class in the Colvin Center on OSU’s Campus. He was commuting from Tulsa to teach at OSU twice a week. Eventually, his work called him to Durant, OK where he formed the Durant Wild Bunch, which is a thriving class today. I filled his place as senior instructor with the assistance Mansur. (Just FYI - Though Mansur chooses to remain quietly in the background, his knowledge and rank far surpasses mine.) Together we have trained hundreds of students and have produced many high-quality black belts.

   Chasing karate tournaments was a passion of mine for many years. I was honored with the title of State Champion in Forms and Fighting several times, but one of the best awards I received was the peer nominated Female Competitor of the Year. In addition, I served faithfully on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Karate Association for over 10 years, hoping to bring about positive change within the tournament circuit. My black belt timeline includes earning my 2nd Dan in January of 1994, my 3rd Dan in April of 1998 (just 3 short months after the birth of my first son), my 4th Dan in August of 2000, my 5th Dan in December of 2004, and my 6th Dan in May of 2009. It is truly an honor to be a Wild Bunch Black Belt.

   I have learned so much growing from a lowly freshman black belt to a middle-aged mom black belt. The most important thing, I’m certain, is that people are always great investments. Spending time getting to know each student and adding something positive to his/her life is important to me, whether they continue on in the martial arts or not. I feel very privileged to be allowed the opportunity to share what I’ve gleaned from others before me.

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