At the end of May, she will travel to Lancaster,
Pa to participate in the Northwest District
Competition with the chance to advance to
nationals.
Sara has studied Karate for 10 years.
Competitions are comprised of four parts—
traditional forms, weapons forms, traditional
sparring, and combat sparring. Sara competes
in all four, although she is most successful in
sparring and combat sparring.
At school, she is a member of marching
band, National Honor Society, and the soccer
and swim teams. She was one of eight female
swimmers to advance to the PIAA state
tournament at Bucknell University earlier
this year, competing in the 200 free and 200
medley relays.
Disciplined Karate competitor Sara MacMurdo practices sparring
Despite her busy schedule, academics
with a weapon called a Jahng bong.
remain a priority and her dedication shows.
She has maintained a nearly perfect grade
ara MacMurdo, a sophomore, holds a third degree
point average, making distinguished honor roll every grading
black belt in Karate and has been particularly focused in
period. Sara credits Karate for improving her memory, which
tournaments this past year. Training with Estep’s ATA in
is important when studying and taking tests. Once painfully
Kennedy Township, she has held the lead in the state for points
shy, it has also helped her to break out of her shell and she is
scored in traditional and combat sparring, as well as belt level.
no longer afraid to approach teachers or make new friends.