Personal

I started karate at age 6 at an after school facility that had many different options for sports and activities. I was supposed to be taking a dance class but ended up in the wrong line on the first day and went to karate class instead. I’ve done karate ever since....I started karate when I was 6 years old and have been competing ever since...I first made the Jr. national team at age 14 and have been competing for the US team since then...I trained for fifteen years in Gainesville, Florida under Sensei Jason Sorgi. Then I moved to South Carolina for a job opportunity with Greenville County EMS as a paramedic and to train under Sensei Tommy Hood...I met my husband while we both worked as paramedics with Greenville County EMS and we will be married five years in September. ...We have both an adopted son and a biological son, both of whom come with me to almost every single training and most tournaments...Three things people may not know about me is that I have competed in over twenty USA national championships since I started karate, I dabbled in pole vaulting, discus and weightlifting while in high school, I met my husband while we were both working as paramedics for Greenville County EMS.

Career Highlights

15x US National Champion
4x Jr. Pan American Champion
Pan American Sports Olympic Festival Gold Medalist
USA Open Champion
North American Cup Champion
Sr. PKF Silver and Bronze Medalist

Yan Buka

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