Finding a home at the rec center—and winning gold medals our first year
So, there I was, in a place and role I never meant to be. Motherhood, yes, I had chosen that. To be the parent of two national champions in karate (specifically in kumite, or sparring)—that was something my girls chose. But to be the parents of two karatekas without a home dojo? That was what I was stuck with in a less-than-promising November.
Their coach was stepping back from the mats. She had one baby in the previous season, and she wanted another. Karate, like any elite competitive sport, doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room for morning sickness or C-section recovery. We didn't want her to go, but we knew we couldn't make her stay.
When I looked at my girls, who had been taught that sweat equity in the gym was a no-quit form of love and validation, I couldn't tell them it was time to find something else to throw themselves into. Instead, it was time to start looking for creative solutions.
