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Elizabeth is a member of Straight Up
Professional Karate Team, backed by the Tournament Weapons Manufacturer -
G-Force and Joe Greenhalgh, promoter of the New England Open (NASKA and KRANE).
She trains at the Martial Arts Studio under Mike Smith, promoter of Space Coast
Challenge (FAME2K) and former WAKO Gold medalist, in Rockledge, Florida.
Since she started competing in 1997, she has earned multiple
World and National titles, as well as state titles for Georgia and Florida.
She has competed for WAKO, IAKSA, WKA, NASKA, ISKA, FAME2K, KRANE and IKC.
Her first experience internationally was in 2004, where she represented the US in Switzerland
competing in WKA/IAKSA and brought home
two Bronze medals, Musical Weapons and Non Musical Weapons.
In 2005, she earned Gold
Medals in Musical Forms and Weapons at the IAKSA/WKA World Championships in
Niagara Falls, Canada. And in 2006 she earned a Gold Medal in Musical
Weapons in Croatia in the 2006 WAKO Youth World Championships. She also brought home a Bronze medal in Semi-Contact Fighting.
In 2005 she was named Florida
Sports Girl of the Year and also recognized as the top 5 female youth Athletes
of the US by the Women's Sports Foundation and Wrigley Fund.
She is currently rated
first
in Traditional Forms and third in Traditional Weapons in NASKA. At the State level she is rated first in
Traditional Forms and Traditional Weapons in KRANE.
New in 2006 is the
Ringstar ratings which are independent from circuit. In 2007 Ringstar
ratings she is 7th in Forms (17 and under, Boys/Girls, Traditional, Creative,
Extreme and Musical). She is rated 1st in Boys/Girls 14-17 Traditional
Forms. Ringstar ratings include tournaments across circuits (NASKA, NBL,
KRANE, Fame2K, etc.) in North America (US, Canada and Mexico).
Elizabeth's successes are not
only attributed to her own personal dedication for training but for the sea of
supporters that are behind her at home and at the tournaments. Please see
the sponsors page in recognition of her corporate supporters. She has had
many instructors and coaches over the years. Special thanks to Don
Bourgeois for his initial interest in her and putting the first Bo in her hand.
Thanks also to Ginny and Kalman Csoka and the entire Csoka clan for their
dedication, love, friendship and support. Of course,
the most dear coach of all teams anywhere - Joe Greenhalgh, may you never stop
pushing and yelling! And for ever grateful for the home team, Mike Smith,
Calvin Thomas and the entire MAS crew. Not to mention the top notch
National and World champions that have made Elizabeth their friend and are
always at her side - you know who you are!
Elizabeth lives in Melbourne Beach with her parents, Bob and Alesia. She attends Melbourne High School in Melbourne, Florida.
She is dual enrolled in Brevard Community College where she is taking 9
semester credit hours; she is schedule to graduate in May of 2009 and is
already making College plans for the Fall of 2009, she will remain in the
state of Florida for her undergraduate degree.
Elizabeth trains at the Martial Arts Studio in Rockledge,
Florida, under Mike Smith.
Elizabeth retired from full time competition on August 2, 2008,
at the Battle of Atlanta. She will continue to train in Martial Arts,
but at the moment she has no plans to train at the elite level that she has
been for the last 10 years. She will continue to attend tournaments as a
coach or judge as her schedule allows. At the time of her retirement
she was ranked as the number 1
traditional forms competitor for NASKA and the state of Florida (KRANE and
Fame2K ratings), and number 1 in Florida for Traditional Weapons (KRANE and
Fane2K ratings).
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