Lakeshore Advance, 2011-06-08, Page 22V w, •��2011
local girito
represent Canada in Spain
Lynda Hillman-Rapley
Lakeshore Advanc
First there was Portugal
and now Spain for this
Grand Bend teen. last year
Emily Mussio a gnlde seven
Grand Bend student,
achieved the opportunity
to represent Canada. When
she looks tack she says, Por-
tugal was such an amazing
countrty," so neat to
explore."
"The competition was
unbelievable last year.
There were competitors
from over 30 countries and
it was so fun to tweet people
from all over the world! Last
year, going to Nationals (in
Ottawa), 1 was hoping to
just soak up some experi-
ence at this level of compe-
tition, and 1 looked at any-
thing after that as Just a
bonus. Words cannot
describe my adventure
from last year - 1 had the
time of my life."
Spain
Emily achieved the
opportunity to go to Spain
by competing, first in the
Provincial qualifier in l.co-
don during April. Competi-
tors from all across the
province were there. At Pm-
vinicals, she achieved
three gold and two silver.
The gold medal finishes
were in point sparring, con-
tinuous sparring and her
extreme kata. She twelve('
a silver in traditional kata
and a silver in creative
weapons.
"To get to compete at
Nationals you must get in
the top eight at Provincials
for your age category. So on
the long weekend in May,
our family traveled to
Ottawa to compete at the
Nationals and the best in
Canada! At Nationals you
must get in the top four
positions to earn a place on
'Wain Canada. At Nationals,
1 got 2 gold and 2 silvers as
well as a 5th place finish.
My gold medals were in
point and continuous spar-
ring and my silver medals
were in extreme and free-
style katas.," she says add-
ing, "Although these tour-
naments put me on the
road to get on Team Can-
ada, the hard real work
really comes from the disci-
pline and training through
the dojo."
Why karate
Emily's chosen sport of
karate is very important to
her, much more than just a
sport - it is a lifestyle.
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"Whatever you think karate can teach
you, it will teach you. Karate motivates me
to do my hest. I've learned that when you
set your mind on something, you can get
their through hard work," says Emily, with
her mom Cathy adding, " Karate has also
taught her the value of prioritizing and
time management. With so much time
spent at the dojo and other sports that
Emily does to conipliment her kantte, it is
important for her to plan her week out in
terms of school homework, workouts, etc.
As well, it has meant that she has to miss
out on some of the fun things her friends
are doing, but she is still a kid and it is
important for her to have down time too,
just to hang out with her family and/or
friends"
Emily says she got into karate because
she was looking for a new sport. "1 used to
ix' in competitive gymnastics, but we had
to drive back in forth into London a few
times a week and it we wanted to find
something closer to home." She says one
day her mom said she had a new sport
she thought Family would like to try. So, she
tried out and i loved it. "The reason i've
stuck with it is because 1 love it and it is so
important to love what you do. 1 love how
positive everything is from competitions,
to just plain old training. My favourite part
is how many friends you make both at the
dojo and at tournaments."
Grand Bend Karate (tub
The Grand Bend Karate Club, at the
Grand Bend Fitness Club is very support-
ive of Emily. She says they have helped her
get each and everyone of my belts. "Every-
one is so supportive of my accomplish-
ment and they encourage rhe to keep
working hard. Their encouragement is
important, because there are tines when
you just feel tired, but everyone is so nice
and motivating that 1 just keep going
because of them" She says Senses John
Dehondt has offered this advice to her for
tournaments and has always taken a keen
interest in her competitions. She credits
ANNUAL,
MEETING
The Board of Governors
South I(uron Hospital Association
Iivitc You to Attend
SOUTH HURON HOSPITAL.
ASSOCIATION
58th ANNUAL. MEETING
Thursday, June 23, 2011
7:00 p.m.
South Huron Hospital
Boardroom
Matters to he brought before
Membership:
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the other black belts at the club
also, "'They too have helped me
prepare not only for my differ-
ent belt levels, but also for com-
petitions. Senses Julia Campbell
and Sempai Dan Coughlan
have both done so much for me
- they come to competitions,
they drive me to workouts in
London. Without the support
of the club, l definitely would
not be where 1 ani today," she
says.
Mentors and inspiration
Emily has two very big men-
tors in the karate world and
they are Senses Julia Campbell
and Shihan Michael Bernardo.
Both of them love their sport.
"Julia is a huge help to me - she
pushes me farther then I some-
times think 1 can. Shihan has
done the scone. lie has brought
karate to a whole different level
for nae" Cathy adds, "I think
Emily really admires the pas-
sion that these two have in their
sport. She admires how they
not only "do" karate, but they
also "give back" to the sport in
any way they can, and part of
this is mentoring a willing stu-
dent. Emily also has this sante
passion for the sport, and she
has already talked about how
she can "give back" as well once
she is a black belt.'
" 1 think the biggest inspira-
tion 1 get is by seeing others'
hard work and dedication to
the sport. Anybody who works
hard and doesn't give up
inspires ale. Keri -Lyn Austin,
who went to Portugal last year
with me, has been a great inspi-
ration. She has been 00 the
Canadian National Karate
Team two times, and she has
not only inspired 111', but has
encouraged me to work hard
along with her. Two other peo-
ple that 1 have net and ‘vorkeci
with who have been a great
inspiration to me have been
Megan MacKenzie and 'I'ressa
Young. Both of them have
Emily Musslo
achieved great things in karate
and both of them are hard-
working. Both of them have
given isle encounlgelllellt to be
the best that I can be. I feel so
lucky to know such awesome
people:'
Emily credits her parents,
Paul an Cathy, who have been
a huge part of her karate suc-
cess. '"They come to all my tour-
naments, and gradings. My
mom drives me into London
once a week (sometimes amore)
so that 1 can train with Shihan
and another black belt coach -
Sempai Michal 1)aniluk. My
mom is also working on her
black belt this year. We will
receive our black belt together
in the fall - just before 1 go to
Spain"
Cathy, who is at the same
belt level as Emily says this is
t)oth a blessing and a curse. "Of
course working together, learn-
ing together, attending classes
together has definitely been a
blessing Emily has been a men-
tor for me as she learns new
katas very quickly and there is
110 doubt that she has helped
CONTINUED > PAGE 3
Invitation to
COMMUNITY LIVING - SOUTH HURON
BOARD OF DIRECTORS'
43RD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
5:30 p.m. - Dinner
7:(X) p.m. - Meeting
Agenda
Election of Officers
Staff Recognition
Community Living - South Huron
146 Main Street
Dashwood, Ontario
Please RSVP to 237-3637 or for further information