Dodds’ karate reaches Super Grands World level

    Edna fourth grader Katelyn Dodds attended the 26th Super Grands World Games Karate tournament in South Carolina from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 and brought home some top awards for her dojo, Zen Martial Arts. Competing against up to six people in her divisions, Dodds brought home a first place in sparring, first place in traditional form, second place in non-musical creative form, third place in musical creative form, fifth place in non-musical weapons.
    She is the daughter of Christie Dodds and the granddaughter of Donna and Jim Peagler.
    “It was really nice to see what she achieved, we were hoping but not expecting for her to do as well as she did,” Christie said. “She did awesome.”
    Karate entered her life when she was invited to a friend’s karate party. Katelyn said she ended up liking it so much she quit dancing to get involved in karate. Soon after she began competing at tournaments.
    “I like karate better because it was more exciting and challenging, and more physical,” Katelyn said. “It’s been three years and I’m a red belt now, I have brown and black left.”
    This was her first year at the International tournament in South Carolina, one must be invited to it by accumulating points over several tournaments. The previous tournament she attended before that was in Houston, the SKIL Texas State Games, where she earned five first places, one second place and the Contemporary Novice Texas Overall Grand Champion.
    “Being in South Carolina was so cool, the first thing I saw was all the palm trees and the beach,” Katelyn said.
    “Who would’ve thought she didn’t make it to the beach all summer and then went all the way to South Carolina in December and sees the beach,” her mom Christie joked.
    Katelyn said her favorite category to compete in is sparring because she has a little more experience with it and usually ranks high when she competes.
    “I’m so proud of her, she beat all the boys,” Christie said.
    Katelyn nodding, said the boys were crying after she sparred them. Her favorite weapon to use, the kama, which is similar to a sickle, is her favorite because she has been practicing with them for a long time. She also practices with the bowstaff, an elongated stick without a sharp end.
    She said when she’s competing she doesn’t think a whole bunch about form. “You just let it come out,” she said. Katelyn also said she make loud yells when she does karate because it helps you breathe better when transitioning moves.
    She said her sensei, Luis Jimenez, has taught her many things. “He’s taught me respect, and how to defend ourselves. He also teaches us how to use the weapons, and he makes sure we don’t hurt each other when we’re sparring,” Katelyn said.
    A new year begins and Katelyn is switching to the intermediate category, which means more competition and more commitment. She hopes to get firsts in her divisions this year and is ready for anything.
    “One of the reason why I think she does so well is that she isn’t a black belt, but competes with a black belt form,” Christie said. “Each test builds and you have more and more forms. You have to spar more people the higher you go. She has always been confident, but I think karate has made her more so.”
    Katelyn said joining karate has been really fun and exciting so far, and she likes going to tournaments. She hopes to get her brown belt by March and start studying towards achieving her black belt.