Small Town News

Local woman earns kune fu championship

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Some people just love challenges. Such is the case with 38-year-old foster mom Stephanie Hastings. For many years, she has been a child advocate in Family Court, providing guidance and a nurturing home for at-risk youth as well as rearing her own foster son. In addition, she also finds time to train in the art of Shaolin kung-fu.

Hastings traveled to Upper Marlboro, Md., April 23, to compete in the East Coast Regional All Female Karate Tournament. This tournament is headed by a female promoter, Sensei Master Karen Lawrence and is run exclusively by black belt female masters from karate schools all

over the East Coast. Hastings won first place in the Women's Advanced Forms Division and placed second in the Weapons Division. She then took the overall grand championship trophy in the finals.

She trains weekly at the Shaolin Kung-Fu Kwoon in Georgetown. The training regimen can be arduous and daunting at times as she is called upon to test what she knows in a class dominated by males. Dubbed "Lady Kung-fu" by her instructors, SiBok Doug Davis and SiFu Jonothan Cope, she has earned 15 championships in competition in the tri-state area over the last four years.





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