Julia Feld / Winonan

The sport of karate as a fighting style dates as far back as the 14th century. While karate remains a popular sport and will debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, there is also a club team at Winona State University.

Although the group is considered a club by Winona State, that is not entirely an accurate representation according to one of the club instructors, Winona State Alumna Sam Zimmerman.

“We’re not a sport group; we are a class. The students that join us are always learning. We try to grow them not just in a physical aspect, but in respect, confidence, responsibility, etc.,” Zimmerman said. “We go beyond just self-defense and fighting. Our organization leader says ‘Karate is a lifetime study,’ and this is very much a good way to describe the attitude serious students take when they join us. It is a journey and a study that doesn’t fit into seasons or semesters.”

Zimmerman started karate before beginning in Winona State’s karate club and now devotes her time to teaching it. Zimmerman is a black belt, which is the highest rank you can achieve.

“It takes a very, very long time to get a high rank. The general rule of thumb is five years in between each black belt test. There’s so much to learn and more and more is expected of our higher ranking people. The thing I’ve seen though is that the higher the person is, the less they care about rank,” Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman has traveled around the country and to Canada for competitions. She prefers to focus on her skills and how she can move up in the sport instead of concentrating her energy on trying to win a medal.

“Traveling is a fun topic. I personally have been to Kansas, Michigan, Canada and California for karate. Our organization is international, and we have yearly events around the United States. It is up to the student if they want to travel. I’ve made many, many friends through karate,” Zimmerman said.

There are a few competitions students in Winona State’s club can attend.

“Competitions include events that are a few of our main areas of focus, namely kata (forms, or a series of movements meant to illustrate defense against attackers), sparring and weapons. Competitors are divided by age, rank and frequently by gender,” Zimmerman said.

The club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays in a dojo in Winona and is free to all Winona State students. Students start out at the beginning white belt, but have opportunities to test to higher ranks throughout the school year. The dojo also has other year-round classes open to students.

“Our belt ranking system is a simple way to measure the journey of a student, and in ways marks their knowledge and experience gathered in that time,” Zimmerman said.

By Julia Feld