Small of stature and soft-spoken, Erica Samonte is far from an intimidating presence. And with her shy smile, it is easy to think that she is just as fragile as she looks.
But this petite young lady is not as timid or defenseless as she seems. She is, in fact, a martial arts champion.
The fierce side of Erica. Photo courtesy of Pearl Samonte.
Just recently, Erica, a 3rd dan karate blackbelt, brought home the gold in the 2016 International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) Master Camp Championship held in Philadelphia, where she bested representatives from 5 countries competing in her bracket.
For Erica, karate is both a science and an art, and will always be her first love.
Thus, more than the glory of winning, Erica’s true joy lies in sharing her knowledge and passion with the younger generation.
“I actually do not train to win gold medals. I train to understand my martial art more, the science, and at the same time, the philosophies of its founders and masters,” Erica said in an interview with theAsianParent.
“And with that understanding, I trust that I will keep on getting better at my sport, good enough to make my students the best that they can be, and good enough to still be chosen to represent my country,” she also said.
Learning how to value time
Erica trains hard to perfect her art. Photo courtesy of Pearl Samote
It is perhaps the determination in this quiet soul that has made Erica the champion that she is.
Erica’s journey toward excellence has been far from easy what with the physical exhaustion from grueling training drills and studying for school.
As a student, Erica started her day earlier than most of her peers just so that she could make it to the dojo for her two-hour morning training sessions at 6 a.m.. After a full day in school, her evenings were spent training even more.
“We didn’t have a car then so I [had] to bring all my books and karate gear with me the whole day. Carrying my backpack was a training drill on its own,” said Erica.
Aside from the physical training, Erica also learned how to focus and budget her time.
Whether in school or in the dojo, she made sure to focus because she knew she would not have the time to redo things later on.
“With a daily schedule like that, I learned how to value and manage my time well,” she said.
Despite her hectic schedule, Erica always made time for family and friends.
“Time with loved ones never [fails] to re-energize me and get me in positive spirits,” she said.
Click next to find out how Erica became a champion!
The long road to success
Pearl and Erica are just like sisters. Photo courtesy of Pearl Samonte
Meeting Pearl Samonte, Erica’s mother, it becomes clear why Erica has excelled in her chosen field.
Pearl and Erica share not only an uncanny physical resemblance that makes them look like sisters, but also the same determination and strength of character that have undoubtedly allowed this mom and daughter tandem to thrive in the world of contact sports.
“Erica took the long road to where she is now,” Pearl said.
Pearl still remembers the first time she watched Erica participate in a competition.
“When Erica was a yellow belter, she had her first karate tournament…That was the first time I saw my daughter bleed,” Pearl recalled.
“I saw her kimono sleeve with blood and droplets [of blood] on her kimono. There [was] this urge to pull her out of the mat, but my daughter wasn’t even crying even with blood dripping from her nose,” Pearl also said.
“As a mom, I couldn’t stand the sight,” Pearl shared. Erica ended up winning the match, and seeing her daughter’s happiness was enough to make Pearl set aside her motherly instincts. In that moment, she was just another fan.
Up next: The best gift a mother can give her child
The best gift a mother can give her child
Since those early years, Erica has gone on to compete in numerous local and international karate tournaments. She also earned a degree in Business Management from the Ateneo de Manila University.
Some of Erica’s karate tournament awards. Photo courtesy of Pearl Samonte.
After graduating from college in 2010, Erica joined the national team to train for the 2011 SEA Games held in Indonesia, where she bagged 2 bronze medals.
She likewise won double silver medals during the 37th ISKF US National Championships and Goodwill Tournament; and a bronze in the women’s 50 kg Kumite event during the 3rd Kobe-Osaka International Karate Championships in 2008.
Erica also won a gold medal during the 2015 2nd Women’s Martial Arts Festival Women’s 55 kg Kumite; a gold in the 2013 Panamerican Karate Federation (PKF) Karate National Championships: Women’s Individual Kata; and triple gold in the 2010 PKF Karate National Championships, to name a few.
However, the victories have never completely eased Pearl’s fears. Like any mother, she still worries about Erica’s safety, but she realizes that one of the best gifts a mother can give her child is to be her biggest fan and supporter.
Erica remembers a particular tournament—a touching memory of her mother’s unwavering support.
“I asked her to take a video of my finals fight in the nationals. Every time I scored, the camera would get a shot of the ceiling as my mom had both her arms up cheering for me,” Erica shared.
“Every time I got hit, the camera would either get a shot of the floor or the rest of the audience. I won the fight, we lost the video,” Erica recalled.
Read on to find out how to raise a champion!
Raising a champion
For Erica, her parents, Pearl and Arnel, are “the real MVPs”. Photo courtesy of Pearl Samonte.
For Pearl, raising a champion does not mean a parent has to push her child too hard.
While she thinks it is important to teach children to always do their best, she says it is more important to have faith in their potential.
“It doesn’t take much. Just be your child’s staunch believer, biggest supporter, and prayer warrior,” Pearl shared.
Pearl has been there to cheer for Erica in her moments of triumph, and to comfort her through the times of defeat.
Always ready to wipe away the blood and the tears, Pearl has shown Erica that despite her own fears, she will never give up on her daughter’s dream.
And because of this, Erica has learned to keep going even when things get “insanely tough”–to train harder for the next fight.
READ: 10 Tips on how to teach your kid about sportsmanship
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