Thur» Aug 30. 1979 l i t
Kung Fu
by JIM IIAYS
Mention the term Kung Fu
to the average person and
you’re likely to conjure up
Images of Bruce Lee flinging
some hapless opponents
through windows and doors
or David <'arradinedoggedly
plodding through the desert,
pausing now and again to
flash hack on his monastic
upbringing.
The sport is fraught with
the mystique of the ancient
O rien t
and
lh.-
accompanying legends
For Karen Sheperd, it ’s a
little hit different No, that
she isn’t capable of tiwsing
the average person around or
is no less dedicated to her
discipline than the character
Carradme portrayed
I t ’s
Just that she came hy her
p roficiency in a much
3, SANO* (O r . ) POST
A t 25» K a re n S heperd is u n d o u b te d ly th e
le a d in g c o n te n d e r fo r to p h o n o rs in W u n H op
K u en Do. T o h e r i t is m o re th a n a s p o rt, m o re
t h a n a re lig io n . I t is h e r w a y o f life .
different way.
Sheperd is a student black
belt in Wun Hop Kuen Do,
one of the thousands of styles
of Chinese Kung Fu She has
grown m her discipline in the
six years she has practiced it
to the point where she can
challenge for the distinction
of being No J in America in
the forms division But like
so many other champions,
she started in her sport
almost by accident
“ In I973,1 was a storient at
the University of Oregon,”
she said “ I decided to take
Karate as a PE course I
liked it and stayed with it I
was first interested in it, like
most people, as a means of
self defense But I knew that
this was what I wanted to do,
It soon became a sport for
me, then it became a
religion Now i t ’s my way of
life
Sheperd wanted to join a
Eugene Karate club but met
resistance from her father,
who felt karate was an
a c tiv ity unbecoming an
attractive woman Sheperd
didn't join the club Instead
she joined the University of
Oregon karate team
“ I just stayed with it and
went up the ladder from
there,” she said
She met Al and Malta
Dacascos, a couple who had
both
held
national
championships They would
have an enormous influence
on Sheperd's career in the
sport.
“ Malia was the best there
was in forms, which is what I
wanted to compete in,”
Sheperd said.
Forms differ from the
fig h tin g
most
people
associate with the discipline
Championship
in
Los
It is done alone, without an
Angeles i)n Aug 4, she
opponent, and requires a
entered the International
unique combination of speed,
Championships in Long
power and flexibility It also
Beach, Calif., and came
requires a huge amount of
away with another first-
concentration and for the
place
development of this essential
In October she goes to
aspect Sheperd journeyed to
A tla nta
for
another
Denver to study for four
tournament, followed by one
years under Malia Dacascos
in Florida then the Western
That was in December 1974
States C ham pionship in
By 1977, she was winning
Portland in November Then
tournaments with regularity
she’ll be going for her black
The only way to be a belt
champion is to have a total
“You’re usually asked to
knowingness, a complete
try for it,” she said “ I f an
control over one’s body,”
instructor asks you to do it,
Sheperd explained “ Malia
they usually know you’re
instilled this attitude in me.”
ready for it.”
Since last December,
The test is made before the
however, Sheperd has had
highly critical eyes of a panel
another attitude, She took
of six judges, high-ranking
some
confidence-building
black belts from around the
courses through the church
world
of Scientology and since has
It's a very fo rm a l
been
unbeatable
in
ceremony and lasts almost
competition
all day,’ said Sheperd. “ I ’ll
“ I c re d it m y success have to write a thesis,
entirely to the courses I probably defend m yself
took, ” she said. “ I decided to against eight to 10 attackers
become No. 1 in the forms at one time and I may have to
division and the courses gave break a few things ”
me the realization that I
W hether or not she makes
could do that It increased her black belt, karate w ill
my confidence and since
always be something very
December
I ’ ve
won
p rom inent
in
Karen
everything I ’ve entered I Sheperd’s life,
now go into competition
I t ’s more than a physical
knowing I ’m going to win. ”
thing, she emphasized " I t
She first won the Central develops into a spiritual
Washington Championships knowingness and becomes a
in Yakima March 3. Two discipline I t ’s something I ’ll
weeks later, she was in always have with me.
Medford, where she captured
"Everybody when they’re
the
P a cific
Northwest 18 or so is looking for
Championships On May 12, something I think I found
it was the NPN tournament what I was looking for,” she
in Fairfield, Calif., and on said, adding. “ This is the
June 30, she won the National year I want to win the title .”
Table soccer anyone?
So you think you’re pretty
good at table soccer
Well, there's going to be a
way to find out who’s the real
champ in the Sandy area.
The
Q u arte r
M aster
Amusement Center in Sandy
is forming a fall table soccer
league and is seeking
participants and sponsors
There are currently four
sponsors for league table
soccer, also known as
foosball. including Sandy
Coast to Coast store, Bruce
Cook Insurance. Clackamas
County Bank and News
Union 76
Ideally there
should be eight teams, said
league coordinator Jim
Weist.
Participants may enroll at
the Quarter Master until
Sept 8 and league play w ill
begin Sept. 15. Teams w ill
consist of three regular
members and one substitute
No team may have more
than one professional player
at the beginning of the
season The official rules of
the World Table Soccer
Association w ill be used for
all league play.
Anyone interested
in
jo in in g
the league or
sponsoring a team may
contact Weist at 668-4338 The
$10 sponsorship fee w ill go
tow ard purchase of a
w inners trophy
BUXTON’S
Lee Meat Company
SiRdy 668-4838
Custom Slaughtering
Grain Fed Lock' ’’ eef
Karrn Sheperd
Pioneers eye another run
at state cross country berth
Nineteen seventy eight
placed 15th in state, is now at especially girls,” said White
was a year of firsts for Sandy
Mt
Hood
Com m unity "R ight now I ’d put us in the
High School cross country
College
M itch
Eigen, middle of the pack ”
It was the first year the
Sandy's seventh man on the
White is starting practice
Pioneers were coached by
team
last
year,
also at an easy pace with warm
Don White and the first year
graduated
Sandy’s top ups, warm downs, stretching
they had ever gone to state
female runner last year, I I ere 1 sea,
w e ig h t
It was also the first year
Leann Madison, was lost to measurements
and
an
White had ever taught school
graduation, as were number
introduction to his nutritional
or coached a prep team
program.
Sandy w ill try to follow up three runner (¿aura Edgren
Nutrition w ill be a big port
one succ<*ssful season with and number seven runner
Margy Spencer
of cross country at Sandy.
another one Croas country
Returners for the boys
” , already told the kids I ’d
practice started Monday
include Kit Howell, Roger
rather see them run less and
with a turnout of eight girls
be healthy We re not going
H ill, Bob Grieve, Steve
and 10 hoys That number
to run quite as much, and
w ill probably rise by 10 by Metelak, Ty Tracy, Ken
concentrate
on
w eight
Reick and Terry Galbreath
the time Sandy boats Barlow
reduction
”
For
the
girls
team,
veteran
for the opening meet Sept 11,
runners include Sue Wilson.
said White
Sandy runners w ill be
Gayle Roth, Darby Binder.
laist year's Pioneer girls
weighed and measured for
Donna Nelson. Renee Hess,
placed second in district,
fa, loss at the beginning of
while the hoys took third At Carrie Yankauskas, Cindy
the season, the middle and
Rudisell and Teresa ( ’aba.
state they placed IRth and
the end
"We have the potential to
l»th respectively In 197R the
And if Sandy doesn't have
top three teams advanced to do well, but we ll have to
the topranked team in the
work much harder because
state compel ion, but this
district, at least it w ill have
we lost some good people,
year only the two highest-
the healthiest.
placing teams in each
district w ill go Instate
In
the
newly form ed
T im b e r Valley League,
White sees Canby and Weal
Daona Wessolink, owner . . . 32 years experience
Linn as the hardest schools of
the lineup
“ West Unn w ill probably
Compléta Automotive Repairs:
tie very tough in boys Canby
* Automatic Transmissions
is always good, too,” said
Exhaust System s
White ” 1 don’t know much
r
*
Brake Work
about West Linn or Oregon
1 * General Tune-up
City girls, but Sweet Home
CALL 668-4563
w ill be good because they
Open M o n .. Frl . 8 5 p m
had good distance runners in
1 ’/« mi- » a s t of Sandy
track ”
4 2 0 0 7 S.E. H w y. 26
White lost his top two boys
runners, Ken Urban and
Dave Slack Urban, who
Deane’s Auto Repair
Staff photo by Kim Smith
• Cut, Wroppwd & Frozen -
r
Cattle Hauling on Tuesdays
■ e Do Our Own Cure & Smoking
Scrimmage
tonight
Sandy High School s football team w ill go to the line in
front of its fans tonight at 8 p m for the annual Pioneer
scrimmage
The scrimmage w ill be held at Sandy ’s football stadium
Before the game, officials w ill conduct a special clinic for
players and fans to explain changes in league rules this
year The clinic w ill start at 7:30
“Honor Prep”
of the Week
New ski coach at Sandy
Union High School this year
is
Robert
Karsten.
a
graduate of Southern Oregon
College He previously taught
at Parkrose High School for
two years He also w ill serve
as assistant soccer coach
SUHS and instructor in arts
and crafts classes Welcome,
coach Karsten!
Chevy's Best Sale
"ROLLS ON"
B4 down — 16 to go! We need 16 more car and tru ck sales, so Pete can
take his skates off. More im portant — the Chevy Best Sale ends on
September 4 - so take advantage of “ Generous M otors” sales
incentives on all new ’79 Chevrolet Caprice and Im pala cars and
station wagons, plus all ’A, % & 1-ton trucks except Suburbans You’ll
save as much as $375 additionally to our all ready ’79 model year-end
prices We have more than 135 new trucks in stock, so we re selling at
( Tieap Skate P rices” and we ll ro ll out the carpet fo r you at
æ < <M
< H ROBERT
KARSTEN
PIZZA BARN
PETE
CA
4
668-4101
RLSON
SANDY
I« Sende?
T
E v * m n ( b
Help 111 Got Polo off his SKATES
3