Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs Send 16 Students to Junior PKF Championships in Ecuador

ISKC students who competed in the 2015 PKF Championships in Santa Cruz, Bolivia are pictured.

It’s an exciting time for karate. In addition to the martial art’s recent acceptance as an official sport of the 2020 Olympic Games, 16 students ages 12-18 from Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs (ISKC) are competing in the Panamerican Karate Federation (PKF) Junior Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The championships begin August 24 and run through August 27, 2016.

The ISKC students competing in the championships are Junior USA Team members. Years of training, and a serious commitment to discipline, skill-building and concentration are absolute requirements to reach the skill level needed to make the USA team.

“At ISKC, we are growing the future leaders of our tomorrow,” said John DiPasquale, president of the USA Karate Federation and founder of Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs. “We are thrilled as a community to see karate become an official Olympic Sport, and look forward to potentially watching our own students compete in the 2020 games in Tokyo, Japan.”

Students competing at the championships in Ecuador are from several Chicago suburbs, and attend one or more of the 75 park district locations across the metropolitan area where ISKC provides instruction.

Competitors, their age, hometown and instruction location(s) are listed below:

• Erica Bilderback, 13, Huntley. Dundee, Hoffman Estates and River Trails Park Districts.
• Abby Ford, 16, Joliet. Bolingbrook, Naperville and Park Ridge Park Districts.
• Ann Hsieh, 18, Hoffman Estates. Hoffman Estates and Palatine Park Districts.
• Linus Jens, 16, Geneva. Geneva and Schaumburg Park Districts.
• Cirrus Lingl, 17, Carpentersville. Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg Park Districts.
• Kassidy Mahoney, 17, Lakewood. Dundee, Geneva and Hoffman Estates Park Districts.
• Madison Malone, 15, Mount Prospect. Hoffman Estates Park District.
• Nolan O’Rear, 16, Naperville. Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg Park Districts.
• Dorian Pajor, 14, Round Lake. Gurnee, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg Park Districts.
• Thomas Pappalardo, 16, Naperville. Naperville Park District.
• Gianna Pelzer, 13, Naperville. Bolingbrook, Naperville and Schaumburg Park Districts.
• Sean Quiroz, 14, Skokie. Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Park Ridge Park Districts.
• Erica Simmerman, 14, Wheaton. Hickory Hills, Hoffman Estates, Naperville and Wheaton Park Districts.
• Logan Turnkey, 12, St. Charles. Geneva, Naperville and Schaumburg Park Districts.
• Chandler Ury, 16, Arlington Heights. Arlington Heights and Schaumburg Park Districts.
• Magdalena Zucek, 13, Libertyville. Gurnee and Schaumburg Park Districts.

ISKC karate classes are enrolling now. If you are interested in giving your child a gift that can benefit them for a lifetime, please visit www.ISKC.com or call 800-458-9797.