By Josh Duke, December 2, 2003

Katy Kersey has grown up hearing the jokes about being able to beat up boyfriends or questions about whether she can climb walls like in the movies.

The Carmel High School sophomore is even commonly referred to at school as the "girl that does karate" -- but she shrugs it off.

"I'm used to the jokes," she said. "The only thing that really bothers me is the stupid questions. But I don't mind talking about it if someone is really interested."

And the 16-year-old has a lot to talk about, even though it's not in her nature.

She's a seven-time karate national champion. She's traveled to Hungary and Japan to compete. She has won nine gold medals in competition this year.

And she soon will test to become a third-degree black belt.

"In spite of her quiet ways and beautiful appearance, when she competes she gets a cold steel look to her eyes and a determined tilt to her head," said Doug Adamson of Adamson Karate Studio in Carmel. "This is the balance of the soft and the hard that is so important for a young person's future."

Katy has other interests, too.

She takes voice lessons and sings with the high school choir. She performs in drama. And, like most other teens, goes on dates.

Karate seems to have an influence on those activities.

Breathing techniques she learned through karate help her singing performances. Karate competitions, which are held in front of hundreds of people, give her confidence to take the stage during a play. Of course, her parents are just glad she can defend herself if necessary.

"I grew up in an orphanage and was bullied by kids in junior high school quite a bit," said her father Noah Kersey, who has been involved in karate for more than 30 years. "When my wife and I started our family, I mentioned that I wanted us to train as a family when the kids got old enough."

Katy's older brother, Scott, has become a sensei, the Japanese word for teacher. Another brother, Steve, is a first-degree black belt. Her mother, Diana, has participated, too.

But Katy has taken it to another level. She was a first-degree black belt by age 10, and she attained second-degree two years later.

"When Katy first came into our school as the youngest of three children, she was quiet and reserved," Adamson said. "Some of the things we did scared her, and we worked hard at not being too intense with her too early. Katy has achieved a particular status around here.

"AKS is a school that is more than 26 years old, and Katy Kersey is a perfect example of what we try to achieve here."

Competitions are divided into three forms: kata, a performance art that resembles floor gymnastics with karate movements; weapons, similar to kata but uses some type of weapon; and sparring or fighting against other opponents of the same age and experience level.

Brother Scott, who is perhaps one of her biggest critics, considers Katy's combination of grace and power to be that of a karate champion.

"We've been training together since we were kids," he said. "She really trains hard, and that is why she is good at it."

Katy is unsure what the future holds in terms of a career. One day she might be on the biggest amateur stage representing her country.

"I heard karate might be added to the Olympics," she said. "I would really have to dedicate my time to that. Hopefully, though, whatever I do, karate will always be a part of my life."

Call Star reporter Josh Duke at 1-317-444-2605

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