Page 58 - Martial Science Magazine Dec/2015 #12

CM: SPEAKING OF MENTORS, WHO always felt respected. I honestly think there’s
WERE SOME OF YOUR MAIN INFLUEN- nothing special a woman needs to do besides
CES IN MARTIAL ARTS? train HARD, body, mind and spirit. Act like
you belong ladies, because you do… and you
MC: I’ve really been fortunate to have some must KNOW it.
great ones. The first would be my initial ins-
tructor Pete Vitulli. After him would of course
be Sensei Chuck Merriman. He really is one
of the true pioneers of traditional martial arts
in America and, I think deserves far more cre-
dit that he gets for his contribution to the arts
and for the many, many students he trained.
Also, of course one of my instructors, the late
Teddy Pritchard. Sensei Jimmy Lockett, of Tan-
ren Dojo, in NY in the late ‘80s and now in
Las Vegas, has been a mentor and friend for
all these years. He opened my eyes to so many
martial arts and maybe to the concept of cross
training. Also he was the one who introduced
me to judo, which I studied later in FL. Then,
of course, my boxing coaches, Scott Ashely and
Norman Wilson. They took me on a journey
that changed my life in ways that I can never
fully repay.

CM: DO YOU FEEL THAT BEING A WO-
MAN MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR
MARTIAL PRACTICE, OR THE WAY
YOU’VE BEEN TREATED? DO YOU
HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR WOMEN GET-
TING INTO MARTIAL ARTS?

MC: I personally have never felt oppressed,
disrespected, or made to feel somehow less
worthy because I’m a woman. It’s true in Oki-
nawa they are not used to seeing such strong
women who train the same as the men but once
the saw me train and felt my power, being a
woman was never an issue. Neither was it in
boxing. I received the utmost respect for my
work ethic and thirst for knowledge. I trained
alongside many great boxers. Arturo Gatti,
Vernon Forrest, Miguel Cotto, and others, and

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