Springer Strikes Gold in Atlanta

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Palisadian Tamar Springer proved that perseverance pays off last weekend when she took first place in both traditional forms and traditional weapons in the women’s adult black belt division at the 50th annual Battle of Atlanta Karate Championships.

Competing in her first tournament since a serious knee injury she suffered while performing a demonstration at the Pacific Palisades Car Show in May 2017, the second-degree black belt from Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center also mentored 14-year-old St. Matthew’s student Lily Kinnear to third place in musical weapons and second place in both traditional forms and weapons in her first tournament as a black belt.

“Lily was in a very tough group of teenage black belt girls who train and compete all year long,” Springer said. “It was a great experience to be there with her and she did really well considering what she was up against.”

Springer has two boys—15-year-old Gabe attends Palisades High and 13-year-old Ariel attends Paul Revere Middle School—and will test for her third degree black belt in July. She has trained at Blanck’s dojo for 10 years and did much of her competition preparation under the tutelage of martial arts master, movie actor and stuntman TJ Storm.

“I planned on going to Atlanta last year with Lily and to compete, but then got injured,” Springer said. “This year, since I was flying all the way out there, I thought I might as well make the most of it and compete but because of the brutal knee injury and surgery I was ambivalent. The recovery has taken a long time and I’m still not all the way back. I started training about four weeks before, thinking I’d decide when I’m there.When I got to Atlanta, I called Gerry and another friend and asked if I should do it. They both said ‘Yes!’ I just needed the push since I’d been recovering all year. So, I registered the day before my events.”

Springer wielded sai swords to victory in traditional weapons.

“I was especially proud of that because I’d never competed using the sais before,” said Springer, a psychotherapist who also enjoys indoor cycling and yoga . I’d been working hard to make that my strongest weapon last year before I got hurt, so it was full circle to do what I intended to do last year.”