"Wherever I Go, Karate Goes with Me;" 18 Years of Madeira Karate

As the Snails return from Spring Break, we might all be working to find our center and focus on the Mod ahead. What a perfect time to chat with Dr. Stacey Boyette about the powerhouse that is Madeira Karate!

Please introduce yourself.

Stacey Boyette: I have a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. I joined Madeira for the 2007-08 school year and am in the midst of my 18th year here as a Science Teacher (Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Applied Chemistry, and Forensic Science). I’m also the Safety Officer for the Science department.

I’ve been a Dorm Adult since 2014 – started as Dorm Director in West Dorm for five years, and now I’m an affiliate of New Dorm.

In the realm of athletics, I’m a volunteer pitching coach for Madeira’s softball team. I also founded and oversee the Madeira Karate dojo.

How did you get involved in karate yourself?

SB: I don’t remember why I asked my parents when I was 8 years old if I could train karate. No one else in my family trained in martial arts and martial arts studios were not abundant back then. My father was active in the community, coaching and umpiring in my small town and found out that our local recreation center had karate classes. There were no kids’ classes, so they let me sign up for the women’s karate class which met only once a week. I did that for a year before they allowed me to join the regular adult class. It wasn’t long before other local kids started to join.

What prompted you to bring karate to Madeira?

SB: Wherever I go, karate goes with me. I have trained continuously since I began training, except for a 5-year break during my senior year of high school and four years of college when I played collegiate softball (3-Time Academic All-American pitcher at East Carolina University). When I started graduate school at the University of Florida, I found a dojo and sensei to train with, Sensei Keith Teller. USA Goju Karate is the karate style I carry forward from him.

I helped found a martial arts club at Georgia Southern University (my first teaching job), found another wonderful dojo and sensei to train with in Greensboro, NC (industry job), taught self-defense and one-on-one classes at Florida Southern College, and it was only natural that I teach karate at Madeira.

It felt especially important to teach karate and self-defense to young women at Madeira. I was thrilled when Nancy Smalley (Athletic Director), Paul Hager (Dean of Faculty) and M.A. Mahoney (Dean of Academics) gave me the opportunity to begin the karate dojo during my first year at Madeira.

How does participating in karate affect your students from your perspective as a sensei?

SB: Karate students develop a sense of decorum, etiquette, and cooperation which carries over into life. We treat each other with respect from the lowest rank to the highest rank and take pride in serving each other, like grabbing the equipment from the storage room. From the time a student gains any proficiency, it is their job to help others learn and grow. Students perform individual skills in the dojo, but many of the drills are partner drills, such as bag work, blocking combinations, and self-defense techniques. Students work with a variety of partners and learn to adjust their power and speed accordingly. Through all of these interactions students build relationships and create a community.

Some students that come to the dojo do not consider themselves athletes and learn how to move and be in their body through karate training. You can see their self-confidence grow and the way they carry themselves change in a relatively short period of time. They learn to push themselves outside of their comfort zone and beyond their perceived limits. In this way they develop an indominable spirit and embrace the motto “Fall seven times, rise eight times.”

Whether they train one season at the dojo or come back year after year, they learn valuable life lessons and self-defense skills that can protect them should the need arise.

Are there any moments that stand out in your memory from the 18 years of Madeira’s dojo so far?

SB: So many students have come through the dojo, each with their own story and challenges to overcome. I have had students go on to earn their black belt during college, to present Madeira Karate at NCGS conferences, to write their college essays about their karate experience, and so on. They grow into such fine leaders. Every Wednesday, I have meetings after school before going to the dojo and trust the students to begin training without me. Sometimes I designate one group of students or the other to take the lead and sometimes I let them figure it out. Whenever I arrive after meetings, there is sweat and laughter in the air. The students collectively decide on activities and review combinations and techniques that they know.

One story I’ll share is about a student who came to me minutes before the pep rally demo one year, shaking and nauseous and sure that they could not perform in front of the entire school. They had told me that they were nervous about the demo from the start and as we practiced every day I said, “We will have you at the end of the line and you can step out at any time. No one will be the wiser.” We kept preparing and rehearsing. So, on the day of, I was not surprised when the student came to me. I told her that I knew that she could do it and that she would be so proud of herself if she could push through, but that I totally understood if she did not want to participate. As it turned out, she did a fantastic job in the demo and went on to run for a school-wide leadership position the following year (including a speech). Impressive growth!

One other story comes from this school year and epitomizes the care, consideration, and deference that Madeira karate students have for each other. We had four seniors reach the level of San Kyu (brown belt) this year and a group of five juniors behind them reached the level of Yon Kyu (purple belt). They never know which day promotions will happen and on promotion day this year, a Monday, one of the seniors got sick and had to go home. I went on with promotions as scheduled and we all agreed not to spoil the surprise for the senior... Then there was an early dismissal day… then there was a virtual karate training snow day… finally we were back together to train on Thursday. When I arrived at the dojo, none of the students with colored belts had their belts on outside the dojo. They had hidden their belts inside their uniform so that the senior could not see their new rank. She was none the wiser until we all went into the dojo, and she asked where everyone’s belts were. As I pulled out her certificate and belt for her promotion ceremony, the girls all pulled out their belts and put them on. Rather than boasting about their accomplishment to their friend, they humbly kept it to themselves and waited to share the joy with her. I was so impressed with all of them for this act of kindness and humility.

Do you have any advice for current or prospective Madeira students who may be interested in karate but feel apprehensive?

SB: Come join us!! If you have never trained or have trained in other martial arts, there is a place for you here. We honor rank from other systems and love it when students share what they know with the class. There is a camaraderie that develops between students as they train together, sweat together, learn together, and I think you’ll find it to be a welcoming environment.

Many thanks to Dr. Boyette for sharing those impactful experiences with our readers. We also had the opportunity to chat with a current karate student, Sarah Torchinsky from the Class of 2026, as well as Elshadai Bereda ‘23, an alum who participated during her time here at Madeira.

Please introduce yourselves.

ST: My name is Sarah Torchinsky. I’m a junior Day student from Arlington, VA, and this is my third year at Madeira. In addition to karate, I participate in horseback riding, and I was in the fall play this school year! I am also an Astronomy Club Co-Head and the Community Outreach Co-Head of ReMark, a student-run climate organization.

EB: My name is Elshadai Bereda. I was a four-year Boarder in Class of 2023.

When did you get involved with Madeira karate?

ST: I have been involved with Madeira every winter since my freshman year!

EB: I started karate freshman year because I had experience with martial arts before and wanted to continue to learn.

Could you share a triumphant moment from the dojo? How about a challenging one (and how did you overcome or work through it)?

ST: Some of my favorite moments from karate include performing in the winter pep rally demo in front of all my friends! The pep rally is a great way to showcase our hard work for the wider school community to see. A challenging part of karate is the learning curve when learning new kata – but doing it with all my friends and being able to laugh off mistakes makes the process so much easier!

EB: Our first demonstration for the winter pep rally was really daunting, but everyone was really supportive and Dr. Boyette made sure we were ready and didn’t break any bones.

Well, that’s always a good thing to aim for!

How does participating in karate impact other parts of your life, both inside and outside Madeira?

EB: I made some of my best friends in karate; we supported each other in and out of the dojo. I am still friends with some of those people today because of the environment we created for each other. I think the most memorable lesson was “fall down seven times, get up eight.” There were many times where I felt like giving up, but if you’ve done it once, you can do it again.

ST: Participating in karate makes me feel more confident and happier in all other areas of my life! We start each day of training with a 5-minute silent meditation, which helps me to center myself after a long day of school. The camaraderie between the students in the dojo is something that I have loved contributing to over the last three winters; our group has become very close over the years, and I love the friendships that have come out of the dojo. The Madeira Karate students have become some of my closest friends, and I value them so deeply, which makes each day of class amazing! Learning new kata while building on foundational skills each year makes me feel very capable, empowering me in all other areas of my life.

Do you have any advice for current or prospective Madeira students who may be interested in karate, but feel apprehensive?

EB: Always do things that feel right to you even if you’re nervous or scared, and you’ll never know if it feels right if you don’t try.

ST: Almost everyone who comes into the Madeira dojo has very little experience with karate or martial arts; when I started Madeira Karate, I had never participated in any sort of martial arts training before. The dojo environment is very welcoming and accepting of beginners, and you’ll see your skills progress so much even after just one season. And not all our beginners are ninth graders – we have new sophomores, juniors, and seniors every year! If you participate in karate every year, you’ll be able to get promotions and work toward leadership in the dojo, helping teach beginning students kata that you’ve already learned. And if you want to try something new for just one year, you’ll leave with so much confidence in yourself and newfound friendships!

Thank you to all of the athletes who shared their thoughts with us today. We look forward to seeing you out on the mat or the demo floor again soon!

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