Four Westminster College students attended the 31st annual King Cobra Open Karate competition held Jan. 27 in Erie.

Tracy Hefner, a senior music education major from Baden, took second place in the women's aged 18-35 advanced kata competition. A kata is a sequence of moves to simulate an attack and represents one of the core training features of karate. She has studied with Dr. David Goldberg, assistant professor of philosophy and Sensei of the Westminster College Karate Club, for three years.

"Tracy did our form Seisan, which is one of the longer and more difficult forms to perform," Goldberg said.

Goldberg has studied Shorin Ryu Karate since 1979 and has twice visited the home of one of his former Japanese students, Dai Hiyama, whose father has a dojo (formal school for students of martial arts) in Tokyo.

"I began teaching karate about 15 years ago, but Westminster's Karate Club started about three years ago," Goldberg said. "There are about 10 Westminster College students and two faculty members, who are active members in the club. We also have a physical education karate class that includes 15 other students."

Hefner, a senior music education major, is a daughter of Douglas and Elaine Hefner, Baden, and a graduate of North Allegheny High School.

The three other Westminster students that attended the competition were:
Michael Gorka, a junior chemistry major, a son of John and Kathy Gorka, Erie, and a graduate of McDowell High School;
Andrew Miller, a junior history major, a son of Bruce and Lorie Miller, Erie, and a graduate of McDowell High School;
Stephen Sumpter, a senior business administration and music major, a son of Linda Sumpter, Hanover, and a graduate of Corry Area High School.

Contact Goldberg at (724) 946-7153 or e-mail goldbedw@westminster.edu for more information.

Tracy Hefner with her trophy

Row 1: Tracy Hefner; Row 2: Andrew Miller, Stephen Sumpter, and Michael Gorka