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Thunderbird Biography
Coach Marty Martin started the Thunderbird’s National Karate Team in 1998. The purpose was two-fold. One was to give those karate students with championship talent the opportunity to further develop and express their skills. And two, build a vehicle to showcase the various attributes of the martial arts within both the local and national community.

The Thunderbird's National Karate Team competes in the North American Sport Karate Organization (NASKA). Each year there are more than 100,000 competitors who participate in various open karate tournaments throughout the United States to find the best martial artists in the world. This then is a highly competitive breeding ground where the mental and physical skills of the athletes who compete at this level are tested every time they compete. The underlying coaching principles needed to win must develop and instruct the physical attributes of form, speed, balance, endurance and showmanship, if they don’t, athletes at this level don’t win. The mental constituents develop memory, quick thinking and analization for proper reaction and devoted discipline. The nurturing of emotional strength is balanced with ego, the highs and lows of winning and losing, and the life experiences to learn from ones mistakes and then try again. The bolstering of self-confidence, self-esteem and expression comes from competing in a very high-pressure environment.

The first tournament the Thunderbirds competed in was the1999 Battle of Atlanta. Overall the team won 24 awards, no small feat for any team much less one just beginning. In the year 2000 the team won over 100 total awards, inclusive of 34 first places at the "Tri-State Karate Championships", the "US Open" held in Orlando and "Battle of Atlanta" held in Atlanta. The single greatest feat for the overall team is the fact that every team member won an award in more than one division in every tournament they competed in. This is a remarkable coaching feat and the shows the all-round ability of Coach Marty Martin and his ability to foster the inner abilities of martial arts athletes. Four of the 2000 Thunderbird's qualified for the United States National Martial Arts Team and competition in the World Games held in Hawaii. Three of those team members then went on to “Team America” for the 2001 European Games held in Ireland. Two of these Thunderbirds became raked Number one in their respective divisions in the United States in just their first year of national/international level competition.

In the year 2001 Tricia Hollendoner, Chris Pfender, Matt Watson, James Walters and Briana Beavers all became top rated NASKA athletes. Tricia Hollendoner became the “2001 Overall Female Champion”. She was rated number one in both forms and fighting. Chris Pfender was rated number one in both forms and weapons and Matt Watson was rated number one in musical forms.

For the year 2002, review the years Thunderbirds Team Members page. Once again Coach Martin was able to coach all the teams members to place in more than one division at every tournament the Thunderbirds participated in! This season not only did Chris Pfender improve, he became number one in five separate divisions and the “2002 Overall Men’s Champion”!!!! A new team member this season, Emily Barretine/Perrigan, won the overall “2002 Overall Female Champion” as a beginner! And if that were not enough Meagan Held won her first national title in fighting at only nine years old.

When you realize that the Thunderbird's compete directly against other teams from Great Britain, Italy, Argentina, Guatemala, Uruguay, Venezuela, France, Germany as-well-as from the United States, and that those teams are made up of athletes from all parts of their country not just one school location, you rapidly realize the true scope and spirit of Coach Martin's accomplishments with the Thunderbird's.

Giving back to the community in which the team comes from is done through demonstrations of martial arts skills for various civic organizations. The Thunderbird's have performed for the Jaycee's, Phil Am Society, Early Childhood Services, Kid's Fest, Tyndall AFB Asian Pacific Festival, Barrio Fiesta and Northside Spring Carnival. The Thunderbirds are preparing for whatever challenges await them in the years ahead. Watch for them on television as they are in the process of filming a new series.

As you can see the Thunderbird's are starting to fulfill Coach Martin's vision, through growth and maturity the team continues to improve their competitive spirit while supporting their community. These attributes make them and Coach Martin truly unique not only in the world of sport karate but to humanity.

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