Four athletes from Herriman recently represented Team USA at the WKU World Kickboxing and Karate Championships in Trier, Germany, with two coming home with medals.

Te Lawrence, Armand Vasquez, Kestler Hagen and Alex Peterson were selected to be part of a 40-man contingent who traveled to Trier. Lawrence won bronze and silver medals in point sparring, while Vasquez captured two bronze medals in both karate and kickboxing. All are students at Team Justus Martial Arts in Herriman.

“They all trained very hard and did very well,” said Justus Lawrence, head coach and owner of the studio. “It was an amazing opportunity  for them to compete, and to make up a full 10 percent of Team USA.”

Each competed in different divisions. Te Lawrence and Peterson competed in point sparring, which is a controlled form of sparring in martial arts competitions that emphasizes safety, skill, and scoring points through controlled strikes. Peterson and Hagen also competed in karate kata, a specified series of a variety of moves, with stepping away and turning while attempting to maintain perfect form. Vasquez competed in both disciplines.

Justus Lawrence began studying karate at age 5, and opened his first studio when he was 18 in Spanish Fork. That was 30 years ago. Team Justus Martial Arts is located today at 13266 South 5600 West in Herriman.

“I felt then as I do now that the benefit of these programs is the development of lifeskills,” he said, “the physical training and life and character development. It really helps kids in school and at home. The physical workout is always great—the conditioning helps teach students about flexibility and balance.”

He said 80 percent of his students are under 18, but many adults also study at his studio. He teaches in three age groups: 5-7, 8-12 and 13 and up.

“I think it gives them self confidence to be able to do something to prospect themselves,” he said. “That’s definitely what we teach and preach.”