A few years ago 54 year old Trudy Carroll's doctor told her, that she had to quit Martial Arts because of a severe back injury. Today Trudy is the reigning Colorado State Sparring Champion in the 39 and older class. “Trudy pushes herself harder than any other student in our school. I’ve seen her exercise with tears streaming down her cheeks and never even say a word,” said her instructor Master Don Bendell.

It was WorldBlackBelt’s First Founding Member Chuck Norris who inspired Trudy to return to her passion for the Martial Arts after a twenty-year absence. According to Trudy, “if he can do Martial Arts at his age, being older than me, I’m going to try it.” “When I first tried the Martial Arts I was a 30-year-old single mother of two and the lack of time and money made it too difficult, but I never lost interest and I promised myself that one day I would return.”

“I have every Chuck Norris movie and every single episode of Walker Texas Ranger on Video,” boasts Trudy who promises to one day personally tell Mr. Norris how much he has motivated her. Not many will bet against Trudy when she sets her mind to something. She has already met Bob Wall, the Founder of WorldBlackBelt and another one of her Martial Arts heroes. “I feel very fortunate to have met Mr. Wall, he is truly a Martial Arts icon. I keep in constant contact with him by mail and most importantly he calls me the ‘kid’”.

In her Martial Arts training Trudy appears to have found the fountain of youth, and she just cannot seem to get enough of it in her life. When Trudy is not studying Song Moo Kwon, Tae Kwon Do, freestyle Karate, Judo, Jujitsu or kickboxing, she is managing the Bendell Karate in Canon City and Colorado Springs. Master Bendell takes tremendous pride in Trudy, describing her as a born leader. “Trudy is always helping, she is one of those peoples who will take charge of an event and make it run perfectly smooth,” adds Master Bendell.

Not surprisingly Trudy keeps on going strong even when she returns home to her ranch, where she lives with her husband Terry and her horses, ducks, sheep, goats and a Vietnamese pot belly pig. Somehow Trudy finds the time to play the piano, clarinet, saxophone and drums, and to spend time with her children and five grandchildren who frequently visit.

Trudy tested for her Black Belt in April 2000, passed and was made an instructor.

If you would like to contact Trudy Carroll, you can Email her at trudycarroll@worldblackbelt.com. If you wish to nominate a candidate for Female Martial Artist of the Month, please contact us by Email at nominees@worldblackbelt.com.

By: Ray Normandin
raynormandin@worldblackbelt.com