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Stephanie graduated from Irvin High School in El Paso just this past May 2009. Far from being in the shadow of her older siblings, she has not only made her mark in the martial arts, kickboxing and boxing circles, but has accomplished a title no other family member has won. In her Junior and senior year at Irvin High School she has taken one regional and two state wrestling 128 pound championships. She did that in spite of the fact that she had to wake up every day at 7:30 a.m. eat and hustle to school. After academics, she finished number two in her senior class, she would practice wrestling from 2:30 till 5:00 p.m. She would then travel to work out again with some city wrestlers from six to eight p.m. before returning to the Han Dynasty headquarters where boxing and kickboxing practice would last until 11:00 p.m. Once home, she would get a midnight snack while doing homework and maybe, just maybe get five to six hours of sleep. Like her brother’s and sister’s she too is pursuing her dream of being one special athlete in the Han clan. Her actions have proved louder than words and her conquests many, she is no second stringer.
Keeping with the family tradition, Stephanie has stamped her own brand of the Han Dynasty nationally and internationally. Besides her devastating schedule that has led to earning blackbelts in her father’s dojo, she has traveled wide and far to earn her stripes. Not even a teenager in 2001 she took on the best junior fighters at the USA Tae Kwon Do Championships and took the gold medal. As a young teenager in 2003 she felt like boxing was a skill she wanted to develop further. Success came quickly as she won the Ringside World Championship for her age group. She returned in 2005 to win the gold again. She then honed her kickboxing skills and at the 2005 IKF International Kickboxing Championships, she distinguished herself and family by destroying the opposition and blazing her way to victory in the finals defeating Natalya Speece of San Diego. She opted to return in 2007 and again won the gold against undefeated Alyssa Defazio of Wittmann, Arizona in a hotly contested bout. She was then moved up to the Open Class and against older fighters and at a larger weight of 132 pounds, fought her way to the finals of the 2008 Women’s Golden Gloves National championships. In the finals and after a brisk fight against Patricia Manuel of Cardinal, California, she lost by decision but still brought home the silver medal.
Stephanie’s wrestling accomplishments have resulted in many college scholarship offers. After much consideration, she has chosen Oklahoma State University, a perennial powerhouse in the collegiate ranks. There is no doubt from this corner that she will master the sport and become a champion. In between her studies, she will follow Jennifer’s path and be on call for the Dynasty in their martial arts and boxing competitions anywhere and everywhere. Twin sister Heather will miss her but is well on her way to the top of the heap in kickboxing and kickboxing.
Heather Han has tasted the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, all in stride and all with dignity, each a learning experience to better herself in the future. She also decided to take up wrestling for Irvin High school and after a very productive year, finished fourth in the regional championships. Her best sports have been kickboxing and boxing but she recognizes that wrestling skills will not only apply amply in modern MMA fighting but are a great addition to her overall skills in case they are needed for self defense, always an issue with beautiful women. A word to the unwise, don’t mess with any Han no matter how young they may be. Heather has other weapons to deal with any foe including blackbelts in weapons and karate. She has been a hard-working trooper for the dynasty burning both ends of the candle as expected. The pay-off’s have been highly productive, a chip of the old block.
Many young pugilists and talented kickboxers have felt the wrath of Heather’s fiery style of fighting. In 2004 she traveled with the family to the Junior Ringside World Boxing Championships and in a spirited display of boxing techniques she wowed the judges and the audiences in winning the gold medal. She was so enthusiastic about her success that she begged her father to let her qualify for the next go-round in 2005. It was a genuine ‘déjà vu’ all over again as she swept the opposition and stood proudly with a second gold medal around her neck. She didn’t do bad at the 2007 IKF World Classic Championships either as she won Gold with a unanimous 29-25 decision over Danielle Byrne of Chicago, Illinois in the 16-17 year old category.
In an earlier display of Han power, Heather went to Cedar Rapids, Idaho in July of 2006 and stepped up her performance to win the IKW World Classic Kickboxing Championship. It was a family affair, a real dynasty conquest as Jennifer, Abraham and Stephanie took home the gold medal. Indeed, Heather is a supreme warrior worth her weight in gold in the El Paso Han Dynasty. So too is Israel (Izzy) Han.
Israel Han is a martial arts technician of the highest caliber. Though handicapped with a foot deformity since birth, Israel has asked for no favoritism or quarter in any combat the Han’s participate in at all levels. His allegiance to mastering the many disciplines of his father’s dojo has resulted in him gaining 2nd and 3rd degree blackbelts in all of them, equaling or surpassing his brothers and sisters. Though he holds down the home front while the other family warriors are traveling, he can whip butt when given the opportunity. In Arizona a couple of years back, he demonstrated dazzling hand and footwork to take the gold medal in the state championships. Master Han also entered him in the 2005 New Mexico State Golden Gloves Championships and Izzy responded by giving a classic scintillating boxing lesson to his opponents on his way to winning gold. Izzy has won numerous other junior and open titles in boxing and kickboxing and he has solidified his status as a Han warrior.
The Han Dynasty III in El Paso, Texas is still young and destined to continue their winning ways. There will always be more battles won then lost and the present generation of warriors will give rise to newer and equally powerful generations. My only wish is I hope I can be around to witness the growth of this dynasty, in fact, an American dynasty that to the best of my knowledge is unequalled in this country and respected worldwide. They may not have the chutzpah to claim a lock on their adversaries all of the time but they sure have the moxie to gain supremacy most of the time Maybe it is best said by Sun Tzu, “To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.”

Have A Happy.

Note to reader. The content of this story is part of a chapter of a book to be released next year by author Thomas W. McKay. Graphics and design for the book will be by David Arredondo. Steven Arredondo will be involved in the story and on this website. The photographs of the Han family presented here are for your enjoyment and for any motivation for your dojo or gym. They are produced due to the courtesy of Master Bae Han. All of the above is intellectual property with copyright pending. Your use of the material for purposes other then than profit is acceptable. Any material or photos produced in any matter and from any source of electronic or print media for monetary gain is strictly prohibited without the express consent of the author and convictedartist.com
Thanks and enjoy,
Thomas W. McKay

Sources

May 2009 Steven Arredondo and Thomas W. McKay interviewed the Han family at thier dojo in El Paso, Texas for two hours.

1990 - 2009 Thomas W. McKay has kept up with the Han family fighting and tradition for nearly twenty years and interviewed them often.

Internet sources

http://knows.jongo.com/res/article/7178
http://classics.mit.edu/Tzu/artwar.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Dynasty
Http://ikfkickboxing.com
http://classics.mit.edu/Tzu/artwar.html
Http://el pasotimes.com
Http:womenboxing.com

 

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