Glen Ellyn sisters say faith drives them in taekwondo ring
When Carolena and Christina Carstens step into the taekwondo ring, they don't do it alone.
Family members attend as often as they can, rooting the sisters on and hoping they do not get hurt. Their coach circles the ring, offering advice and tips as they face their opponent.
And, of course, there's God.
"Everything we do is to glorify God," said Christina, a 15-year-old Glen Ellyn resident. "He has given us these abilities and we try and develop them for what he has planned for us."
And develop them they have. In September, Christina and Carolena, 13, both qualified for the Amateur Athletic Union National Taekwondo Team that will fight in April in Spain.
This is the first time the girls have qualified for a national team, but definitely not the first time they have been successful. Between the two, they have won at least 34 medals in competitions, including six gold medals at AAU national events.
Much like their religion, the sisters said they could not imagine their lives without taekwondo.
"You would have this huge hole in your life," Christina said. "It's a part of me."
Their path to becoming national team members began about 10 years ago.
Richard Carstens and his wife, Elsa, attended the Taste of Glen Ellyn and saw a promotion for a kickboxing academy. They thought it could help the physical development of their daughters, then 5 and 3 years old. Not long thereafter, Richard enrolled them in taekwondo.
In 2003, the pair started competing in national tournaments. Each has won several medals, but the younger Carolena was the first to strike gold on July 4, 2003, about two years before Christina.
In 2008, they began training at Xcellent Taekwondo Center in Dixmoor.
"It has helped me to be able to defend myself," said Carolena, who qualified for the national team in the flyweight division. "Also, you learn to respect others more, and a lot of discipline."
As she approaches the ring, Carolena makes the sign of the cross, displaying her family's strong spiritual beliefs.
"He gave us these abilities," Carolena said. "We need to use them for him."
The Carstenses attend Fountain of Life Church, where Carolena and Christina take part in many activities, including the worship band and church skits. The girls also play piano and guitar and are home-schooled in Glen Ellyn.
Though they're successful, the violent nature of their sport rarely leaves any competitor unscathed. Christina has had double foot surgery and two stress fractures in her spine that almost got in the way of competing for the national team in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
For four months, all she could do was rest as a back brace stopped her from training. Her physical therapist did not release her to get back at it until May.
Then about two weeks before tryouts for the national team, her foot got caught on a mat and she sprained her ankle.
"What she had to do, what she was willing to do, and how she did it - it was impressive," Richard said.
"It hurts a lot," Carolena said of her matches. "But coach tells us 'I don't care, get back out there.' You're not going to go up to the ref and ask for a Band-Aid."
Jeffery Williams has been training the girls at his family-owned training center since they first arrived.
"They are very disciplined," he said of the Carstens sisters. "They come from a very strong family with strong values."
With a Marine background, Williams has the pedigree to train them to compete at the highest level. They train six days a week for two hours and more.
While Williams pushes them to their limits, the time the coach and his athletes spend together has forged a close bond, which Williams says is true of all of his fighters and manifests itself even further when they succeed.
"It's definitely a fatherly pride," Williams said. "I saw them mature. I saw them grow. It's exciting."
The fact that they are sisters only helps motivate them. When Carolena won her first gold medal, Christina saw that as inspiration.
"The first time she competed nationally, she won gold," Christina said. "I thought 'if she could do it, I could do it.' It helps with support. We do things together as a family. That helps a lot."
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