An ADHD diagnosis helped discover a Muncie karate champion with Olympic dreams

Among the dozen or so students training at Shirokai Martial Arts in Marion, Indiana, one stood out among the rest.

Addison Childers, a Muncie native, was working with head instructor Andy White in the middle of two larger groups. The tall 12-year-old was practicing her katas — a set of prearranged moves against an imaginary opponent — in preparation for the World Championships in Wales, where she will be representing the United States next week.

"She's something special, isn't she?" an older student said as Addison worked through her various katas, both with fans and a bo staff, two of her weapons, and without. Her father, Michael Childers, looked on as Addison moved through her different routines, yelling and moving her body with coordinated attacks while White gazed on, offering feedback when he deemed necessary.

Just about three years into her karate career, Addison is somewhat of a prodigy. She's won state championships in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Georgia, national and grand championships and is currently the point leader in the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA), according to Michael.

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Preparing for the international competition where nearly 50 countries will be represented, Addison has been working with White several days a week to perfect her routines. On the mat, she's locked. Her eyes are determined on bringing home medals from what will be her biggest challenge yet.

Three years earlier, Addison was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She was very active growing up and received tests through a recommendation from school when she was 8 years old.

A doctor recommended Addison try karate. The sport in itself helps train discipline, hard work, respect and self-confidence.

Michael asked if Addison would be interested in trying it and he said "she was all over it. We got her into karate school and it's just took off for her ever since."

Karate training with ADHD

When Addison first started training, Michael didn't know if she would stick with it very long. It's not uncommon parents with children who have ADHD to have them try karate because the benefits of personalized instruction and personal development, but it's also not uncommon for them to drop out of the sport, either.

"Martial arts is constant reiterating to the students about focus, concentration," Michael said. "It was something other than just medically, just taking medicine, to help with that focusing and learning to focus more."

Knowing almost nothing, Addison competed in her first tournament a week in. It's a moment White remembers well. He was the center judge and remembers Addison nervously walking up to him.

"Her first tournament (she was) totally scared to death," White said. "She came up, she couldn't tell me any information on what her name was, what she was going to perform or nothing. Well, they only have one chance, so I told her to go back at the end and I'll bring her back out. I could not let that child go, being her first tournament, and going home knowing she couldn't do it."

Well, Addison competed. While she didn't score particularly well, she overcame her initial fear of feeling like all eyes were on her. Nowadays, she's much more comfortable in the spotlight.

Before Michael knew it, Addison was training every day, working on her strength and flexibility in order to get better. She set goals for herself and began achieving them at a rapid pace.

Growing skills and confidence

Six months in, Michael remembers Addison competing in Pennsylvania and she swept the board, winning all her divisions. Soon after, different instructors were reaching out, inquiring about Addison, because of her prowess with the bo staff, fans and katana sword.

"She was standing out above a lot of the kids her age and ranks and running weapons and things which were for the black belt levels very fast," Michael said.

Quickly, Addison's confidence in herself started growing.

"It's really good now," Addison said. "I started competing and I didn't know how to do anything, so I just stuck through it. After that, I trained and started getting firsts and everything. Then, I started going 'this is something I actually like,' and just stuck with it. Now, it's really good for me."

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Addison said she likes how martial arts brings out a different side in her. She was training at Foreman's Karate & Fitness in Muncie, where White was brought in to teach different katas. Shortly after, Addison began taking the trip to Marion multiple days a week to train with White.

White's own daughter has ADHD, so he understood the nuances of bringing her back to task. But, in martial arts, Addison almost becomes "hyper-focused," White said. "She's an excellent student." Addison wants to know the details of different techniques and she works to master them.

"She doesn't consider herself — she doesn't mention much about the ADHD," Michael said. "She doesn't consider that that's even a handicap or anything."

Looking at the results, it's been anything but.

'Her timing is just uncanny'

Inside Shirokai, there are multiple first place trophies, some as tall as Addison herself, which she's won at events across the country. Succeeding at the level she has, as early as she has in both kata and kumite — a more familiar karate style where you compete against another opponent — is certainly unique. White has been teaching her black belt level skills and she's been learning them. And White said, if Addison sticks with it, her already successful career could very well just be getting started.

"She is a purple belt but her ability is way above that," White said. "... Her timing is just uncanny. Some people have that ability and some don't. She's one that does. She's really good at it. Ten years from now, I hope she stays with, I'm pretty sure she will, because black belts not the end, black belt is just the beginning."

While Addison is looking forward to competing in Wales at the World Championships from Oct. 23-29, where she will be competing in three weapons kata events and four fighting events, she also has another international competition on her mind — the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Karate was added to the Olympic lineup in 2020 and Addison, who will be 18 at the time, said that's her ultimate goal.

"In 2028, I want to go to the Olympics because it's in the U.S. and they brought karate in, so that's what I'm really achieving to go for," Addison said. "It's going to take a lot of training, but I should get there."

Looking back, Michael can't imagine Addison's life without the sport. The growth he's seen in her both on and off the mat these past three years has been remarkable. A common diagnosis helped discover a natural talent within the budding karate superstar.

Three years ago, talking about the Olympics would've been a far stretch. At this point, it's hard to put anything past what Addison can accomplish.

Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school sports for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com or on Twitter @rgeneraljr.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: ADHD diagnosis helped discover a karate champion with Olympic dreams