By Rose Drebes, Edmond Life and Leisure

At 4-foot, 10-inches and 88 pounds, Joelle Glimp may be a small girl but she doesn’t get pushed around. The 15-year-old just brought home the silver in national judo competition and the bronze in international competition from the Junior Olympics in Irving, Texas. More than 950 young people competed in the event. Joelle will be a sophomore at Edmond Santa Fe and judo tops the list of many activities she’s involved in. She’s a member of the Junior Varsity Pom Squad, the Latin Club and the Drama Club. She runs cross country and track. This summer she worked full-time in a doctor’s office as she has dreams of getting scholarships from the University of Oklahoma in acting and judo to pursue her dream of becoming a pediatrician. “(Judo) comes more naturally than anything else,” Joelle said. Judo is “nothing like karate,” she said. Her friends are always kidding her about doing “judo chops,” but that’s not the case. Judo, which originated in Japan, is actually similar to wrestling. The goal is to throw the opponent to the ground for pins and chocks. Joelle said she is really adept at “ground work.” “My legs are a lot stronger than my arms,” she said. “I’m flexible and that helps.” Joelle started taking judo lessons when she was about 12. “I discovered I really liked ground work.” Her father, Joe, had been doing judo. Her younger sister, Juliana, tried it but didn’t like the aches and pains, Joelle said. Their mom is Erin.

The teen has regularly competed in the winter and summer Sooner State Games, but the Junior Olympics was her first out-of-state competition. A national team was chosen during the event which will compete all over the world. However, Joelle said, on must be 16 in order to qualify and to compete for scholarships. But, she said, earning the medals pushed her name up in Google search listings for judo.

As her star power rises, Joelle said she is busy recruiting others to judo. Thus far, she’s convinced four people, including her “wrestler friend,” to give it a try. “I feel a lot healthier after I do it,” she said.