A family of 'black belt-ers'. Dr Tracey and the ‘kinship of Karate’

A University academic’s double life as a martial arts master is complete after the last of her family achieved the coveted black belt in Karate.

Associate Professor in Nursing & Health Professions Dr Tracey Redwood is, by day, a research academic at UON who leads the University’s Centre for Health Sciences and Services.

But outside of work, Tracey is a mother of four with a kick for Karate who has just seen the youngest of her quartet of boys gain their black belt in the martial art.

In Karate, a Black Belt signifies the highest rank achievable, denoting proficiency in the style’s basic techniques and principles, something the Redwood family have much experience of.

Tracey says: “Karate training and grading has long been a Redwood sport, so I am hugely proud of my youngest son Harry, as I am of all my boys, who has completed one of the highest achievements of a sport we hold close to our hearts.

“We started Karate training over 20 years ago after my husband Stephen ‘kicked off’ as he and our eldest son Huw wanted to keep fit and enjoy a sport together.

“Our second son, Joseph, then wanted to train with them, but Stephen thought it might be too intense for a four-year-old…so I joined to help him out and got bitten by the ‘Karate bug’! As our next two sons, James and Harry, became old enough, they also started Karate. Like the rest of us, they also took their final accreditation…and now we are all black belts!

“Karate teaches respect, focus, agility, strength and pushes us physically and mentally. To spar with our boys is a dynamic challenge where each of us presses the other to be their best.

"Our Sensei has helped each of our boys at some stage and acted as a role model when testosterone was high!”

As an ‘athletic academic’, Tracey is not one to put her feet up at work. A busy few months have seen her refresh the University’s Café Scientifique talks, UON’s ‘research for the price of a cuppa’ events. Tracey and her team have also created a new web presence for Café Scientifique.

There have been three Café Scientifique events since September, and the next (about Botox, mood and perimenopausal women) will be on Thursday 15 May.

After finishing research into how taking 10,000 steps a day can alleviate some symptoms of menopause, like lack of sleep, Tracey published her first book.

Released earlier this year, ‘ Power Surge. Balancing Midlife: A Guide to living our best life’ inspires women to face with courage the challenges of their middle years – including the menopause – to embrace their unique wisdom and discover their life purposes.

Tracey adds: “Now they are black belts, I’m confident my family can overcome any obstacles, so I’m resigning from full-time Karate, knowing I can protect and be protected by them and focus on other things.

“If you can juggle the rigours of academic research, teaching amazing students, raising a family and take time out to enjoy life, you can probably tackle most of what throws your way.”

See Dr Tracey Redwood’s staff profile for more about her research and teaching.