As we continue peeling back the layers around the topic of women in martial arts with our docu-series, The Women of Easton, we tap into the story of Sachi Ainge.
Originally from Hawaii, Sachi began training at Easton in early 2014 and most recently worked as the company’s Director of Marketing. She started out like many others — in an entry level position at the front desk as a First Impressions Specialist at Easton Boulder’s old location. She got to watch the new Boulder school open and see its member-count more than double.
Fresh out of college, Sachi had never trained Muay Thai before, and she didn’t considered herself a particularly athletic person. Coming to Easton, she was enamored by the level of dedication, discipline and strength she saw around her. Through this daily inspiration and her own excitement to learn, Sachi now holds a Purple Shirt in our Muay Thai program.
To Sachi, “empowerment” means “power given.”
“[Empowerment] means setting up a situation or environment where someone can have agency,” Sachi says, “and someone can be strong.”
Some of the most empowered moments Sachi recalls come from working with Easton, such as when she was given the responsibility of planning the entire company’s 20th anniversary party in 2019 — that’s seven school to coordinate. The event was a huge success, and it couldn’t have happened the same without the faith the entire team placed in Sachi’s abilities to make it happen.
Speak softly and carry a big stick
Working and training in martial arts has given Sachi more than a way to defend herself (though, if somebody tries to attack her, they may be in for an unpleasant surprise!) It’s given her the courage and confidence to believe in herself as fiercely as her team at Easton believes in her, and ultimately to self-empower.
Teddy Roosevelt said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far”
One misconception about women in martial arts is that they all have to be fierce and raging figures. And some are! Perhaps they’re naturally fierce, or perhaps as a results from the need to prove themselves in a strongly male-dominated sport. However, these stereotypes only scratch the surface of what you’ll find in our academies.
Sachi’s presence speaks for itself, as does the quiet confidence other female martial artists can exude without ever needing to prove their abilities to the rest of the world. They know they have it, they know they’re protected. They’re “self-empowered,” as Sachi says. This is Sachi’s big stick. She knows she can wield it, but she won’t unless necessary.
It’s this confidence that will create new leaders both on and off the mats, and having empowered females helping run the show means an innate sense of safety for any woman walking through our doors. Not only do they have other cool women to look up to, but they have someone safe to talk to.
Though life has taken Sachi on a new journey back to Hawaii, the print she left on our community is no small feat. Sachi set the bar for us all to continue showing up, empowering each other and exceeding even our own expectations.
