For Punahou sophomore Chrissy Chow, life on the mat is simply a way of life.

Growing up in a family of accomplished judo and wrestling athletes, Chow began rolling around on a judo mat as a toddler and has been on one ever since. When your dad, Greg Chow, is a high school and club judo coach and mom, Robin Chapman-Chow, is a former Pan American Games gold medalist and two-time national champion, perhaps that is to be expected.

“;My dad and my mom were involved in judo as long as I can remember,”; Chow said. “;I started going to my brother's judo practices, and at first I'd just sit on the side and watch. But it looked like fun, so pretty soon I was out there too. I think it was an immediate thing, the attraction. That's why I stuck with it all these years.”;

With their parents also serving as their judo coaches, practice never really ceased for the Chows.

“;We were definitely pushed a lot harder than the other kids,”; Chow said. “;Since our parents are running the practice, we can't call in sick or slack off because all the other kids are watching how we act. But I'm glad they pushed us like that.”;

Chow's siblings are no slouches. Big brother Daniel won six individual state championships at Punahou—three each in wrestling and judo. Younger sister Mindy captured the Interscholastic League of Honolulu intermediate wrestling crown last season. All three are national-level judo athletes.

Chrissy has been going to national judo tournaments since she was 7, and has competed on the national circuit every summer since.

“;Probably the most striking thing about Chrissy is her amazing amount of natural talent—coordination, body control, the ability to pick up instruction. She does very well, very quickly,”; Greg Chow said. “;As far as natural athletic ability, Chrissy is probably the most naturally gifted.”;

Punahou wrestling coach Matt Oney concurred.

“;Like all of the Chow kids, she is very respectful, very intelligent, very talented, and they are balanced and have done well academically, athletically and socially,”; he said. “;Greg and Robin have done a great job. But I think she might have the most natural gifts, the most natural ability.”;

By the time she was in middle school at Punahou, Chow was already participating in international events, winning a bronze medal at the Pan American Infantile Championships at 53 kg in the 13-14 year-old division.

In 2007, Chow captured gold medals in two divisions at the USA Junior Olympics Championships and won another at the Junior U.S. Open. That year Chow also won the silver medal at the USA Judo National High School Championships as an eighth grader.

In all, Chow has amassed 14 national and international medals. In 2006 she went to Venezuela as a member of the U.S. Infantile Pan Am team. She also competed in the Belgium Ladies Open against women in 2008 and represented the U.S. at the Junior World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, last October. Chow also competed at the U.S. Olympic team trials in Las Vegas last year as one of the top-ranked judo athletes in the nation in her weight class.

“;It's an experience itself, traveling out of the country,”; Chow said. “;It's really interesting to see the competition. Usually at national tournaments, I'm up against the same girls. To see how different countries play is interesting. Their technique and everything is totally different. It's really neat to be representing the whole USA and not just our club.”;

Unlike many other athletes who cross over from judo to wrestling during their high school careers, Chow has logged almost as many years in her wrestling singlet as she has in her judo gi.

“;I started wrestling in the third grade with the Pumas when I was still at Kahala Elementary,”; said Chow of the youth wrestling program. “;My brother got into it, and then my sister and I started practicing. It was fun. I stopped for a couple of years when I started going to Punahou and I was actually the intermediate team manager in seventh grade.”;

But in the eighth grade it was back to wrestling.

“;I really like it,”; she said. “;I do judo all year long, and wrestling is a real refresher for me. I like the team aspect of it. It's a whole feeling, a group effort. I like the people on my team. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be wrestling at all.”;

As a freshman last year, Chow went 20-3 on the way to winning the ILH and state championships at 114 pounds. At the state tournament, Chow won her first two matches by pin and advanced to the finals by routing Campbell's Jaydene-Kailin Curran 14-2. In the finale, Chow held off two-time state champion Megan Morisada of 'Iolani to win 3-2.

“;She is very natural and has good feel for her position and balance and her body awareness is excellent,”; Oney said. “;It takes years for a wrestler to feel their position on the mat, and how to put their opponent off-balance, but Chrissy has been in hundreds and hundreds of judo matches, so she's always comfortable. She was invited to the national championships in Fargo last summer, but was unable to go due to her training for the Olympic trials in judo.”;

This season Chow has returned to post a 10-2 mark through the preseason and the first two league meets and is one of the favorites to compete for the state title in March. In the long run, Chow hopes to return to the U.S. judo team for international competitions. The timing could be beneficial for Chow, with the next Olympics four years away.

“;Like most athletes, Chrissy will have to make a choice when its time to go to college,”; Greg Chow said. “;She will have the choice whether to focus on her studies or make a mark on her sport. The next Olympics will fall right after her freshman year of college would end, so the possibilities are there.”;