Ava Hemmer, affectionately known as “The Pink Dragon,” discovered her passion for martial arts at 7 years old. Inspired by the animated film Kung Fu Panda, she was drawn into the world of karate by the animated kung fu experts she saw on screen.
Ava trains at American Karate, just outside of St. Louis, MO, and is an inaugural member of Team Karate From the Heart coached by Samuel Diaz, III. Her journey through the ranks reflects steady dedication and progress, most recently concluding with her first-degree Black Belt in August of 2025.
At just 13, Ava has already made waves on the competitive circuit, with numerous first-place finishes and accolades. In her first year competing as Black Belt on the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA) circuit, she is set to secure multiple World Top 10 finishes, as well as numerous National titles. Ava holds many Professional Martial Arts Conference (PROMAC) National titles and has also received two Point Fighter Live Power Rings for her standout performances in both traditional and creative martial arts
Off the mat, Ava enjoys writing and reading poetry, listening to music, and hanging out with her friends. She has a playful and loving spirit and is a joy to be around. Ava loves to run and is excited to make her debut on the school Cross Country team this fall.
Ava is full of excitement and ambition. She is often labeled “everyone’s greatest cheerleader” as she enjoys cheering loudly for her friends and teammates. She dreams of one day opening her own martial arts school and is intent on continuing to hone her competitive edge as a black belt.
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2025 Competition Schedule:
The AKA Warrior Cup
Traditional Forms - 19th
Traditional Weapons - 11th
Creative Forms - 10th
Creative Weapons - Disqualified
Korean Forms - 8th
The Winter Warrior Warmup
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Point Sparring - 2nd
The Memphis Open
Traditional Forms - 4th
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Creative Forms - 4th
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 3rd
Weapons Grand Champion - 4th
The Arkansas Showdown
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 4th
Creative Weapons - 1st
Extreme Forms - 3rd
Extreme Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 2nd
Forms Grand Champion - 2nd
WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPION
American Karate Classic
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 3rd
Point Sparring - 1st
17 and Under Grand Champion - 3rd
Silver Sun Showdown
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 1st
FORMS AND WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPION
Music City Smacdown
Traditional Forms - 4th
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Creative Forms - 2nd
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 1st
Weapons Grand Champion - 5th
Battle of Atlanta
Traditional Forms - 12th
Traditional Weapons - 12th
Creative Forms - 4th
Creative Weapons - 5th
Korean Forms - 5th
Southwest Classic Nationals
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparing - 1st
Forms Grand Champion - 2nd
WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPION
Ultimate Weapons Summit
Creative Weapons Battle - 2nd
POWER RING RECIPIENT
U.S. Open
Traditional Forms - 9th
Traditional Weapons - 5th
Creative Forms - 6th
Creative Weapons - 7th
Korean Forms - 5th
Ozark Mountain Nationals
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 2nd
Extreme Forms - 2nd
Extreme Weapons - 1st
Korean Forms Challenge - 1st
Japanese Forms Challenge - 2nd
Point Sparring - 1st
Continuous Sparring - 1st
Traditional Grand Champion - 2nd
CMX GRAND CHAMPION
FINAL Overall NASKA Rankings
Creative Weapons - NATIONAL CHAMPION
Creative Forms - NATIONAL CHAMPION
Point Sparring - NATIONAL CHAMPION
Traditional Weapons - NATIONAL TOP 10
Traditional Forms - NATIONAL TOP 10
Extreme Forms - NATIONAL TOP 10
FINAL Overall ProMac Rankings
WEAPONS NATIONAL CHAMPION
Creative Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 3rd
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Traditional Forms - 3rd
Point Sparring - 2nd
FINAL 2024 Heartland Region Rankings
Creative Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 2nd
Extreme Weapons - 2nd
Extreme Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Point Sparring - 1st
Final 2024 Southern Region Rankings
Creative Weapons - 2nd
Creative Forms - 5th
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Traditional Forms - 3rd
Point Sparring - 4th
Final 2024 Southwest Region Rankings
Creative Weapons - 2nd
Creative Forms - 4th
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Traditional Forms - 4th
Point Sparring 6th
The AKA Warrior Cup
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Creative Forms - 5th
Creative Weapons - 4th
The Memphis Open
Traditional Forms - 4th
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Creative Forms - 6th
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 8th
Weapons Grand Champion - 5th
The Arkansas Showdown
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 2nd
Forms Grand Champion - 2nd
Weapons Grand Champion - 5th
The American Karate Classic
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 1st
Forms Grand Champion - Finalist
Weapons Grand Champion - Finalist
The Scenic City Open
Traditional Forms - 5th
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Creative Forms - 2nd
Creative Weapons - 2nd
Point Sparring - 2nd
The Silver Sun Showdown
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 2nd
Forms/Weapons Grand Champion - 2nd
The Natural State Classic
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 1st
Forms Grand Champion - 2nd
Weapons Grand Champion - 2nd
The Music City Smacdown
Traditional Forms - 4th
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Creative Forms - 4th
Creative Weapons - 2nd
Point Sparring - 2nd
The US Open
Traditional Forms - 4th
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Creative Forms - 2nd
Creative Weapons - 1st
Weapons Run-Off - 3rd
Ozark Mountain Nationals
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 9th
Extreme Forms - 1st
Extreme Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 8th
TRADITIONAL GRAND CHAMPION
CMX GRAND CHAMPION
Arkansas Open
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Extreme Forms - 1st
Extreme Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 1st
Weapons Grand Champion - 2nd
FORMS GRAND CHAMPION
POWER RING RECIPIENT
Battle in the Midwest
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Creative Forms - 2nd
Creative Weapons - 1st
Extreme Forms - 1st
Extreme Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 4th
Forms/Weapons Grand Champion - 2nd
Diamond Nationals
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Forms - 2nd
Creative Weapons - 1st
The Heartland Open
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Creative Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 4th
Forms/Weapons Grand Champion - 3rd
FINAL 2023 Heartland Region Rankings
Creative Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Point Sparring - 4th
Final 2023 Southern Region Rankings
Creative Forms - 4th
Traditional Weapons - 5th
Traditional Forms - 6th
Point Sparring - 5th
The Memphis Open
Traditional Forms - 7th
Traditional Weapons - 6th
Creative Forms - 4th
Point Sparring - 4th
Double Elimination Point Sparring - 2nd
Sword Sparring - 2nd
Tournament of Champions
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Point Sparring - 4th
The Arkansas Showdown
Creative Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Traditional Forms - 4th
Sword Sparring - 4th
Point Sparring - 3rd
Double Elimination Point Sparring - 2nd
Forms Grand Champion - 3rd
The American Karate Classic
Creative Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 3rd
Traditional Forms - 2nd
Point Sparring - 3rd
Forms Grand Champion - Finalist
The Platinum Open
Creative Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 4th
Traditional Forms - 1st
Sword Sparring - 3rd
Point Sparring - 5th
Double Elimination Point Sparring - 1st
Continuous Sparring - 3rd
Forms Grand Champion - 3rd
The Silver Sun Showdown
Traditional Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Point Sparring - 3rd
FORMS & WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPION
The Natural State Classic
Creative Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Traditional Forms - 1st
Sword Sparring - 3rd
Point Sparring - 1st
Double Elimination Point Sparring - 1st
Forms Grand Champion - 2nd
WEAPONS GRAND CHAMPION
The Music City SmacDown
Creative Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Traditional Forms - 1st
Point Sparring - 4th
Forms Grand Champion - 2nd
Weapons Grand Champion - 2nd
WKU World USA National Championship and Team Trials
Freestyle Forms with Music - 3rd - World Qualified
Freestyle Weapons with Music - 3rd - World Qualified
Creative Weapons - 3rd - World Qualified
Traditional Karate Weapons - 5th - World Qualified
Korean Forms - 3rd - World Qualified
Hard Style Forms - 6th - World Qualified
Traditional Karate Forms - 3rd - World Qualified
Point Sparring - 3rd - World Qualified
Ozark Mountain Nationals
Injured - did not compete
Heartland Open
Creative Forms - 1st
Traditional Weapons - 1st
Traditional Forms - 1st
Forms and Weapons Grand Champion - 3rd
ProMac Championships
Creative Forms - 2nd
Traditional Weapons - 2nd
Traditional Forms - 3rd
Final 2022 ProMac Heartland Regional Rankings
1st - Point Sparring Advanced 8-9
2nd - Point Sparring Advanced 10-11
2nd - Traditional Forms Advanced 8-9
2nd - Traditional Weapons Advanced 8-9
3rd - Traditional Forms Advanced 10-11
4th - Traditional Weapons Advanced 10-11
Southern Illinois Karate Championship
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 2nd
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 1st
Point Sparring (Adv) - 1st
Platinum Open
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 1st
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 1st
Point Sparring (Adv) - 1st
Continuous Sparring (Adv) - 1st
GRAND CHAMPION
American Karate Classic
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 2nd
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 2nd
Point Sparring (Adv) - 2nd
World Kickboxing and Karate Union
World Qualifier - Wales 2022
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 2nd
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 1st
Point Sparring (BB) - 1st
Continuous Sparring (BB) - 1st
GRAND CHAMPION
Silver Sun Showdown
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 2nd
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 1st
Point Sparring (Adv) - 1st
Ozark Mountain Nationals
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 3rd
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 2nd
Point Sparring (Adv) - 2nd
Open Rank Continuous Sparring - 3rd
Open Rank Point Sparring - Participant
Team Sync - 4th
Battle for the Arch
Team Sync - 1st
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 3rd
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 3rd
Point Sparring (Adv) - 2nd
Flag Sparring (Adv) - 2nd
The Arkansas Open
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 5th
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 4th
Point Sparring (Adv) - 2nd
Double Elimination Point Sparring (Adv) - 1st
Flag Sparring (Adv) - 1st
Battle in the Midwest
Traditional Forms (Adv) - 2nd
Traditional Weapons (Adv) - 2nd
Point Sparring (Adv) - 3rd
Open Rank Continuous Sparring - 2nd
Flag Sparring (Adv) - 2nd
Sword Sparring (Adv) - 1st
The Heartland Open
Traditional Forms (Adv/BB) - 3rd
Traditional Weapons (Adv/BB) - 3rd
Open Rank Point Sparring - 4th
Open Rank Continuous Sparring - 3rd