Self-Defense Course Taught at St. Bernard

                St. Bernard Prep School's freshmen girls are getting self- defense lessons through a project known as "The Equalizer."    Physical Education instructor, Ruth Anne Knight said when she heard about this new program being conducted through the county and city law enforcement community she wanted to have the program implemented to her young class at St. Bernard.  "I want all of my ladies to know how to defend themselves in case of an attack," she stated.               

                The course is taught by twin sisters, Cindy Rohrscheib and Jennifer Chaffin.  Rohrscheib is a member of the Cullman Police Department, and  Chaffin is a member of the Cullman County Sheriff's Department.    The Equalizer program was written by martial arts instructor Johnny  Lee Smith of Cullman.  It has been taught throughout the Southeast and is now available locally.

                Rohrscheib said, "We came from backgrounds of abuse in our childhood, and we always had the mentality that we didn't have the right to protect ourselves."  When we changed our mind-set, God opened the door for us to teach others to protect themselves.  Our goal is to educate these girls.  We want them to have confidence and to make them realize that they might have to protect themselves one day.    Four out of five girls are sexually molested or assaulted in some way by the time they reach the age of eighteen.  It is believed that this number may actually be higher because many incidents are never reported.  Some choose not to report the incident because they feel guilty, ashamed, or, somehow, at fault.  We hope that through education our students will become self confident and become better able to protect themselves.

                In the initial steps of training, students were encouraged to confront attackers verbally, "I functioned as the attacker, and students verbalized commands such as 'back off.'  This exercise creates a feeling of confrontation.  Once they realize they have the ability to locate and use their survival mentality, they become more able to protect themselves.  Students learn that when placed in danger, women have the ability to assert themselves, first verbally and then with physical action.  Students then implement the striking techniques," Rohrscheib said.

                Students were also taught with the use of focus pads which areas on an attacker's body that would be good targets to hit.  "This would be especially helpful if being attacked by a larger person," Chaffin said.  This course is not about strength.  It is about the will to survive and developing necessary techniques to succeed.  Chaffin worked with the students on striking techniques such as the use of open palm, hammer fist, elbows, and knees.

                After learning striking techniques, the students learn how to deal with being taken to the ground.  According to Rohrscheib, most of the time when women are attacked the fight is taken to the ground.  This is the point when most women lose control.  With our course, women have different options in defending themselves.  This program comes with a student manual and pictures with step by step tactics.

                Rohrscheib said, "My sister and I took martial arts from Johnny Lee Smith as teenagers.  At that time he wrote the program; however, he never had the time or the instructors to implement it.  We are the first female instructors in Cullman and he is training others."

                According to Chaffin, "This program is a mixture of every type of fighting including kickboxing, martial arts, etc."  For more information visit them on the web at www.equalizerwomen.com.  Cindy Rohrscheib can be contacted at 256-734-4703.