From the age of two, it was apparent that Samantha (she likes to be called ‘Sammy’) was quite an athlete, and destined to push the limits of whatever activity interested her. She was riding ponies (she even had her own pony named “Lady Bug”) in such prestigious equestrian events as the “Hampton Classic” Horse Show in Bridgehampton, New York, an annual competition for the best competitors in the nation.

After several years riding ponies, at three years old Sammy saw a "GAP" television commercial featuring karate and coincidentally featuring James Solis, who is now her teammate on Team 'ProRank.'  Fascinated by the commercial, Sammy asked her mother when she would be old enough to learn karate. Her mother promised to look into it, figuring that it would be a fun activity—not realizing that the fun activity would turn into an obsession to master the sport, and to take it to the next level.

Now eleven years old, Sammy has been training in the martial arts for about seven years. Her instructor is Shihan John Busto, a 6th Degree Black Belt at Busto’s Karate in Plainview, New York, where Kenpo karate is the style taught. 

Sammy is a "Black Belt" in Kenpo Karate.  She trains at the karate studio six days a week, about four hours a day (she would train seven days a week if the studio was open on Sunday’s). She has taught classes to students both younger and older than her. She can often be seen helping fellow students learn the bo staff, nunchakus and kamas. She knows more than 19 katas (a series of forms).

In June of 2004 Sammy experienced the excitement of NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association) competition and she hasn’t looked back. At the time she was a “blue” belt and gained valuable experience at the U.S. Open in Orlando Florida.

In the fall of 2004 Sammy met world champions Daniel Sterling and Matt Emig and started training with the determination that made them champions and has now made her a household name among the NASKA karate circuit.

Since 2005 Sammy has finished first in over 100 divisions throughout the NASKA circuit, in Rhode Island, Virginia, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Florida, Washington D.C., New York, Georgia, Quebec, California, Minnesota and Illinois.  In 2008, Sammy won two Gold Medals at the Martial Arts Olympics in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Sammy has given guest performances at the Black Belt Grand Finals at Charlie Lee’s World Series of Martial Arts in 2005 and 2007, the Battle of Atlanta and the Bluegrass Nationals in 2005, as well as at the Disney Martial Arts Festival in Orlando Florida in November 2006 and 2007 and the New England Open in 2007. 

Sammy was also the winner of the underbelt weapons Grand Championship at the “Battle of Atlanta”,  the extreme weapons Grand Championship at “The AKA Grand Nationals” and the Black Belt Musical Grand Champion at the Tiger Claw Elite Championships in Orlando, Florida in 2006.  As a Black Belt, she has won Grand Championships at The Ocean State Grand Nationals, "Compete" Nationals and The New England Open in 2007.  She was also the overall Weapons Grand Champion at the Prestigious "Twin Towers Classic" NASKA Competition in 2007.

Taylor Lautner (also known as ‘Shark Boy’) is a favorite of Sammy’s (and a friend) and she hopes to follow in his footsteps in the future, as she has endeavored into integrating martial arts into acting.  She has already filmed four television commercials, a short film, a television pilot and has been photographed for full page spreads in popular magazines such as Shaolin Kung Fu-Tai Chi Magazine (inside back cover: Jan. - Feb. 2007). 

In 2006 Sammy began competing as a ‘Black Belt’ and dominated the Traditional Forms, Traditional Weapons and Creative forms divisions.  She is now a six time NASKA "World Champion" and hopes to continue growing as a martial artist and a "cool" young lady.