Whether she's teaching judo, attending graduate classes or working full time as a counselor, Liliko Ogasawara always gives her best performance.
"This is the first time I'm working and going to school full time," said Liliko, who is pursuing a master's degree in counseling. "I'm trying to do well at both and have a social life at the same time." But at the ripe age of 27, Liliko has already proven herself as a prizefighter with the heart of a champion. In 1993 she earned the silver medal in judo at the World Championships. Two years later she returned to the World Championships, a rare feat for any athlete, and walked away with a bronze. The following year she earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and came in seventh at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. "It was one of the best experiences of my life," she said.
Judo, however, is just one of Liliko's achievements. She earned a bachelor's degree from San Jose State University where she majored in radio, television and film, with a minor in drama. She recently recorded a pop music CD and hopes to sing and act professionally one day. "I'm always thinking about the acting," she said.
While earning a bachelor's degree, Liliko was a judo coach, which led her to counseling. "As a coach, people came to me for a lot more than just my expertise on improving their judo skills," she explained. "They would confide in me with their personal problems. I discovered I really liked helping people that way."
Having many balls in the air seems to be second nature for Liliko. But she says it all comes down to planning.
"It's important to plan time for all the different aspects of your life and to make sure you have time to relax with your friends and not to get too stressed out," she said. "Careful planning helps, too, when you have a busy schedule. It's like a juggling act."