Framingham People: Black Belt, Kickboxer Allison Manzella

FRAMINGHAM, MA—Framingham Patch reached out and asked readers to "tell us your story." We'll feature interesting people doing interesting things in town. Today, we talk to Allison Manzella.

For just about eight years, Allison Manzella has been the program director at Metrowest Academy in Natick, and it's become like a second home to her. A self-proclaimed "100 percent tomboy," it's rare for her to dress up and put makeup on (but she says its nice to do so sometimes). Artistic to the core, she loves art of all kinds-including music. Anzella shoots photos professionally, as well.

"You would most likely see me playing sports rather than watching them, because I love getting my hands dirty," said Manzella. "I am pretty competitive, but also caring, and loyal person. Most importantly I have never wanted to be anything more than myself, even at a young age."

At 27, she was born and raised in Framingham, and now owns a home there herself.

"I do not have any kids myself, but jokingly say I have about 200 through the Academy," said Manzella. "I love dogs, and will one day have a few, once I get a bigger house. I like to do little side things such as coach a middle school ice hockey team, or help run the before school program called BOKs at an elementary school in Natick. Really, I like to stay busy, and don't do well with downtime."

A sensei of Jiu Jitsu at Metrowest Academy, Manzella is also a certified group fitness instructor for the HIIT Kickboxing classes.

An avid hockey player, Manzella hit the ice at age 3 and continued playing through most of her freshman year of college. That year at UMass Boston didn't quite pan out, so she quit the team and moved home. The move proved instrumental in her foray into kickboxing.

"I was not in the best mindset and I needed some kind of physical activity. I am an active and athletic person, so not having an outlet was tough. I mentioned to my mom that I wanted to do kickboxing. My sister-in-law overheard our conversation, laughed and said 'you would not last one week kickboxing.' Well, challenge accepted, and I have been a student of the Metrowest Academy ever since August 2010. I became a Certified Instructor in February 2014, and earned my 1st degree black belt in June 2016. I would say I won that bet!"

While she initially started in the kickboxing class, she got involved with Jiu Jitsu because of Sensei Paul (the owner and head instructor at the Metrowest Academy). After Kickboxing one night, he told Manzella she should try Jiu Jitsu.

"I fell in love with the martial art itself, almost instantly," said Manzella. "I thought it was so beautiful but destructive all at the same time. In addition to the art, I also fell in love with the 'way of life' and the small lessons it has taught me that has had a huge impact on my personality today."

Manzella fell in love with the art so much that she's since achieved black belt status, which is no easy feat.

"I think what really helped me earn my black belt," she said, "was not only my own goals and aspirations but also the support team I had. Sensei Paul knows exactly how to push someone physically and mentally and I also had an amazing team of friends that made the hard training days a little more enjoyable. It is always the challenges and the things we overcome that make us who we are. I don’t think I would be the same person I am today if I was not a black belt."

In 2007, her passion for photography started during a photography class, which kicked up again when she started working at Metrowest Academy.

"I would always volunteer to take pictures at any event or belt promotion," said Manzella. "In addition, I would always take any kind of camera and use it at family events, gatherings, snow days, rainy days, anytime I could get my hands on a camera. Eventually, in 2013 my family got sick of me stealing their cameras and so they gifted me one. Everyday since I got my Canon Rebel t3i it been by my side. I have upgraded my tools since then, but my sidekick is always ready to rock and roll."

That may be enough for most. It may be enough to be a black belt, photographer and kickboxer. Manzella also just started pursuing her masters in psychology, she says, to better understand the human process and cognitive function. She has, under her (black) belt, a bachelor's in criminology.

"One of the main reasons I really wanted to earn my masters is to be able to add and apply some more knowledge on a self-defense level," she said.

A little more than two years ago, she helped introduce a "Warrior Women" class to help prepare women in the area of potential threats.

"As instructors, we are constantly improving and adapting the course so that the women we teach can be better protected and better informed," she said. "The forensic science will help me understand the mental state of predators, help me understand if someone is a violent risk, or even the motivational factors for criminals depending on the types of crimes they commit (not all predators are created equal)."

Have you got a story to tell? News? Reach out to us at charlene.arsenault@patch.com.

Photo submitted, used with permission