CRANBERRYTWP— Triplets who kick together stick together.

Perhaps that's the motto of Scotty, Jonnie Lynn and Jamie Lee Poepoe, 8-year-old triplets and the children of John and Lisa Poepoe of Cranberry Township.

The triplets earned their first-degree black belts on April 23 at Young Brothers Tae Kwon-Do Institute in Ross Township. They've been training under Master Robert Zang at Young Brothers in Cranberry since they were 5.

Their mother earned her first-degree black belt the same day. Their older sister Jessie, who turns 10 this month, earned her second-degree black belt that day as well.

"I'm proud of them,"Jessie Poepoe said. "It makes me feel happy to see them (get the black belts). I feel like I'm the leader."

Lisa Poepoe said she and her husband, who has a green belt, decided to start Jessie in tae kwon do at age 5 to teach her self-defense.

"We wanted her to be able to physically defend herself,"she said. "When we saw the other characteristics this sport promotes, things like discipline, self-control, respect and integrity, it was easy to get all of our kids involved.

"Master Zang is a phenomenal athlete and instructor. And he's great with kids."

Zang has been with Young Brothers since 1998. He had never worked with triplets before.

"I've had some twins, a lot of families — no triplets,"he said. "But, really, it's not so uncommon to see 8-year-olds successfully testing for black belts.

"Kids are starting much younger these days. We get a lot of 4-year-olds in here and 70 percent of them make it that far."

Scotty, Jonnie Lynn and Jamie Lee have plenty in common besides sharing a birthday. They're on the swim team together at the Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford, they play indoor and outdoor soccer, take piano lessons and attend religionclasses as a trio.

All three are beginning to assist Master Zang in teaching the beginners as well.

"They want to be assistant instructors,"Zang said. "They've been asking me about it.

"As a family, they are all very dedicated to the sport. They come here together all the time."

Lisa Poepoe hopes it stays that way.

"I know the kids are going to develop separate interests,"she said. "Scotty wants to play football, Jamie's into basketball and Jonnie Lynn wants to be a ballerina.

"This (tae kwon do) can be a constant for our family. We come here three nights a week together. We train together. I hope it stays that way for a very long time."

If Jessie has anything to do with it, it will.

"I really like it,"she said. "I'm going to keep doing it for as long as I can."

A group fitness instructor at Oxford Athletic Club and a flight attendant, Lisa Poepoe didn't begin tae kwon do herself when she signed up Jessie.

"Even when I was signing up the triplets, I figured I didn't have time for it,"she admitted. "Then again, I wasn't going to just sit there and watch."

John Poepoe owns an insurance business and doesn't get to train as often as his wife and daughters.

"Their parents are very supportive,"Zang said. "I think all four of these kids will go far."

And they will do so with politeness and discipline.

"Kids are kids and ours have their anxious, sometimes wild moments like anybody else,"Lisa Poepoe said. "But more and more, I'm hearing 'Yes ma'am' responses at home.

"I just smile and think to myself ... this stuff is paying off."