The Fresno Experience

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” – Bruce Lee

Why do we train so hard, day in and day out? Why do our coaches push us to the limit, physically and mentally, every training day? Why should we give more than 100% every, single, time?

Simple — because the hallmarks of a Quest student are “strong in mind, body, and spirit.” The only way to achieve those is through hard work and perseverance.

However… what if all we do is train, and that was it? This, my friends, is why we compete. Competition is not just about winning. Competition is an essential part of an athlete’s growth – in ability and in character.

And so, this past April 1st and 2nd, the Quest Fight Team took to Fresno for the USAT State Qualifiers with high hopes. They accepted the challenge – disciplining themselves first, in order to make weight, then using the skills they’ve been mastering for months…

As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist, considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era) once said, “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”

While most of our athletes were “veterans” and some were “first-timers” to the Quest Team and the State tournament, each match was hard fought – with new lessons learned. Each athlete now knows better. And they continue to train and learn so that they may apply what they know, next time. They are willing to train hard now, so that when they get back on the mat, they will do what they do best – win!

2017 USAT State Qualifiers: Final Rankings

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[rara_column span=”1″]Reian Challoy – Silver[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]Reinjen Challoy – Bronze[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]Rianna Challoy – Silver[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]Tyler Tabil – Silver[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]RJ Moore – Silver[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]Sachi Moore – Bronze[/rara_column]
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[rara_column span=”1″]Clare Trinh – Silver[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]Nick Alejo – Silver[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”2″]Master Manny Gildo – Gold[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]Kamille Carbon – Gold[/rara_column]
[rara_column span=”1″]Maria Kaiser – Gold[/rara_column]
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Special praise goes to our young athletes, Chloe Tabil and David Johnston, for training hard and fighting even harder. With strong spirits and determination, they persevered until the end. And while they accepted their results in good sportsmanship, we know they will make an awesome comeback someday soon. Chloe and David, we are proud of you!