A gold medal victory in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has earned Santa Rosa Academy eighth grader Caleb Garcia a place on the U.S. Cadet Kyorugi National Taekwondo Team.
The Menifee resident earned a spot on the coveted team by defeating top-ranked athletes from across the country after years of training at Quest Taekwondo in Temecula with Menifee resident Master Walter Dean Vargas. The achievement places Garcia among the nation’s top athletes in his age and weight class and opens the door to international competition representing Team USA.
Vargas, a 1992 Barcelona Olympic quarterfinalist, a 1993 World Taekwondo Championships bronze medalist, and a World Championship Philippines coach, has trained Garcia for about four years in the Olympic sport of taekwondo.
He said while traditional taekwondo emphasizes life skills such as self-discipline, focus and confidence, Olympic-style competition takes place under strict rules in a point-based combat format, something Garcia has trained hard to master.
“Caleb is a hard worker. I think one of his special weapons is resilience,” Vargas said. “He never gives up. Whether the results are in our favor or not, he goes back to the drawing board the next day.”
The student-athlete said he trains daily for multiple hours, often going straight to the studio after school and training into the evening.
As a young child, Garcia said watching Spider-Man movies inspired him to pursue taekwondo. Today, that spark is joined by admiration for Vargas’ achievements, as well as his humble and respectful attitude.
“Someday I want to be known and respected. That’s what motivates me to do this, even at a young age,” Garcia said.
Before competing in Tulsa, Garcia competed in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and trained in the Philippines with high-level athletes, focusing on strength and stamina. In addition to his regular training, Garcia felt this preparation gave him the edge to defeat his opponents.
The gold medalist said he was proud of himself after earning a place on the national team and acknowledged what it means to represent the U.S. on a national stage.
“It’s an honor to represent the U.S.,” he said. “It’s not just my team that I’m representing, it’s the whole country.”
Even with a packed schedule, the young competitor also excels academically, receiving superintendent scholar recognition for outstanding academic performance and earning high marks on California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System assessments.
In his free time, Garcia enjoys riding his bike, playing with LEGO bricks, and sharpening his science and math skills. He said he hopes to earn a taekwondo scholarship in the future to continue his momentum in the sport and “be the best.”
“No matter what, he is already a winner,” Vargas said. “The future looks bright. There’s more to come.”
As Garcia prepares to represent the U.S. internationally in Canada and Brazil, local supporters can help him continue training and competing through his GoFundMe page here.
