Adult Athlete Highlight - August

Clarisa DeHoyos – Black Belt

What got you started in martial arts?  What keeps in involved?    The reason I initially started martial arts was to learn self-defense. I began training when I was six years old and haven't looked back since. What started as a casual hobby evolved into a way of life for both my family and me. Introduced to tournaments early on, I aspired to be like the black belts winning trophies. In my nearly 30 years of training, I've discovered love, passion, discipline, character, confidence, and a new purpose in life. I've earned multiple regional, state, national, and world titles in martial arts. My family opened a martial arts school in 2004, and we recently celebrated its 20th anniversary as the top school in the valley. I continue training to deepen my knowledge, master Goju-ryu and Taekwondo, eventually achieve a tenth-degree black belt in both styles and share my expertise with future generations.

What's the most epic pre-competition meal you've ever had?  When it comes to epic post-tournament meals, pizza is my absolute go-to! I’m a total pizza lover, just like a Ninja Turtle. Even though I'm vegan, there’s no need to worry because there are some amazing vegan pizza options out there. It's my favorite!

Imagine you're giving a pep talk to your younger self just starting out in karate. What's the one piece of advice you'd give them?  Trust the process. If I could tell my younger self what I would achieve, what my goals would be now, and what the future holds, I'm sure I would be in disbelief but excited to see it all unfold. When we start something, it's difficult to envision its fruition. Whether it's hard, time-consuming, or filled with obstacles, anything worthwhile takes time. Being able to tell my younger self to hang on, keep going, and trust the process because the future will be bright would mean everything. I'm grateful I did just that and can't wait to see what else life has in store.