Stockton student to compete at junior karate championships in Mexico City
Clive Justin Cariaso is a 13-year old eighth grader at Aspire Benjamin Holt Middle School in Stockton.
He is also a member of the Junior US Karate Team that will compete at the Junior PKF Karate Championships in Mexico City, Aug. 22-28.
"It was like it was a surreal, I didn't know how to feel," Cariaso said. " The day after there was a meeting for plans for Mexico for the US team and I was like 'WowI I didn't think I would ever come here.' "
Chester Cariaso, Clive’s father, has a mix of emotions seeing his son's success.
“I was excited for him because this is what we've been training for — this is what he's been training for, this is what he wants, this is his goal,” he said. But there was also a bit of fear of the unknown because this is the first time anyone from Chester's dojo has represented team USA.
Clive Cariaso trains at Senshuken Karate a small nonprofit dojo just off of West Harding Way, Stockton.
Richard and Sharon Camacho started the school in 2014 as a way to provide a space for students of all background to explore and learn Shotokan style karate, a style of karate developed from various martial arts by Gichin and Gigo Funakoshi.
Senshuken Karate had 12 students compete at the 2022 USA National Karate Championships & Team Trials in Spokane. The team won nine medals; two golds, four silvers, and three bronze.
Cariaso won a silver in the 1213-year-old -50 Kilogram Elite Division, and with it, a spot on the Jr. USA Karate team.
The Camachos said they see teaching at the dojo as part of their ministry and their training includes having students learn Bible verses in order to advance to the next rank.
“The first one that our kids learn is: ‘Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rocks,’ ” Sharon Camacho said. This first lesson helps build a foundation for students both in karate and in life.
“You have to have a strong foundation so that when all these things happen in life, you're still in a calm place and you're not going to break down,” she said. “ In karate, for you not to fall and get killed, the way you stand determines whether you fall or if you stand and keep fighting.”
Cariaso and his son were one of the first families to join the dojo. Clive was 6 years old when he started training at Senshuken Karate. He is honing his skills as the big championship approaches.
“I’ll be working on a lot of explosive speed drills and in the past two months my leg speed has doubled,” Cariaso said.
Senshuken Karate plans to hold a fundraiser this month to help the Cariaso family with the costs of the trip to Mexico.
“Sensei Richard and I as I said this is our ministry but we have a day job so we are able to sustain ourselves and help us do our part for the community by having the dojo,” Sharon Camacho said. “So it takes everybody’s participation.”
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton student makes junior US Karate Team to compete in Mexico City
