October 2022 Issue

B2 Sports
Read The Californian online at www.thecalifornianpaper.com Thursday, October 13, 2022
Flora and Zora bring home the gold
Junior Zora Choi and sophomore Flora Dixit
compete at Teakwondo World Championship
Anvi Kataria
and Yinning Xie
Staff Writers
Feeling as if they were holding
Captain America’s shield with the
American flag on their backs, junior
Zora Choi and sophomore Flora Dixit
were presented with their team events
medal, quite an accomplishment consider
where they were last summer.
Choi and Dixit competed for the
USA Junior Girls Team at the International
Taekwon-Do Foundation (ITF)
World Championship from July 29-31
in the Netherlands.
Choi earned six medals, including
gold in specialty techniques (different
variations of high kick) and silver in
individual patterns (a set of techniques
in a sequence). Choi was awarded the
most medals on Team USA.
“I really enjoy competing,” Choi
said. “[I] get that adrenaline rush.”
Dixit received five medals, including
a bronze individual medal for special
techniques.
Team USA earned a gold medal in
specialty techniques, silver medals
for patterns (set of techniques in a
sequence with multiple people in sync)
and power breaking (ability to break
boards using hand and leg techniques),
and a bronze for sparring (fighting).
“[The tournament] was by far one of
my biggest achievements,” Dixit said.
Dixit has been training in taekwondo,
a traditional Korean martial art,
since she was four years old, while
Choi has been involved with the sport
since she was in fourth grade.
To earn spots on the team, Dixit and
Choi had to compete at a qualifier in
Houston, where each studio sent its
top on March 26. In Houston, Choi
and Dixit had to place among the top
three in each division and have coaches
select them for the team.
There were only seven girls chosen
for the junior girls’ team.
When Choi was chosen for the team
she actually felt surprised that she
earned a spot. A few names later, Dixit
was announced for the team as well.
Both girls were excited and happy that
they qualified for the team together.
When selected for the events team,
Choi and Dixit couldn’t believe that
they both got selected. Dixit said it was
great that they both got selected (and
other girls from their studio) because it
brought more unity to the team.
Dixit said Team USA had a very
strong bond with her teammates and
Photo courtesy of Chuen Choi
Zora Choi practices a kick during the Taekwon-Do World Championships.
played “High School Musical” songs
during practice to help bring the team
even closer together.
During the competition, Dixit went
up against competitors from different
countries, including ones in the Netherlands,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Italy,
Argentina, Spain, and Malaysia. She
said that Argentina was the hardest
country to compete against because its
team was government-funded.
Choi also went against some challenging
countries in the tournament.
“Argentina was a big one [competitor]”
Choi said.
Monte Vista junior Saran Nagubandi,
a member of the USA Junior Boys
Team, met Choi several years ago at
Jue’s Taekwon-Do and said she’s very
diligent in her training.
“[Choi] is the most hardworking
person I know,” Nagubandi said.
Choi started training through San
Ramon taekwon-do programs before
joining her current studio, Jue’s Taekwon-Do
in the Market Place, which
she really likes. Dixit started training
because she had a lot of energy and
someone had recommended having
her officially join a studio.
“[Taekwon-do] was just a way that
I could just spend my time and I made
a lot of friends,” Dixit said.
While Dixit moved to Jue’s Taekwon-Do
about four years ago, Choi
was actually one of the first students
to join the studio. Dixit moved to Jue’s
Taekwon-Do as a first-degree black belt
and is now a second-degree. Choi also
is a second-degree black belt.
“[Dixit] is very diligent in her training,”
Derek Leung, one of her instructors
at Jue’s Taekwon-Do, said. “She
came as a black belt. It took her a long
time to become a second-degree black
belt, but she didn’t give up so she has
a lot of perseverance in her training.”
Dixit worked very hard throughout
her taekwon-do training and is currently
debating whether to go to the next
world championship to see if she has
improved. She is also working toward
her next belt, a third-degree black belt,
and is hoping to potentially teach others
in the future.
Choi is hoping to compete in the
Taekwon-Do World Cup next summer
which she said is rumored to be in
South Korea.
One of Choi’s mentors, Val Leung,
motivated Choi the most to keep on
training.
“She is one of those people where
you teach it once, and it will stick to her,
and she will always try to implement
that in everything she does,” Leung,
an instructor from Jue’s Taekwon-Do,
said. “So you see her consistently trying
to improve herself and [get] better.”
Chad Ross takes over as new athletic director
Photo courtesy of Chuen Choi
Flora Dixit, left, and Zora Choi, far right, pose at Taekwon-Do World Championships this summer. The girls helped
the USA Junior Girls Team four medals at the international competition, including a gold medal in specialty
techniques. Choi earned six individual medals, while Dixit earned five medals.
Marcus Chalasani
and Andrew Chen
Staff Writers
New athletic director Chad Ross was
getting sports scholarships as a Grizzly
before iPhones existed.
Now as Cal High’s athletic director,
Ross supports student-athletes and
coaches to ensure the school’s athletic
programs are a positive representation
of the Grizzlies. Ross also works behind
the scenes scheduling practices
and games on campus, answering any
questions parents or athletes may have,
and constantly working to improve the
athletic program.
Ross’s goal for Cal is to build a
culture that uplifts athletes to achieve
their potential. He aims for Cal to be
viewed as a school filled with athletes
who show dedication, a passion for
sports and demonstrate sportsmanship
at the highest level. And one day, he
knows Cal will become just that.
¨I feel like I can give back to a place
that gave so much for myself,¨ Ross explained
about his new job opportunity.
Athletic directors are responsible for
making sure every team has enough
funding, practices are schedules, and
much more. Traits Ross picked up as
a student athlete help him manage all
these responsibilities for all of Cal’s
athletic teams.
Ross was a star athlete for both the
baseball and basketball teams during
his time at Cal. After graduating in
2001 and attending Oklahoma City
University on a baseball scholarship,
Ross coached baseball at several colleges
and high schools, including Cal
(2012 - 2014) and San Ramon Valley
(2021 - 2022) high schools. He also
coached at Lewis and Clark College
in Portland, Ore., (2015-2017), Chabot
College in Hayward (2009 - 2012), and
for multiple travel ball organizations.
Ross said he learned a lot from being
around other coaches and mentors
all of these years. He learned how to
teach, motivate, organize, and build a
competitive and positive team culture,
all elements he hopes to bring to Cal
as an athletic director.
“I think what stood out for me with
him is that he had a fair perspective
of women’s and men’s sports,” said
assistant principal Rhonda Taft, who
oversees athletics. “Ross communicates
very well, He will tell us, ‘Hey,
the girls have a game tonight’, and that
helps a lot because we get so busy.”
From as early as elementary school,
Ross found a passion for sports. Eventually,
his passion brought him to the
various sports offered at Cal, where
his dedication and talent truly began
Chad Ross became Cal High’s new athletic director in August.
to shine.
“Ross was an amazing pick for baseball
as he was talented. He could hit the
ball and spray it around the field,” said
current Cal golf coach Mike Pottinger,
who was Ross’s former baseball and
basketball coach. “In basketball, it was
his leadership and raw talent.”
But being a star student-athlete came
with its challenges. Ross said he found
himself juggling between his social life,
sports and academics.
“I think it’s important to know that
everybody is going to have those time
Photo by Christine Wang
management issues,” Ross said. “And
have those hectic days, I remember
them vividly.”
It’s common for Grizzlies to feel
overwhelmed and stressed from the
various classes and extracurriculars
they may be involved with. Ross
believes that everyone has different
ways of finding success during busy
times. His method for dealing with time
management issues is quite effective
and simple.
“You should have a really good support
system,” Ross said. “For example,
let me call this person, or let’s go get
pizza with that person. Introducing that
support system is crucial for people
struggling with balancing their additional
responsibilities.”
During his time in school Ross
found that focusing on himself instead
of others elevated him to new heights.
During his high school basketball tryouts,
Ross focused on himself instead
of worrying about whether or not others
would make it on the team and where
he ranks among them.
“All you can do is just focus on
how you perform to the best of your
ability and then let them fall where
they should,” Ross said. “I think too
many people are caught up playing the
numbers game.”
From his past experiences as a Grizzly,
Ross decided to become an athletic
director at his old highschool because
he hoped he could make a difference.
His passion for Cal is evident through
his diligent work ethic and cheerful
attitude towards everyone.
“I love the people at Cal,” Ross
said. “They are so welcoming and
open-minded, I feel like my colleagues
are committed to helping out students.”
Ross knows that he has a strong
support system behind him because
his colleagues are dedicated to the
well-being of students at Cal.