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Nine standout students from Tri-Valley Karate in Pleasanton are training to test their skills against the country’s best at the 2025 Karate National Championships & U.S. Junior Team Trials next month.
Dojo owner and teacher Sanjit Mandal told the Pleasanton Weekly he is proud of the progress his young students continue to make – and he’s hoping to rally the community around the team to help support their trip to Texas, which is coming with an estimated price-tag of $10,000.
“What people don’t see is the sacrifices each makes every Saturday, over months, investing tens of hours to sweat, be pushed, endure aches, work through injuries, nausea, cramps and persistence. Getting these students to nationals is about grit, commitment, and a community that refuses to give up behind them,” Mandal said.
The national qualifiers from the dojo on Quarry Lane range in age from 9 to 16 years old: Ami Mandal, Hridyansh Gorsia, Atiriya Belagodu, Rishi Manikandan, Harshini Uppalapati, Jocelyn O’Dell, Akhila Chippada, Sai Gautam Chippada and Govardan Vadlaputi. The local students are competing in kata (forms) and kumite (fighting).
“What this journey means to me is that I’ve watched these students grow over the years, not just in skill, but in heart, cultivating the fire to become better, stronger, faster, and to win,” Mandal said. “For them to represent our dojo on a national stage demonstrates what’s possible when anyone has the support to believe in themselves and believes in others.”
He added, “As their Sensei and coach, there’s no greater reward than seeing your students rise to new levels through consistent hard work. Tournaments and nationals aren’t just about competing; it is about building unshakeable confidence that will stay with them far beyond the mat.”
The tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, runs from July 9-13 – and according to Mandal, the costs add up quickly with flights, hotels, registration fees, gear and more. The group has been pursuing food fundraisers like selling pizzas, cupcakes and cookies to dojo members and others to raise money for the trip, Mandal said, adding that he’s exploring other opportunities in the final weeks. To learn more, contact 925-272-8348.
