Champions Rise at The 2025 Kickstart Kids State Championship Tournament
MISSOURI CITY, TX — On May 3, 2025, under beautiful Texas skies, the energy inside Hopson Field House was electric as hundreds of Kickstart Kids students from across the Lone Star State gathered to compete in the 2025 State Championship Tournament. The event marked the thrilling culmination of a year-long journey of hard work, discipline, and perseverance.
To earn their place at State, students first competed in the Fall Qualifier, had a second chance at the Spring Qualifier, and then advanced through their Regional Championships. Their final stage, State Championship, is where the best of the best come to shine.
The day kicked off with a traditional bow-in, followed by a powerful rendition of the National Anthem. The arena buzzed with excitement as instructors from every region were introduced and honored. One of the most heartfelt moments of the morning was the presentation of the Instructor of the Year Awards, a peer-nominated honor given to those who go above and beyond for their students. Each awardee exemplifies the heart of Kickstart Kids' mission: building strong character through karate.
This year’s recipients included:
Jazmin Urquieta – Lanier Middle School (Southeast Region 1)
Roy White – Sugarland Middle School (Southeast Region 2)
Sidney Banuelos – Tippit Middle School (Central Texas)
Augustin Ayala – Rayburn Intermediate School (Brazos Valley)
Kristin Dupaquier – De Zavala Middle School (North Texas)
Mandi McIntyre – Navarrete Middle School (West Texas) *Not Pictured*
As the tournament progressed, excitement reached a new high with explosive Demo Team performances from schools who had earned their spot by placing first at their respective Martial Arts Mania/Regional Championships. The crowd was treated to high-energy, creative, and precise demonstrations from top schools: Stafford Middle School, Dulles Middle School, Tippit Middle School, and De Zavala Middle School.
After a fierce and spirited competition, Stafford Middle School emerged victorious, winning the coveted Grand Champion Award for Best Demo Team at State. Their thrilling performance, led by instructor Mr. Rommel Gargoles, had the crowd on its feet and filled their community with pride.
Following the high-energy Demo Team performances, the spotlight shifted to the main event—the competition! With all of our incredible students competing head to head and bringing their A game, eventually only a few were able to claim the Grand Champion Prize. Our official Grand Champion winners for 2025 are the following:
Beginner Grand Champion - Carl Seymour, Tippit Middle School
Intermediate Grand Champion - Josue Alegria, Stafford Middle School
Advance Grand Champion - Luis Mendoza, Burbank Middle School
Black Belt Jr. Grand Champion - Arden Pham, Stafford Middle School
Black Belt Adult Grand Champion - Lee Maturan, Bowie Middle School
The 2025 State Championship wasn’t just a competition—it was a celebration of student growth, teamwork, and the power of character-building through martial arts. Congratulations to every competitor, instructor, and supporter who made this unforgettable event a success. The future of Texas martial arts is bright—and it’s just getting started.
