Black Belt Testing — Veronica Rodriguez and Luciano Astete, 1st Dan Black Belt; Francisco Ramis and Oscar Garcia, 2nd Dan Black Belt. Courtesy photo

RENO, NV (MPG) - Champions aren't made in one weekend. They are built through discipline, consistency, hard work and the determination to keep showing up.

That commitment was proudly represented by the students and instructors of Robinson's Taekwondo Galt at the 70th UWTA Black Belt Testing & National Championship in Reno, Sept. 25–26. The event drew competitors and candidates from across the United States for two days of testing, sparring, forms, and celebration — and the Galt team arrived ready to represent the work they had put in long before the first whistle blew.

“Our students train three to five days every week, developing their skills through countless hours of practice, repetition, correction, and perseverance,” said Master Instructor Connie Hilaman.

In Reno, that dedication turned into an impressive weekend of new Black Belts, National Championship placements, tournament victories and prestigious instructor and competitor honors. What the scoreboard recorded over two days was simply the visible portion of a commitment that had been building for years.

UWTA Kickoff Tournament — Jorge Ramos, Luciano Astete, Fernanda Rivera, Francisco Ramis, Veronica Rodriguez, and Alexis Ortega (not pictured). Courtesy photo

Four new black belt achievements

Veronica Rodriguez — 1st Dan Black Belt

Luciano Astete — 1st Dan Black Belt

Francisco Ramis — 2nd Dan Black Belt

Oscar Garcia — 2nd Dan Black Belt

According to Robnson’s Taekwondo, a Black Belt is more than a rank. It represents the discipline to train when training is difficult, the humility to learn from correction, and the determination to continue improving year after year. For Veronica and Luciano, the weekend marked the beginning of a new chapter as first-degree Black Belts. For Francisco and Oscar, it marked the next step — a second-degree promotion that reflects not only technical growth but maturity, patience, and a willingness to be held to a higher standard.

Every one of those four belts was earned in the same way: one class at a time, one correction at a time, one practice at a time.

National Championships — Jorge Ramos, Francisco Ramis, Fernanda Rivera, Victoria Rivera, and Alexis Ortega (not pictured). Courtesy photo

National championship results

Jorge Ramos — 1st Place, 18 & Over Black Belt Male Sparring

Jorge Ramos — 2nd Place, 15–17 Black Belt Male Sparring

Francisco Ramis — 2nd Place, 13–14 Black Belt Male Sparring

Fernanda Rivera — 3rd Place, 9–10 Black Belt Female Sparring

Victoria Rivera — Competed, 11–12 Black Belt Female Division

Alexis Ortega — 1st Place, 18 & Over Poomsae (not pictured)

Jorge Ramos delivered one of the standout performances of the weekend, taking first place in the 18 & Over Black Belt Male Sparring division and adding a second-place finish in the 15–17 Black Belt Male Sparring division. He entered both divisions — two different age groups on the same national stage — and reached the podium in both. Francisco Ramis fought his way to second place in a deep 13–14 Black Belt Male Sparring bracket, while Fernanda Rivera earned third place in the 9–10 Black Belt Female Sparring division. Victoria Rivera stepped onto the floor in the 11–12 Black Belt Female division, gaining valuable championship experience against elite competition. Alexis Ortega claimed first place in 18 & Over Poomsae, capping the weekend with a national title in forms.

UWTA kickoff tournament results

Jorge Ramos — 1st Place, 18 & Over Black Belt Male Sparring

Luciano Astete — 1st Place, 9–10 Black Belt Male Sparring

Luciano Astete — 2nd Place, Rapid Kick, 9–10

Fernanda Rivera — 2nd Place, 11–12 Black Belt Female Sparring

Francisco Ramis — 3rd Place, 15–17 Black Belt Male Sparring

Veronica Rodriguez — 3rd Place, 31–45 Black Belt Female Sparring

Alexis Ortega — 1st Place, Black Belt Women's Poomsae

The Kickoff Tournament added another layer of hardware to the weekend. Jorge Ramos took first place in 18 & Over Black Belt Male Sparring, and Alexis Ortega won Black Belt Women's Poomsae. Luciano Astete, fresh off his 1st Dan promotion, won first place in 9–10 Black Belt Male Sparring and added second place in Rapid Kick — a strong debut in the Black Belt divisions. Fernanda Rivera earned second place in 11–12 Black Belt Female Sparring, while Francisco Ramis took third in 15–17 Black Belt Male Sparring and Veronica Rodriguez took third in 31–45 Black Belt Female Sparring, stepping into competition in her new rank and leaving with a medal.

Fatima Rivera, Instructor of the Year, and Jorge Ramos, Competitor of the Year and Instructor of the Year. Courtesy photo

Excellence in leadership

The weekend ended with even more reason to celebrate at the 70th Black Belt Testing Celebration Awards at the Reno Ballroom, where two Robinson's Taekwondo Galt instructors received outstanding recognition.

Fatima Rivera — Instructor of the Year

Jorge Ramos — Competitor of the Year & Instructor of the Year

These achievements demonstrate what consistent training can produce. Instructor of the Year is not awarded for a single strong performance; it is recognition of the daily work of teaching — the patience to break down a technique for the tenth time, the eye to catch a small correction, and the consistency to hold students to a standard while still making them want to come back tomorrow. Jorge Ramos's dual recognition as both Competitor of the Year and Instructor of the Year is a rare combination: the same person who steps onto the floor and wins is also the one standing on the side of it, preparing the next generation to do the same.

“People see the medals and the Black Belts, but they don't see the Tuesday nights, the early Saturdays, and the hundreds of small corrections that came before any of it. Our students train three to five days a week — not because it's easy, but because that is what it takes. Dedication is what creates champions. The trophies are just the receipt,” said Master Instructor Connie Hilaman.

That philosophy is the thread running through everything the school does. At Robinson's Taekwondo Galt, students don't simply learn how to kick and spar. Through regular training, they are challenged to develop discipline, perseverance, confidence, focus, respect, and the work ethic to pursue meaningful goals — qualities that follow them out of the dojang and into school, work, and life.

The medals are exciting. The Black Belts are milestones. The awards are an honor.

But the greatest achievement is developing students who understand that success must be earned.

To every student who tested, every competitor who stepped onto the floor, and every instructor who helped prepare them: congratulations. Your accomplishments are a reflection of the hours you invested, the challenges you overcame, and your commitment to becoming better with every practice. To the families who drove to class on the days it would have been easier to stay home, and who made the trip to Reno to cheer from the stands — thank you. None of this happens without you.

Reno was a weekend to remember. But the work that made it possible happened long before September, and it will continue long after — in the same room, with the same standard, one student at a time.