My name is Francisco "Kiko" Pancho Monroy Medrano IV. In 2012, when I was seven
years old, I began my fundamental training at Park's Martial Arts with Grand Master James
Parks in Mesquite, Texas. My parents and I explored various martial arts establishments in
Mesquite. Among them, Park's Martial Arts stood out to us due to Grand Master Park's
personalized instruction, innovative teaching techniques, and his dedication to ensuring both
students and parents feel embraced within the community.
I earned my First Dan back in the summer of 2016 and just a few days later, I broke my
foot. I really wanted to explore what it felt like to be a Black Belt that summer but God had other
plans for me. (To this day it still bothers me as I know it will never fully recover. That’s why I
pound the ball of my foot on the ground during poomsae sometimes because it’s aching just as
badly as the day I broke it but only can I power through with the Glory and Grace of God).
Around two to three years later I returned to the dojang, now a heaping giant hovering over
Grand Master Park. I walked into his office and he of course gave me the traditional greeting
with a shocked jaw dropping expression, “Long Time No See.” After this long awaited meeting I
informed him that I would like to continue training but also wanted to really focus on weapons.
Through God’s timing, he told me he was already bringing in a Black Belt in weapons training,
Master Kim from Korea. It was an honor and a privilege to train with him all summer. Thank you
Master Kim for encouraging me to persevere through Taekwondo after a long three dormant
years without Taekwondo…and for teaching me a little Korean. After that summer I trained long
and tireless hours both academically and physically. I was in the best shape of my life and even
qualified for Sport and Traditional poomsae and weapons in Nationals in Las Vegas. But those
long and tireless hours caused me to tear my hamstring. I had just qualified for nationals and
now, I had two options: give up and quit or deal with the constant thought of GM Park yapping
in my head, “Winners Never Quit.” I still underwent many hours of training alongside several
hours of physical therapy a day. I knew what I wanted and had the determination to Do My Best
because I know that “I can do All Things through Christ which Strengthens me.” Now
determination doesn't guarantee anything but it certainly is the greatest healing factor to
negativity along with consistency. After having just finished my poomsae in sport, I went to sit
back down because in the middle of it I had sprained my torn hamstring really badly. I heard a
loud pop but I knew I had to keep going because this was an amazing opportunity I couldn’t pass
up. While sitting down in pain, two kids, one who won first place in semi and finals and another
kid who made top five, came up to me telling me how good of a job I did because they could tell
I wasn’t so proud of myself and they were impressed when I told them I had torn my hamstring a
couple weeks ago. They gave me a lot of validation in that moment and even though I didn’t
place, I was still better than myself the day before at least emotionally because I had the courage
to do what most quitters would’ve done…Quit. So, I asked them both for a few tips and advice
for the future. To this day I still text them for help. Nationals overall was definitely an
educational-vacational trip because even though I didn’t win anything, as the youngest in my
bracket, I still placed 68% (percentile) and that was an achievement in my eyes. I came back
home not with my head sulking but with my head lifted way up high and with more knowledge
than when I had left. This is the reason I do Taekwondo, for the brotherhood, knowledge, and
self-control.
I would now like to thank a few of my fellow Black Belt Instructors that I have
encountered over the years that have pushed me and molded me into the person I am today:
Master Ollie, Master Jose, Master Ross, Master Thu, Master Dillard, Master Elva, Master
Tweety, Master Ted, Master Brandon, both Master Kims (from Korea), Mrs. Moon, Mrs. Becky,
Mrs. Rebecca, Ms. Morgan, Mrs. Wagener, Mr. Juan, and also to my dear Black Belt friends:
Elizabeth, Jojo, Diego, Andrew, Kylie, Brandon, Wyatt, Jade, Vivian, Arianna, Zoe and Zane and
to any of those whom I did not mention or forgot the names of, but your face and many lessons
still remain in me to this day. Most importantly thank you to my mom and dad for giving me the
opportunity to learn this skill that most don’t get the honor of having and for all the tireless days
of taking me to practice and testing days all those years ago. ¡Te amo mucho mis padres!
After receiving my Fourth Dan, as many of you know, I will be leaving Park’s Martial
Arts for the next four years as I head to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, where I plan to
continue in their Taekwondo and Boxing Clubs. I look forward to returning during the holidays
and continuing my training with Grand Master James Park. You have been a valuable teacher,
coach, mentor, and most importantly a father figure. Thank you Master James Park for everything.
Today, I not only test for being the youngest Master at Park’s Martial Arts but also test
my physical, mental, and spiritual ability to push through any wild obstacles that Taekwondo or
life itself may throw in my face. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past 12 years in
Taekwondo, it was that this sport was never about comparing oneself to another but simply about
comparing oneself to yourself. I may not be the best in the studio past, present, nor future but
none of that matters because the only thing that DOES matter is if I was better than myself than
the day before. My biggest enemy is myself and that’s why I endure tumultuous hardships and
have the desire to practice any chance I can get with Grand Master Park because he taught me
this valuable lesson from an early age, “Quitters Never Win and Winners Never Quit.