DV honors student also a martial arts scholar

When Brett Fabian sits down at a video game console he isn't being a teenage couch potato.

He's in training.

The Desert Vista sophomore earned his martial arts black belt a little over a year ago and he says playing video games have helped hone his skills.

"I play a lot of video games," Fabian admits, almost sheepishly. "I think it's made me better at karate because of the reaction time. It doesn't help with the physical aspect, but seeing something come at you and being able to react helps a lot."

Fabian playing video games is common among most black belt athletes.

"And they seem to have better reaction time than others," he said.

Earlier this year Fabian was awarded the Arizona Public Service Power Player Award, symbolic of individuals who demonstrate exceptional character and sportsmanship in the annual Olympic-style Grand Canyon Games.

He has participated in 11 consecutive Games and earned nine medals, including two gold.

In addition to video games, some of that skill has been acquired over eight years at Rick Savagian's Mountainside Martial Arts Center in Ahwatukee Foothills and is almost instinctive.

"You have to learn all the moves to get your black belt so well that it comes naturally to you," Fabian explained. "If you don't, you can get hurt."

Despite being a form of combat, Fabian has never been hurt in the ring.

"I've been hit hard, but that's pretty much understood when you get into it," he explained. "One you get your black belt it gets pretty intense. Some guys come in as notorious power hitters and that can be intimidating.

Fabian was introduced to the sport through a friend while he was in the first grade.

"He was showing me a brown belt he earned in karate and I kind of got interested in it," he said. "I just sort of picked it up from there."

His friend eventually lost interest and Fabian almost did too at one time. "After I got my brown belt I got bored with karate," he admitted.

His parents encouraged him to stay with it.

"Now I love every minute of it," he said. "I can't get enough of it."

Competition keeps it fresh and challenging.

Last spring at a tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah, Fabian didn't have any competition in his age group and asked Savagian if he could move up to the men's over-18 adult division.

"I told him he was nuts," Savagian recalled. "Here was a 14-year-old wanting to compete in a men's division."

When Fabian's parent approved, Savagian agreed, then held his breath.

"He comes off the line and scores a point right off the bat against a guy who was an experienced fighter," Savagian said. "I started thinking, ‘Wow, that's pretty cool.' He eventually lost 2-1 but he never backed down and that was pretty impressive. He's really courageous."

Competition like that encounter helps keep Fabian sharp.

"You learn a lot when you go to competitions," Fabian said. "It's interesting to watch other people's fighting styles. You have a certain way you do stuff, then you look at people who beat you and think, ‘Oh, yeah, this is what they used against me. Maybe I'll try that next time.'"

Fabian carries a 3.8 GPA in the Honors curriculum at Desert Vista. He also plays electric and acoustic guitar.

"Above and beyond karate he's an academically brilliant kid with an out-going, fun personality," Savagian said. "He's really been a pleasure to teach."

And no one tells him to get off the couch.