Sports

Fremont High's Phillip Tran Exploding Stereotypes

Read on to find out more about the 10th-grade quarterback.

Phillip Tran has been doubted before.

He’s an Asian-American quarterback in a sport dominated by non-Asians. He’s been playing the position for years, ever since his father Nathan was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer (it’s in remission now).

So given the scrutiny, why should it have fazed the Fremont High quarterback when hardly anyone gave his Firebirds a chance last Friday when they hosted mighty Wilcox of Santa Clara? Apparently it didn’t, as the sophomore threw for five touchdowns in a 35-19 victory.

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That’s all in a night’s work for Phillip who has passed for more than 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns with only two intercepted in leading Fremont to a 9-0 record.

“Everybody doubted us,” Tran said. “We knew we had to come out here and execute. We struggled in the beginning, but at the end of the day we pulled off a win.”

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Yeah it did. And Tran was the catalyst. He’s the 10th-grader with Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese blood who has had cynics telling him what he can’t do from the time he was 8.

“It’s not a sport many Asians play,” Nathan said. “I feel like I need to play to higher standards, otherwise I’ll be doubted.”

Just two Asians of note have played quarterback for multi years in the NFL -- Roman Gabriel (Filipino and white) of the old Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles and the more recent Timmy Chang (Chinese) who played for four teams.

But there are more kids who resemble Phillip playing the sport now then ever before, what with Tran’s city of Sunnyvale and nearby communities like Cupertino and Los Altos populated heavily by Asian families. Most memorable was Fremont’s victory against Woodside in a non-league game. The Wildcats were quarterbacked by Robert Wang, a Chinese-American. Some may not have even paid attention, but Phillip Tran’s father, Nathan, did.

“It was (noticed),” said Nathan who is 100 percent Vietnamese-American. “But when I mentioned it to Phillip his reaction was ‘Oh dad, he doesn’t play defense so it doesn’t matter what I do or he does. I’m not playing against him.’”

For more on the unbeaten Fremont High football team and its phenom of a quarterback Nathan Tran, please read his story on Prep2Prep.com HERE.


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