When I was a white belt, I didn’t really take taekwondo too seriously. I enjoyed it but didn’t really understand what I was doing too well, I just wanted to do it because my brother was doing it.

As I started moving from being a white belt beginner up to higher belt colours I started to understand more about it and how it’s important to know how to protect yourself. Even if you never need to use it, just knowing what to if something happens to you makes you feel better.

Becoming a junior black belt has made me much more confident than I was. I also feel like I have accomplished something not everyone would accomplish, it makes me feel proud of myself – that I stuck with it.

When I was a 1st kup or black tip student, I had so many moments where I doubted myself. My instructor pushed and encouraged me, he made me feel more like I could do it if I just kept going.  When I was getting closer to black belt, I had a lot of days where I wanted to quit because I really thought it would be too hard and I would never make it. Every grading was tough, but worth it. Being a junior black belt means I can be a role model for other students and help them achieve their goals – I’d like to do that. Going for a black belt is certainly hard but certainly worth it.