P.E.
Two of our Year 6 students, Stephanie and Celeste, achieved two very important milestones over the last school holidays! While they are only 12 years old, these two girls speak and train like true athletes – read their interviews below!
Stephanie: Black Belt, Mixed Martial Arts
What happened over your holidays that was VERY exciting? “I achieved my black belt in martial arts! It was a huge milestone for me and something I had been working towards for a long time. It felt amazing to finally reach such an important goal!
My grading happened on the 7th October at my local dojo, where I’ve been training for the last six years. The grading took place in front of my instructors and fellow students, which made it even more special and a little nerve-wracking.”
How did you feel you went during your grading, Stephanie? "I was very nervous throughout the day leading up to the grading. I kept visualising and going over all the moves in my head, so I wouldn’t forget something important. Once I stepped onto the mat and started my routines, the nerves turned into excitement. I focused really hard and gave it everything I had. When it was all over, I felt a huge wave of relief and happiness—I knew I had done my best and it paid off!”
How did you feel when you were awarded with your black belt? "When my instructor handed me my black belt, I felt a rush of pride and excitement. I couldn’t stop smiling! All the late nights, tough training sessions, and even the moments when I wanted to give up had finally paid off. I felt really proud of how far I had come.”
How long have you been training in your given field? "I started martial arts training when I was just 5 years old, and I’ve been working hard for the past 6 years to earn my black belt. It’s taken a lot of time, effort, and patience, but every step of the journey taught me something valuable.”
If we wanted to achieve what you achieved, what advice do you have for us to be as successful as yourself?
“My biggest advice would be to never give up. There WILL be times when things feel difficult or you don’t feel like going to training, but sticking with it is what makes the difference. Be consistent, listen to your instructors, and always try your best in every class. Success doesn’t come overnight, but with commitment and hard work, you can achieve amazing things!”
How it started (5yo, white belt)… and how it's going (12yo, black belt!)
Celeste: Bronze Medal, National Taekwondo Titles, Adelaide
What happened over your holidays that was VERY exciting?
“During my holidays, I went to the Australian Taekwondo National Championships, held on 5th October in Adelaide. My mum and I travelled to Adelaide together by plane and met our other team mates there. Our club, Royal Empire Martial Arts, had over 50 competitors there, so I had PLENTY to support and cheers!”
How do you feel your competition went, Celeste?
“I gave it my all in the competition and I feel like I’ve done really, really well for myself during my fight to get this far!”
How did you feel when you were awarded with your medal?
“I was so excited and felt so proud of myself because I’ve trained and worked really hard to get that medal and even just to get to Nationals. I’ve been doing martial arts since I was four years old, but I’ve made the move to taekwondo in the last 6 months, so this achievement has come quite quickly in a way while not being completely new to me in the same way.”
If we wanted to achieve what you achieved, what advice do you have for us to be as successful as yourself?
“My advice to anyone who wants to do anything, taekwondo or otherwise, is to do your hardest and give your best at every chance you get. Grab every opportunity as it comes – it's another chance to improve or learn. Believing in yourself is half the battle as well – if you know that you can do it, then improvement comes much easily.”
Celeste recently came 3rd at the National Taekwondo Championships in Adelaide
Congratulations to you both, Stephanie and Celeste. We are very proud of your achievements and wish you all the best for your future sporting careers.
Kind regards,
Cara Hill
PE Teacher