Where it all began with Taekwondo...

I spent the first 17 years of my life in Bundaberg. Growing up for me in Bundaberg was so simple. It is a small town, surrounded by beaches, farms and many strong and successful local businesses.

My family have a sugarcane farm. Growing up, my Brother and I would run around and "help" dad as much as we could, come home with mud in every nook and cranny!! We loved it. We were always doing something, there was never a moment we were sitting still.

My brother and I both grew up playing sports. I played football and I competed in Taekwondo. I tried dancing. A massive emphasis on "tried" haha! I can assure you I was not good at it at all!!

I started Taekwondo when I was 7, and the reason I started taekwondo was that my muscles hadn't completely developed properly. I couldn't hold a ruler properly, or write in my schoolbooks, I couldn't pull myself up on the playground like the other kids, which made primary school very difficult. I was so self-conscious and uncomfortable. I was constantly in trouble for having messy work or not doing it properly, or for being lazy, but I could not help it. I was definitely not what you would consider one of the “popular kids” and had my fair share of bullying moments because of it and my skin colour. I didn’t enjoy primary school at all.

When my parents noticed something was not right, they took me to see doctors and specialists to try and work out what they should do, and that's when it was suggested to try a Martial Art. Bundaberg is quite a small town, and my dad knew the owner of a small Taekwondo club in town, so we gave it a go… My coach at the time was a little bit shocked at what my parents brought to him…. I wasn't the most coordinated person and he did point that out many times, but he did say he could "fix" me. To ensure he could help me, he made sure I went to every session, he picked me up from school and took me to train. We built a strong relationship and he was someone I admired as a young kid.

The moment I knew that Taekwondo was what I loved, and it was my passion, was just after my coaches passing. I knew he believed in me and all I wanted was to be the best I could be for myself and my coach. My parents entered me in every competition possible and each time we would see improvements.

This was the first time that I felt like I was in control and achieving something and not getting in trouble for it. I was proving to everyone who judged me or questioned me, including myself, that anything is possible when you have determination, persistence, patience and heart.

Taekwondo speaks to me the same way music may speak to someone else. I love being an athlete, living a high paced lifestyle, always training for something. It helps me have a healthy mindset, set goals for myself and it keeps me happy.