• Working with Children Check
• Certificate 2 in Workplace Skills

• Earning my junior 3rd degree black belt
• Joining the Wilkes Instructor Team

My training started in 2014 as an excited but nervous 6 year old after I went to a friend’s birthday party at Wilkes and absolutely fell in love with the idea of martial arts. I had tried other sports before but upon doing my first training session in Wilkes it was clear that this was the place where I was supposed to be. Despite finding training very intimidating at first, I found immense support and encouragement from my instructors and fellow peers which is part of the reason why I have progressed immensely since joining.

Martial Arts has been an extremely important part of my life for over 10 years now, in that time achieving my Junior 3rd Degree Black Belt, and on my way to achieving my Young Adults 1st Degree Black Belt. Martial Arts has been a source of strength and growth most of my life and I can’t ever see myself stopping. While still feeling like the same nervous 6 year old at times martial arts has given me confidence and self-assurance which I continue to use in my daily life. Having trained at Wilkes for so long I have practically grown up in the gym and I am proud to call it my second home and I couldn’t imagine a life without ever joining Wilkes all those years ago.

Ever since starting training at Wilkes, being an instructor was a long time goal for me. Thankfully in 2019 I got invited into the leadership program where I learned many skills of how to become an instructor. Soon after joining I started volunteering on Saturday morning classes, from there joining the official instructor team in early 2024. Now being an instructor and having the opportunity to teach and pass on all of my knowledge and skills as my instructors have done for me is a true honour and privilege.