Q: What is martial arts?
Leyla: Martial arts is a sport where you can learn self-defence. If a stranger comes up to you and tries to hurt you, you learn tricks that can help keep you away from them. You learn how to kick, punch and do tricks that can help you defend yourself.

Q: What have you learned since you started martial arts?
Leyla: When I was a white belt, I didn’t really know what to do. I knew how to do a snap kick. But now I know how to do a jumping reverse tornado, jumping snap kick and jumping back kick. I’ve learned a lot of kicks. I also never knew how to do combinations with punches. Now I know how to do jab, cross, duck, uppercut and different punch combinations.

Q: What is your favourite part of class?
Leyla: I like everything about the class, but since I have to pick one thing, it’s learning. Learning helps you with everything.

Q: How do you earn a new belt?
Leyla: Grading. You have to try hard to earn it because you just don’t get it out of nowhere. You have to try hard to earn it. When I do my grading, normally I feel shy at first, but when I go through it, I start to feel very confident.

Q: What should you do if you get bullied?
Leyla: There are three steps. You stay calm. Then you say, “Stop it. I don’t like it.” Then you go to the teacher. That happened to me once when someone pushed me. I stayed calm, said, “Stop it. I don’t like it,” and then my friend asked why they did that. Then I told the teacher.

Q: What do you do after class?
Leyla: Sometimes my dad and I go to the cafe. He gets a coffee, and I get a babyccino with a marshmallow.