Jessica Soper is the fiercest 10 year old you’ll meet. She has displayed incredible determination and self-discipline in the short time that she has practiced Tae Kwon Do martial arts at OMAC, Burlington. Jessica is a fine example of how consistent practice leads to achievement.
Interviewer: Do you remember your first day at OMAC?
Jessica Soper: Yeah… It was pretty cool, and when I came home, I got a blue tape, and my sister said, “You have a blue belt already!”. I said, “No it’s a blue tape it means kicking!”
Interviewer: So Jessica, you are now a brown belt. You started only 7 months ago. That’s a huge deal!
Jessica: Yeah!
Interviewer: What has kept you so motivated in this short time?
Jessica: A lot of dedication. Gymnastics helped me.
Interviewer: What have you learned in gymnastics that has helped you in taekwondo?
Jessica: My teachers in gymnastics kept on saying, “You can do this! You can do a back walkover! You can do this back handspring!” But I couldn’t do it. I kept on trying and finally got it.
Interviewer: So gymnastics helped you to learn that something can be really difficult at first but if you keep trying, you will be able to do it.
Jessica: Yeah.
Interviewer: What is something that was once challenging to you in taekwondo but is now easy?
Jessica: Kicking. Tornado kick is a lot easier than it used to be.
Interviewer: Do you feel like the things you’ve learned in taekwondo and gymnastics will help you outside of sports?
Jessica: If something, like a math question, seems impossible, I would figure it out eventually.
Interviewer: Is there anything that has changed in your life since you started taekwondo?
Jessica: Probably the relationship with my sister. We used to fight, like, all the time and now it’s only sometimes.
Interviewer: What’s your favourite thing you’ve learned here at OMAC Burlington?
Jessica: Probably patterns, because I really like patterns. They’re fun.
Interviewer: Gymnastics is a really different way of moving your body than practicing taekwondo. Was it a challenge for you to learn a new way to move?
Jessica: Yes. But now it’s easy.
Interviewer: Taekwondo can help some people feel better when they feel upset. Have you ever come to class after a bad day and felt happier when you finished practicing?
Jessica: Yeah, I do feel like that sometimes.
Interviewer: Why did you sign up for taekwondo martial arts?
Jessica: Because I was bullied in school.
Interviewer: Has taekwondo helped you?
Jessica: Yeah, A LOT of self-confidence.
Interviewer: That’s really great. So now your bully knows not to mess with Jessica because she’s a brown belt.
Jessica: *laughs* yeah
Interviewer: Jessica you practice at home too, right?
Jessica: Yes! All the time. I am always practicing my patterns so that I can maybe get a black tape in taekwondo.
Interviewer: When you started at white belt, were you already thinking “black belt”?
Jessica: Yes!
Interviewer: Awesome. I have no doubt in my mind that you will achieve black belt and be great!
Jessica: Yay!
