Brielle Jordan doesn't think anyone can beat her.

But that doesn't mean the 12-year-old Slippery Rock Middle School student is completely immune to doubts when she walks into a taekwondo competition.

“So, this always happens to me,” Brielle explains. “Before I go, I'm always really, really confident. And then I see the people in the room.”

That trepidation quickly wanes, however.

“One of the things my stepmom (Alissa Jordan) always tells me is ... 'when you put the helmet on, it doesn't matter who's behind it. Go out there and do what you're trained to do.'”

Among the things Brielle has been trained to do at Weber's ATA Martial Arts Academy in Grove City is win.

And she's done a lot of it recently.

A black belt in Taekwondo, Brielle marched her way through district, state and regional competitions to earn a place at the American Taekwondo Association World Championships in Phoenix at the end of July.

She won her division in sparring at the Northeast Regional in Lancaster recently to punch her ticket to the world competition.

“You can only go to worlds if you are a black belt,” Brielle said. “It was amazing because the last time I won (regionals) but wasn't a black belt, so I couldn't go to worlds. It's pretty hard to get a black belt.”

Brielle has been involved with taekwondo since she was 8 and has quickly climbed the ranks.

She is currently a second-degree black belt. The highest rank is ninth-degree.

As excited as Brielle is about what she has already achieved in the sport, her mother, Kirsten Schrecongost, is just as thrilled.

“She works so hard,” Schrecongost said. “She goes to Grove City a couple of times a week and helps teach the younger kids. She's become quite the mentor. To see her accomplish something like this, that I know she worked so hard for, I'm really proud of her.”

Brielle said what kept her coming back to taekwondo was how positive it was.

And, of course, getting to punch and kick.

“Everyone is really nice and encouraging,” Brielle said. “I've made a lot of friends at competitions. The friends I have (at the academy in Grove City) are my closest friends since I've known them for so long. It's just really fun to hang out with them so much.

“And the adrenaline rush it gives. It's just so much fun.”

Schrecongost said she knew early on that the sport was going to hold her daughter's interest.

“She just kind of fell in love with it,” Schrecongost said. “She's pretty athletic. But seeing her go into these competitions and start winning and getting better and better has been amazing to watch. She's really taken to it and become very good at it.”

Brielle has other interests, as well.

She's starting soccer this year and was a cheerleader before a broken arm ended that experiment.

She also plays the piano — her softer side.

“That keeps me well-rounded,” Brielle said.

So does helping the younger students.

She remembers when she was first starting out and how valuable it was for the older girls to help her out.

“They're the next, upcoming students and it feels good to know you are teaching them,” Brielle said. “It's just really fun. It's fun to see all their little personalities.”

Not surprisingly, sparring is Brielle's strength.

But there are other disciplines in Taekwondo, like forms. Brielle admits she has work to do in that department.

“I'm all right, but it's not my thing,” Brielle said. “There's just a lot to remember.”

Brielle has also begun jujutsu.

“I'm just a white belt now,” she said.

Her ultimate goal in martial arts? Becoming a professional MMA fighter.

“Yeah, I want to do that,” Brielle said, before pausing. “I don't know if I'd ever be allowed to do it.”

Her mom, though, is open to the idea.

“That is something she wants to do,” Schrecongost said. “I guess you have to go for it, I guess.”