The intro: "Pretty 14-year-old Aaliyah Robin is a polite, family-minded, straight-A student who's also capable of putting together a combination of kicks and punches that would knock your lights out."
And that description pretty much captures her. I might be a tad biased but she is a lovely girl. She's kind and gentle but far from perfect. She has her moments, as do all teenagers.
However, the sport UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) she's chosen to follow can be brutal. I've heard it described as "blood sport".
Her Dad has been doing it for years and when Aaliyah started going to training with him when she was 8, I thought it was a great idea for her to learn how to defend and protect herself.
Whenever I've visited, I've watched her train.
To be honest, I thought when she reached her teens she would not like "wrestling" but she has proved me wrong.
The discipline learnt in this sport is a valuable life lesson.
I've watched videos of her training with her father and have marvelled at how good she is. I've also watched a video of her competing but I knew she had won, so it was easy to watch. Not sure if I could watch her live ... too nerve-wracking.
Her younger brother and sister have followed in her footsteps and taken up the sport. Who knows if they will stick with it as Aaliyah has?
While it might not be everyone's cup of tea, I am so very proud of her. She is dedicated and determined to do well and that is a great trait to have, no matter what you choose to do in life.
It was a great start to the new year for our family with a "famous" teenager.
Elsewhere in Hawke's Bay, it seems 2016 was seen in rather quietly.
No rioting teenagers or drunken parties. Bet the police were smiling on New Year's Day.
I rang my Mum just after midnight and she told me how she used to go "first footing" after midnight on New Year's Day.
I'd never heard of it but it's a tradition that does exactly what it says.
People would visit their neighbours or, in Mum's case, fellow campers, and be the first person to cross their threshold in the new year.
According to a website called "WikiHow: How to do anything" the tradition is Scottish and "it is supposed to bring luck and prosperity to the household for the new year. It is a ritual involving the first person to step into a household from the outside in a new year."
Sounds like fun. It seems Kiwis have adopted their own new year tradition, going by all the fireworks that were going off around our neighbourhood at the stroke of midnight.
Happy New Year, everyone. I hope 2016 is a good one for all of you.
-Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today.
