Last year, Cromwell College Year 10 students competed against the world's best players for the first time in a series of competitions in the United States.
She took home three state championship belts and a silver and bronze medal from the North American Grappling Association (Naga) World Championships.
Two weeks ago, she put her father and training partner Marcus Mulholland in a choke hold, dislocating his jaw.
The nine-year veteran of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing and mixed martial arts last week spent the second week of term on school vacation aiming for gold in the expert division of the Naga World Championships.
“She's very, very dangerous. She beat me last week too. It's a big trophy… and there's a celebration from me,” Cromwell coach Jason Magnago-Smith told the Central Otago News Shyla smiled as she spoke.
“I'm ready,” she said.
Shaila has been training hard for the past six months in preparation for her second world title.
“I train for two and a half hours every day after school from 6pm to 8:30pm…After this I plan to switch to mixed martial arts.” [competition],” she said.
Mulholland said her daughter usually put on a “poker face” during competitions and accepted wins and losses with equal equanimity.
“She never exaggerates the results,” he says.
He believed that his daughter would win world championships in her age group and adult competitions.
“But the biggest thing for me is a 14-year-old girl going from a small town to the world.”
Magnago-Smith has been practicing martial arts for 18 years and has been coaching Shyla for about three years.
He works with Mr. Mulholland to develop a training plan that focuses on improving Shyla's technique and increasing her repertoire of skills.
“My goal is for her to beat me, for all the students to beat me. There's only so much time to have everyone beat me,” he said.
“I'm pinching myself…she knows all the techniques I know.”
Mulholland said the sport requires speed, flexibility, endurance, confidence and the ability to be an acrobat and super calm.
Shaila said she was 100% excited about the world championships.
Mulholland said that's all he could ask for.
“Getting there is the key,” he said.
Cromwell's club, Team Hammerhead Central, has about 50 members.
