From the Leadership Team
Rob French, Principal
The character of sport - lessons from the Olympics
Despite the challenge of waking up exceptionally early to catch most of the action, the Paris Olympics Games have infused our school community with a great sense of excitement.
From our very own Junior School Olympic Games to the lively chatter among students, the games have quickly captured our imaginations. With Australia starting off on such a strong note in the pool and at the velodrome on Day 1, the level of enthusiasm has only amplified!
INSPIRATION
The games always bring forth great stories, whether they showcase outstanding triumph, perseverance against the odds or courage in the face of adversity. There will always be athletes who capture our imagination and etch themselves into folklore. Many of us will forever remember where we were when Cathy Freeman won the 400m event in Sydney, or when Kieren Perkins triumphed in the 1500m swimming event against all odds in Atlanta.
RESILIENCE
For different reasons, I have clear memories of British runner Derek Redmond at the Barcelona games in 1992. Redmond was one of the favourites in the 400m track event, but badly tore his hamstring in the early stages of the semi-final. Although in severe pain, he was determined to finish and began limping the remaining 250m of the race, even though his opponents had already finished. In what was a moving and memorable moment, his father ran onto the track and helped his distraught son hobble to the finish line. The standing ovation afforded Redmond was in recognition of his sheer willpower, resilience and courage. Such moments show us that you don’t have to actually win an event to be classified a winner by those watching on.
SPORTSMANSHIP
Throughout these games, I'll be keeping a keen eye out for examples of sportsmanship, character and teamwork, and will encourage our students to do the same. Already, we have seen some wonderful examples of good sportsmanship, where exhausted athletes have embraced straight after their event, and winners have been warmly congratulated by those they defeated. Such athletes are great role models for our students to look up to, as they put their own disappointment aside and focus on their victorious opponent.
Katie Ledecky, perhaps the greatest female swimmer of all time, is but one example of this. After finishing what must have been a disappointing third in the 400m freestyle race, she was the first to congratulate Ariarne Titmus on her stellar victory. It's obvious that the two have a great deal of mutual respect for each other and a healthy sporting rivalry. In similar fashion, Ariane showed her grace in defeat when she warmly congratulated teammate Molly O’Callaghan when the two finished first and second in the 200m freestyle event.
TEAMWORK
Over the next fortnight, we'll also see great examples of teamwork and collaboration. Strong, united teams in which members play for the team and not for themselves, at times sacrificing their own game, will beat a team of individuals almost every time. Good teams will celebrate the wins together and look after each other in times of disappointment.
PERSPECTIVE
We saw that on the first day in the synchronised diving event, with Australian pair Annabelle Smith and Maddison Keeney well-placed to win at least a bronze medal heading into their final dive. Unfortunately, Smith lost her footing on the corner of the board at the point of take-off, resulting in the two hitting the water well out of sync and slipping to fifth on the table and out of the medals race. Keeney’s first response was to console her devastated teammate and to reassure her that it was all ok, despite her own obvious disappointment. Their interview straight afterwards showed their class and perspective, as they acknowledged that while this was a disappointing result, there are worse things in life than a bungled dive.
LIFE LESSONS
We can learn a great deal from sport, and especially when the world’s best athletes from a wide range of sports come together for two weeks of competition. Let’s celebrate Australia’s wins and enjoy those golden moments, but also watch for opportunities for valuable life lessons. Often these lessons will be demonstrated to us in times of heartache and despair, as distraught athletes show character, class, resilience, courage, teamwork and sportsmanship in the face of bitter disappointment.