“Get to the next play”
When Miesha Tate defeated Holly Holm to become the women’s UFC Bantamweight World Champion last week, she demonstrated the kind of resiliency we need to teach young people.
It was Miesha’s third attempt to win the title after being well beaten in previous tries by former champion Ronda Rousey.
Miesha’s a great example of resiliency.
“When you lose it’s really hard, it’s devastating and I’ve been there,” Miesha said in a recent radio interview. “We all go through those things in life, times when you get knocked down and kicked to the ground.”
“Did I let it break me? Absolutely not. I’m stronger for those losses than I would have been if I had just been winning my entire career. I’m thankful for the losses. I appreciate the adversity I went through and the person it’s made me today and the champion I am today.”
For more inspiration, listen to Miesha’s full interview here.
I’m writing a new sports biography for young people, based on the life of Jarryd Hayne. Jarryd is an Australian-Fijian sportsman who won the NRL player of the year award in 2014, then quit rugby league to go to America to try and make it into the NFL. Many people think the NFL is the toughest sports competition to get into in the world. And Jarryd achieved it!
Jarryd’s first game for the 49ers was on Monday Night Football in America. Millions of people watched it. And do you know what happened in Jarryd’s very first play? He dropped the ball and it was recovered by the opposition.
Jarryd ran off the field furious with himself. “Mannnnn, not on Monday Night Football when everyone’s watching!”
Jarryd’s coach came over to him. “Why are you down?” he asked.
“I’m so sorry, coach,” Jarryd replied. “I just didn’t want to put the boys under pressure like that.”
“Something is always going to go wrong in a game,” coach said. “Don’t let one play hurt you twice. We need to be able to get to the next play, to keep going.”
We should never stop sharing these kinds of stories with our students … and with ourselves. When our students experience failure at school, whether it’s academically or socially or in some other way – let them know that failure isn’t the end. Everyone fails. What’s important is what you do next.
Get to the next play.
Keep going.
