One of my Facebook friends posted this personal opinion a good week before we lost another Rugby legend in Jonah Lomu. I agree with everything he has said and believe it is not just for Kiwi kids… (I have permission to share)…
“””In all seriousness, I hope all parents and kids alike take time to reflect on the achievements of some of our true legends today. It doesn’t matter whether you want to be a rugby player, netball player, doctor or carpenter, the example set by Mr McCaw, Conrad Smith, Keven Mealamu etc. is one that we can all live by. These guys were never blessed with the x-factor or amazing natural talent of so many of our athletes today. These guys got to the top of the world by hard graft and immense work ethic. It doesn’t matter what avenue in life you want to follow, theirs is an example to use as inspiration. Richie McCaw is not the strongest, nor the fastest athlete, he cant jump higher nor bench heavier than other players. in fact, there is probably no category you can find where he outshines his team-mates. but this guy turns up to training earlier, and leaves later and takes every opportunity to improve himself that is humanly possible. Every kiwi kid has the opportunity to achieve more than what is expected of them. The great Arthur Lydiard once said that he could take any street in NZ and find an Olympic champion, they just had to have the work ethic. This is so true. NZ is the greatest country on Earth, we just need to give our young ones the inspiration and tools to reach those goals. As parents, we hold the strings to allowing our kids to reach their full potential. Material possessions, flash cars, nice houses etc. are not what shows our status in life. What is a true measurement is our ability to inspire our youth to achieve beyond what is expected, to push the boundaries, whether physical or cultural, artistic or intellectual. NZ is a great country, limited only by the willingness of it’s citizens to embrace greatness. Forget about the limitations set by what has gone before you, set your own goals, and strive to achieve ! Kia Kaha”””