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speech on graduation
Graduation farewell speech
Graduation farewell speech
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What do you want to be when you grow up? The dreams of our youth often become the challenges of today and the challenges of today often become the blueprints of our future. Most of my childhood dreams centered around sports and they have been a big part of my life. When Teresa Wilson brought fastpitch softball to the University of Washington, my friends and I were the first to sign up for her initial summer skills camp. We all stood together, down below on the Chiefs softball field, shyly giggling and acting crazy. Teresa Wilson introduced her first UW team players and instantly Jennifer Kline became my hero and to play intercollegiate fastpitch was cemented in my heart as a dream. Kline worked with me as a catcher at the camp and she was so good, and so smart, and so patient, but most important she wasn't condescending or arrogant. She worked with me on blocking and framing and calling a game, never making me feel stupid or clumsy. The dream to play college softball expanding to coaching the game someday. I could really see how much a good coach or teacher could help a player or student. Sport teaches lessons that can translate on a larger scale to life. As an athlete I have learned the importance of teamwork. Any team is only as strong as its least prepared member. The very best player will never beat the best team. The concept of teamwork encourages members to give up the pursuit of individual glory for the success of the team. Individual statistics may bring personal pride but they rest in the shadow of the team's overall success. Sport nurtures our natural love of competition. Athletes are encouraged to practice hard, prepare both physically and mentally for the contest challenge, and then perform at their highest level. Most amateur athletes are also taught to accept victory with a certain degree of modesty and humility and to acknowledge defeat with graciousness and the added incentive to improve future performances. This is a particularly important life lesson to learn. Healthy and fair competition leads to better performances by all participants. Sport builds self esteem. The praise of coaches and the cheers of fans nurture feelings of self-worth and even criticism, when offered in a constructive way, can strengthen a players confidence in his own ability and his contributions to the team. Everyone enjoys hearing compliments but it is the criticisms that, when taken to heart, can improve the athlete and can bolster his self-esteem by supporting the belief that he brings value and effort to his sport.
“I always felt that athletics help develop the total person. Athletes learn to work together and to strive to be the best they can be—and the hope is that they carry those skills over to their personal lives so they can find success in whatever career they choose.”
To the County High School Class of 2012: As you sit in front of me, I know what most of you are thinking at the moment. There are those who are already pondering about what life without high school will be like; those who are debating whether or not to tell your crush tonight about your whispers of adoration you’ve secretly held for four years; some simply want to get out of that ungodly chair, get that thing that isn’t really a diploma but only tells you when to pick up the thing, and then be the first one on the green bus to the grad party — you know who you are. And the rest, well, the rest aren’t even paying attention, you’re thinking, “Great, here comes one of the valedictorian speakers. Next up: a boring speech straight out of the pits of scholarly hell.” And it’s OK, I don’t mind — that sort of thing comes with the territory. But tonight, I ask that you give me a chance to break that stereotype so that I may address you in the full splendor that you deserve after 13 grueling years of work. I do not want to be known as your “valedictorian” as I stand here, c’mon guys, there is no time left to place labels on people anymore, instead I ask that you accept me as one of your peers — and as a man who will enjoy becoming a graduate alongside you.
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote, "You are a very special person - become what you are." These words encourage us, the graduating class of 2012, to recognize the goodness and potential in each and every one of us and to go out and excel in the world. We are a diverse group of different aspirations and backgrounds, bound for different corners of the earth to carve out our won individual niches. Before we leave behind Lee Falls High School and each other, we must ask ourselves how we have become who we are.
In his book, Leonard states, “Many children are exposed to organized competitive sport early in life, and their success and failures may either enhance or jeopardize the self-concepts they develop” (219). As he implies, sports have a major influence on childhood development. Healthy exercise, discipline, time management, and social skills are promoted in sports and cause the success which enhances the child’s self-concepts. Despite arguments from those who tend to be left out when it comes to a child’s sports career, mostly friends from outside of the child’s sport or team, these skills are incredibly valuable in the adult world and I believe that a child benefits exceptionally from learning these characteristics at an early age. When these attributes are developed in a child’s experience of sports, the results can only be positive.
When I was in elementary school, I loved to read. I was a total nerd back then ... okay maybe I still am, but one thing has changed. Now I don't so much like reading. My favorite poet was Shel Silverstein, who wrote "Where the Sidewalk Ends." He seemed like he was a total hippie, but that's cool because I like hippies. My grandma is a recovering hippie. I like her too. Anyway, Shel Silverstein wrote about the coolest things. He wrote about magical erasers, eating whales and a boy with long hair flying away from people who were taunting him. He captured all of the things that I loved without knowing that I actually loved them. Now you may ask, how does this hippie relate to our graduation? Well, he wrote a poem entitled "Traffic Light" and this is how it goes:
...lways have to try your best and want to win. Sports also teach students teamwork skills. In order to succeed you need to have the ability work with others.
Good evening. Some of you out there may not realize this but those of you who attended Suntime Middle School have been with this guy for the last seven years. I would like to ask you all, not just Suntime Middle School grads and who all else, to join me in thanking Mr. Weather for his patience and dedication to the success of our education over the years. We are the Class of 2000. The first graduating class of the new millennium. The past four years have been pretty wild. We started out as a bunch of rats in a small cage, but as time went by we learned and matured and became big rats in a new small cage, but in any case, the cage door is now opening; the handlers turning us wild things loose. As we leave "Where the Wild Things Are," home to some of the best cat fights, fist fights and food fights this side of the Cascades, I have a little surprise for all of you sitting in front of me here tonight in your caps and gowns … we ain’t seen nothing yet!
A boy once approached Socrates with the desire to obtain wisdom. Without saying a word, Socrates led the boy down to the edge of the sea and walked in, beckoning him to follow. When they were standing waist deep in the water, Socrates pushed the boy down, completely submerging his head. He held him thus for a couple of minutes, until the boy was almost to the point of death, before letting him up. Sputtering and angry, the boy demanded to know why Socrates had held him underwater for so long. In response, Socrates asked, "when you were under the water, what did you want more than anything in the world?"
There have been numerous hobbies that I have pursued throughout my lifetime. Each hobby that I have engaged in has taught me various skills, which I have been able to utilize in different aspects of my life. Softball has taught me the importance of teamwork, decision- making, persistence, and most importantly dedication. Learning and applying each of these vital skills has greatly impacted my life. Without these essential skills, I would not be where I am in my military career and especially my life.
In the world of sports, sportsmanship is fundamental to playing any competitive sport. When people watch, or play a sport, they admire when an athlete shows true sportsmanship and respects the game. It happens after every game from the elementary level to the professional level, players shaking hand and congratulating each other for participating in the event. Sportsmanship help builds character and teaches young children to be humble. Sportsmanship has become a social norm in today’s society of sports as it goes wildly noticed when an athlete portrays acts that are not sportsmanlike. Professional athletes have become role models because of their acts of sportsmanship and respect towards others as children have looked up to them to set an example.
Wherein a sport lies it’s value? Does it only exist in the final score? Are its benefits only reaped when your will beats your competitor’s, when you win? Or does it instead come to fruition in the lessons and experiences gained? In my biased opinion, victory is the least important aspect of any sport. I believe that sport, especially football, teaches so much more than just how to win. Football has developed in me hard work, commitment, and belonging much greater than I could’ve gained through any other after-school activity.
... are all learned by athletes at a young age. Sports are loved and appreciated by America today more than ever before, offering exclusive lessons to athletes that cannot truly be learned any other way. Athletics provide athletes with once in a lifetime opportunities to better themselves, along with aiding young athletes in chasing success. Today everyone admires the lessons that successful athletes have learned, lessons they will carry with them for the rest of their life.
Success goes hand in hand with failure. “You win some, you lose some” is a famous quote which epitomises one of the main core’s of life as these two components are apart of every human being’s daily life. In the same way, they are a part of every sporting event. In life everyone strives for success, yet not always do we attain success instantly, often it requires many failures before success can be achieved. Humphrey asserts that sport ‘brings out the worst in people’, and yes, it is within failure where the worst is brought out of people as many people hate the feeling of failure. However, no matter what one fails at, they will always express their bad side, for example: when one fails at their job, when one fails their license and so on. Sports is the best opportunity for people to learn the benefits and necessity of failure, thus allowing their outlook on failure to be change which in turn corrects the behaviour that comes with failure. Sports also allows one to feel the sense of accomplishment that emanates with success. It therefore teaches the sportsmen how to cope better wit...
Participating in a team sport can increase one’s self esteem. By being part of a team, you will give and receive praise. Receiving recognition from a team mate or a coach will boost your self esteem because you have been acknowledged for your efforts. As you are praised for your efforts, you will become more confident, thus improving your self esteem. Often times, the bond formed between team mates on the field translates into a friendship off the field. As team mates come to depend on each other and know that they are depended on, their level of commitment or responsibility to the game and skills needed for the game increases.
The main goals behind Sport Education are to help students become knowledgeable about different sports and activities to the point where they can participate in these outside of the classroom to stay active. Also it teaches execution and strategies and encourages competitiveness. It is important for kids to be competitive because they will have to be in life and it will teach the importance of winning and losing the right way. “Sports offer kids a great chance to work cooperatively toward a common goal. And working coope...