Twenty horses qualify to run in the Kentucky Derby each year. On Thursday night, 20 horses were officially entered. On Friday morning, Ethereal Road scratched (backed out). So the next qualifier was a horse named Rich Strike. He started as a 150-1 underdog, which means that if you bet $1 on him to win, you win $150. At race time, he had simmered down to a cool 81-1 underdog. In other words, nobody thought he could win. And that, my friends, is why you play the games.
Joe’s Perspective: So, when you attend your conference meet this spring or play in that game you are supposed to lose to the powerhouse team, don’t believe it. The fastest doesn’t always win the race. The best doesn’t always win the game. If they did, we wouldn’t play the games. We would just compare on paper and award winners. The underdog wins more often than you would think. Psychology can play a role, luck can play a role and sometimes individuals or teams peak at the right time. How many times have you seen the #1 team go down in district play in high school? How many times have you watched a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament lose? So, as you prepare for the end of the year, don’t count yourself out.
Your Turn: What lessons do you take from this story?
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What I learned from this is to never count yourself out from anything. Every now and then, your going to be a long shot, bur you can’t let it get you down.
DONT EVER GIVE UP AND KEEP GOING
don’t give up and keep trying
I learned to never give up.
I learned to never give up and to keep trying even if it looks impossible.
Even if people don’t believe in you, you still play like your number one.
You could be the better team but the team that prepares the best and tries the hardest is the one that will win.
It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks. You push with everything you have to achieve your goals.
Do not give up juts cause you think you might lose.
Do not give up even though you think you might lose.