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IHSAA Student-Athlete Tip of the Week (10/9/23)

"Promoting Education Based Athletics in Indiana"

"Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose.  Nobody goes undefeated all the time.  If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday."

This quote from Olympic champion sprinter Wilma Rudolph should resonate with any athlete participating in any sport, female or male.  

You may not know that Rudolph's life before track was full of trials.  As a young child, she was paralyzed by polio at age 5, contracted scarlet fever, and fought double pneumonia.  Many doctors felt she would never walk again, yet she believed otherwise.  After years of treatment and hard work, she played basketball and ran track in high school.  At age 16, she made the US Olympic team and was an Olympic champion at age 20.  

Rudolph's crushing defeats early in life were physical illnesses that she overcame in her path to greatness.  Whatever defeats you may encounter, find inspiration from Rudolph and pick yourself up, keep fighting, and have the faith that you will win again!

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