PC: Hold CTRL and press + (plus) to enlarge or - (minus) to shrink.
MAC: Hold CMD and press + (plus) to enlarge or - (minus) to shrink.
On Friday, 9 September 2022, shortly after landing in South Africa, MOT South Africa welcomed All Blacks Rubgy Player, Dan Carter at the College of Cape Town, Crawford Campus wherein he provided inspirational words of wisdom to the school learners in the community.
About 30 learners were in attendance from MOT partnering schools – Lotus Secondary, Fairmount Secondary and Zeekoevlei Secondary Schools located within Grassy Park, Gardens Commercial School located in Cape Town CBD, as well as Reddam House in Constantia.
He shared his challenging, yet courageous story about his injury during the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, where his dream of captaining his country for the first time was shattered when he got hurt in the captain’s run practice the day before a game.
“In my last shot at goal, I fell to the ground and I started screaming. I knew it was a serious injury, and I had torn my adductor muscles off the bone. I had to go to hospital and have the scans, and I asked the doctor, ‘Is that my World Cup over?’, and she said yes,” Carter said.
“I went straight to my hotel room and I started crying … It was a really challenging moment, and that was going to be my last World Cup before I went to play overseas.
“But after a day or so, I felt that the team still needs me. So, I could’ve stayed in my room and kept crying, or helped my team. The guy who replaced me got injured, and then the next guy in my position got injured.
“So, we were down to the third or fourth-string, and I helped the team and changed my mindset as well. I set myself new goals, to give myself one more crack at the World Cup, and I did that.
“So, in terms of resilience, you will have setbacks and disappointments, and you need to grieve and express yourself – that’s actually normal.
“But then after 24 hours, you need to flick the switch. I reset and set new goals, and need to change to a positive mindset.
“Fast-forward four years, and I am 33 years old and had one of the best World Cups of my career. That shows you the power of dealing with setbacks and showing resilience. It’s part of life – life is not supposed to be perfect.
“You are going to have good and bad days, but when things are tough, just deal with it, and it will make you stronger.”
Wise words by Dan Carter. We are extremely proud to have heard his story and so proud that our youth had the opportunity to hear his story in person!
Credit: IOL News here
Check out our article here about our recent trip to Burgersdorp where we have hosted our MOT Coaches’ Basic Education to 30 educators, volunteers and community workers!
Follow and like us on our social media platforms below for even more interesting content on the following links: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | TikTok | YouTube
We are excited to share news about an important new partnership between MOT South Africa and the Positive Behaviour Intervention and Resource Centre (PBIRC) in Wynberg. This partnership with the Positive Behaviour Programme as a Western Cape Education Department (WCED) focus is aimed at empowering the youth within our community. This project will take place […]
The 2024 Courage to Care Day Campaign has wrapped up, and we’re excited to share the impact it had across the Western Cape and Eastern Cape. A total of 21 MOT sites took part, with schools, colleges, and organizations coming together to help those in need. About Courage to Care Day Courage to Care embodies […]
In October, our Courage to Care Day Celebration brought together the community at three schools in Burgersdorp, Eastern Cape. This special day was filled with activities and campaigns focused on kindness and support for those in need. Two Campaigns, One Goal Each of our schools led two inspiring campaigns. The first campaign was a recycling […]