June 19, 2013
The Olympic spirit was on show at Kingaroy State High School this week with the presentation of a Pierre de Coubertin Award to Year 12 student Jackie Krosch.
Every Queensland secondary school is invited to nominate one student from Year 10-12 as its Pierre de Coubertin Award nominee. At some stage during Years 8-12, the nominee must have represented the school, district or region in at least three sports in the competitive arena, demonstrating initiative, teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play.
They must also submit a piece of original art or literary work which illustrates their appreciation of the Olympic movement.
KSHS Head of Department (Health and Physical Education) Steve Corstiaans said Jackie had an exemplary attitude.
“She has actively encouraged sports participation and is an enthusiastic participant in interhouse and interschool competitions,” he told the Tuesday morning school assembly.
“Jackie always strives to perform at her best and has motivated others to do the same. She is an excellent all-round sportsperson and has had individual success this year in a range of sports including touch, basketball and cross country.
“Jackie is a valuable role model for the entire school community and a very worthy recipient of the 2013 Pierre de Coubertin Award.”
KSHS Principal David Ballin presented Jackie with a perpetual trophy to mark her award win.
She will also be presented with a certificate and Olympic pin from the Queensland Olympic Council at the Pierre de Coubertin Awards Presentation Ceremony in Brisbane on July 6.
KSHS has been taking part in the awards – which are named after the founder of the modern Olympic Games – for 18 years.
Award winners have the opportunity to represent Australia at the International Pierre de Coubertin Youth Forum which occurs every two years.
Only eight Australian students from more than 700 award recipients are selected to attend. The last Forum took place in August 2011 in Beijing, China.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin was born in Paris in 1863 and was involved in fencing, rowing and cycling. He was convinced of the importance of sport for the development of young people.
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Jackie’s literary submission:
The Olympic Movement
Baron Pierre de Coubertin is considered to be the father of the modern Olympics and was a great ambassador for determination.
His determination carried on into the younger community as he believed that physical activity in the younger community was extremely important. These beliefs led to de Coubertin reviving the Modern Olympic Games which started in Athens in 1896.
The Olympic Games take place every four years and bring together athletes from all over the globe to represent not only themselves but their country in the greatest athletic event. They all have the one goal, one ambition and that is to win the Olympic gold medal in their sport or event.
However, de Coubertin believed that winning a gold medal or the end result was not the most important thing; it was the struggle and how you finished, that was the most important thing.
“The importont thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” – Pierre de Coubertin
A person’s early school years is a time for children to learn various skills which will set them up for later in life. De Coubertin believed that people who received physical education would be better equipped in life as it created great moral and social strength.
Additionally another philosophy of his was that qualities of initiative, teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play should be encouraged in
young people who participated in sports and competitive games.I believe that sport can shape the way in which you live and how you, as an individual, live your day-to-day life.
Through sport you learn many valuable lessons which help you later on in life and these include skills such as teamwork, co-operation, leadership, mateship and general social skills.
All of these skills are valuable and desirable and without the influence of sport they would be extremely hard to obtain.
Throughout my short sporting career I have participated in a wide variety of both individual and team sports. I believe that sport is not all about winning, if you play well as a team or if you play well as an individual that is far better than winning.
To me, knowing that you have played to the best of your ability is far better than winning.
I find sport very rewarding as it pushes me not only to my physical limits but to my mental limits and I love this aspect of sport.
I believe life is not all about winning; people have to experience what it feels like to lose, as it teaches you valuable lessons and
shapes you individually and as a team.Sport has taught me many things and has shaped me into the person I am today. Through participation in sport and sporting events, I have built long-lasting friendships that without sport I never would have created.
Furthermore I have acquired various qualities needed in day-to-day life including teamwork, leadership, discipline, respect and co-operation which I believe has shaped me into the person I am today.
Whenever I play sport I not always play to be the best at what I do, but I continually play to the best of my ability, even if it involves pushing myself to my limits.”
