Akiko Thomson

Good morning! It's great to be here , amongst so many of my kind! Thank you for inviting me. I will keep this very short as I know you want to get on with the fun stuff, understandably. It seems it's been a sport-filled year worldwide. from the Wimbledon, to the Tour de France, to the European Cup, and most recently the World Cup...and finally to your championship today...there has been much excitement and never a dull moment in the sporting world.

When I was thinking about what I wanted to share with you today in our brief time together, what really struck me was the importance of finishing strong in your athletic career, but more importantly, in life in general. We all saw what happened in the final match between France and Italy, when Zinedine Zidane was given a red card and kick out of the game for head butting Materazi. Although we never know for sure the cause, Zidane ended his sterling career on a sad note for so many. His story illustrates a very important point: that it doesn't matter how you start, but how you end. This is what people will remember you by, long after the game are over.

Personally, I've always wanted to be remembered as an athlete who was gracious in victory and defeat. As important as winning was, and is to me, it is why we slave away day in and day out and make the sacrifices that we do, we aren't always going to win. Things happen in sport and in life. Although we can't control the outcome, we do have control over how we respond to things. We have the choice of being bitter or better, which will you choose, which you will be.

One of my greatest accomplishments as an athlete was having retired from my sport still very passionate about it. It's an accomplishment fro me because I was on the verge of retiring prematurely, or more truthfully, quitting. I was burned out, and lost the sense of fun. Thankfully my parents and coach talked sense to me, and after some adjustments in my training, I went on to be the co-captain of my varsity swim team, and finished my career at the Atlanta games in 1996. Because of this I retired with sense of peace and completion. My career had come to full circle, and I thank God for this.

As you fight in the court or in the field, I hope you remember to count your blessings. Thank God for the talent you've been given and the opportunity to pursue these gifts. Thanks God for the health you enjoy and the friends you have playing along side with you, for the coaches who so faithfully stand by you and help you be the best you can be.. There is much to be grateful for. To have come this far is a big achievement to be representing your school an honor, I hope that younger girls are looking up to you and wanting to achieve what you are achieving today. So while you're out there, yes, play hard, and focus on the goal, but temper this with respect for the rules of the game, respect for yourself and your fellow athletes. Sports may be a big chunk of our lives, but it isn't life itself. It's a means for us to have fun, grow, stretch our limits, build our character and hopefully along the way bring honor and glory to our school, country and God.

Good luck, have fun, play hard, play fair, and remember it's how you play the game that matters and what people remember. Let's leave a memory we can be proud of long after today. God bless you.