The Face of a Sporting Hero (or heroine!)

Matthew Syed in a recent article in the Times Newspaper stated that Andrew Flintoff is “an inspiration precisely because he messed up”. He comments that Flintoff is a true role model as apposed to someone like Tiger Woods who he refers to in the same article as a rather soulless character. This is of course his opinion and one that you may or may not agree on.

What, or who is a hero?

I shall suggest a definition. A hero is someone who inspires, sets a good example perhaps, and exhibits excellence in his, or her field. A hero is someone who people, young or old, look up to and may aspire to be like.

A sports hero can be a great motivator for someone starting out in sport. For example there are great aspects of Tiger Woods’ character which are to be admired such as his dedication to his sport, his commitment to excellence, his consistency, his genius on the golf course and his obvious love of the game. On the other side of the coin you have someone like Andrew Flintoff who is definitely more gregarious and openly passionate about his sport and that is to be admired, but in my view no less so than someone like Tiger Woods.

Heroes are important to us all and when chosen appropriately they can serve us well. They can inspire, motivate, guide and encourage you to excel in your chosen field. In choosing a hero we can choose to look up to the parts of their persona that we like and that inspire us rather than having to take on board the whole persona. Choosing a hero carefully is an excellent way to maximise the effectiveness of using any hero.

Heroes, or some would say role models can come in all shapes and sizes, we choose who we want to look up and who we see as inspirational.

Who are your heroes, and what have they done for you lately?