My High School life is sadly coming to an end. I am no longer going to have the same routine that I have had for the past 5 years. My life is now about to change immensely, now that I am going to be going to university next year. Before I start talking about that I should focus on how my opinions and views have changed. Several years ago I made a blog post about who my role models are and what rules or mottos do I live by. For this assignment I was told to do the same assignment as I did again just with my new worldview and state of mind.
This list is of who is at my table now, some of them were on my last table but others are newer role models for me.
Brent Grimes:
This Role Model of mine was on my last blog post because he has been really influential to me on how to keep push through adversity. Brent Grimes is a 5 feet 10 inches tall Corner Back in the NFL. The reason why I stated his height was because it was a big factor for why he inspired me and how he overcame that challenge. For the longest time he was told he was too short to play in the NFL, but he overcame that and went to the Pro Bowl 4 times after being undrafted in 2006. The next reason he inspires me is his work ethic. His work ethic showed the most when he had a massive injury when he played for the Atlanta Falcons, and then came back to the NFL and played for the Miami Dolphins because the Falcons released him. The third reason why he inspires me is because his ability is to prove people wrong. Which he showed when he was supposed to be “too short” to play and when he came back from his injury and played just as good if not better. Those are three reasons why Brent Grimes inspires me.
Muhammad Ali:
Muhammad Ali is an easy choice for me now that I have done research on him. He is most well known for being an incredible athlete as he was a heavyweight boxing champion with a 56 win record. That take drive and determination that is impressive on it’s own. The main thing that I admire him for is standing up for what he believed in. I believe that standing up for what you believe in is something everybody should do. He did what is right and that was the only thing that mattered to him. Muhammad Ali galvanized the Civil Rights Movement by appealing to people who otherwise agreed on little politically. The death of Muhammad Ali provides us with an opportunity to reflect on his impact on the freedom struggle that has come to be known as the Civil Rights Movement. That is why he inspires me and that is why he is at my table.
Willie O’Ree:
If I had to bet I would say most people have not heard of this person. The only people who know how he is are people who know a lot about the NHL. Willie O’Ree was the first black hockey player. He is from eastern Canada, and he had a huge impact on the hockey world. After O’Ree’s stint in the NHL, there were no other black players in the NHL until another Canadian player, Mike Marson, was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 1974. There were 23 black players in the NHL as of the mid-2010s. Art Dorrington was the first black player to sign an NHL contract, in 1950 with the New York Rangers organization, but never played beyond the minor league level. NHL players are now required to enroll in a preseason diversity training seminar,and racially based verbal abuse is punished through suspensions and fines. From 1998 on, O’Ree has been the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador, traveling across North America to schools and hockey programs to promote messages of inclusion,dedication, and confidence.
Jackie Robinson:
This person was also on my previous list. Most People have heard of this Baseball player. Jackie Robinson was one of the first African American Baseball Players. He was well known across the USA with people who loved him and people who hated him, which is one of the reasons why he inspires me. That reason comes from him blocking out the noise from being so hated because of racism. Another reason is because he succeeded so much in the MLB. A lot of people on his team didn’t want to play with him but he still became one of the best players in the league, with being a 6 time all star. The final reason is that he did what he thought was right, and he was just an all around a good person. So much so that he got his number discontinued across the league and now there is a “Jackie Robinson Day”. That is what Jackie Robinson has inspired me.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson:
The Rock is probably a role model to many people now that he has gained so much influence as the highest paid actor in Hollywood. He is known for wrestling, acting, and advocating for mental and physical health. He originally started out as football player. From what I know he played in the CFL for a while after playing in the NCAA. He was eventually cut by Wally Buono, the General Manager at the time. Johnson is grateful for what Buono did as it was the turning point in his life. After that point he became a successful wrestler and everything else followed. The thing I admire the most about him is his work ethic. He has pushed through adversity all through his life to become a multi-talented celebrity. He is also constantly standing up for what he believes in, speaking his mind on political and societal issues as well as standing up to people like Donald Trump.
Not much about me has changed over the past few years, I think my morales are still pretty much the same and the main difference is that I am more experienced and more mature than I was. The main thing I am going to live by is that I am going to do what is right every possible chance that I get. A quote that I will also like to follow is one that comes out of the Rocky Franchise:
This motto has helped me push through adversity and I believe that if I follow my morales and live by this quote, I will be able to push through anything while doing the right thing.