Australian sportsmen and women have excelled again on the world stage. The Birmingham Commonwealth Games has been the arena for many excellent performances from our athletes. We finished with 178 medals, 67 of them being gold. TIGS alumna Emma McKeon has been one of the standout performers. It’s a delight to follow her continued success.
The athletes’ post-victory interview is almost an institution these days. What stands out as the athletes speak about their success is that it is always a team effort. The team consists of mums and dads, brothers and sisters, partners, coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, psychologists, dietitians, sport scientists, masseurs, medics, to name but a few.
This acknowledgement of the importance of teams got me thinking about the average TIGS student and how their success is also dependent on the team that supports them. Being a student at TIGS is never a solo venture.
So, who is the team behind every TIGS student? The list is as long as that of an elite athlete. It consists of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, executive leaders, department heads, deans, mentors, tutors, learning enhancement and enrichment staff, chaplains, counsellors, librarians, receptionists, administrators, canteen staff, maintenance and grounds personnel, bus-drivers, cleaners, parent volunteers, peers, to name but a few.
We do well by our students when we help them to appreciate their support team. This is important for when they feel they lack the support they need to be successful; we can remind them that they have a whole host of people who are committed to their success. It is also important on those occasions when our students are tempted to think that they are solely responsible for their success. This is just not true, and we don’t help our students when we pretend it is. TIGS students are always members of a team, and their success is due to the dedication of their teams.
As I have considered the truth of this at TIGS I have gained a renewed appreciation for Team TIGS. We have a wonderful team that sets our students up for success. They are truly blessed.
