The parallels between education and sport

InterHigh ambassador Colin Jackson represented Team GB and Wales at major championships throughout a 17-year career in athletics. He dominated the 110 metre hurdles, setting a world record which stood for 12 years, winning numerous medals including two world championships, four European titles and two commonwealth golds. In his first task as InterHigh school ambassador, Mr Jackson officially opened our new exam centre. Below is his speech, which touches upon the parallels that can be drawn between sport and education.

“When you prepare for any major championships your preparation has always got to be key. And when you’ve prepared well, when you’ve learned from good teachers, the delivery of performance or sign in and sitting there at the desk and be ready to deliver what you know you can deliver can make a huge, huge difference and this is one of the reasons why I’m really so proud to be an ambassador here today for this particular education cause, because I think we need to value every single element of human beings and young people and I mean every single.

“Remember good teaching now sets us up right for the future and that future can take you anywhere, trust me! It can take you anywhere.

“I remember being a 16-year-old and trying to reflect on where my future was going to lie and I can assure you never ever in a million years would I have thought that I would be where I am today.

“Education stays with you from day one right until the day you die. You should always be proud of being educated. You should always be proud of learning. At no stage should you feel that learning is a chore, it should be a true pleasure because it just enhances you as an individual and that is always going to be the key. So, if we can help steer young people to be the best person that they can possibly be every single day of their life in any aspect, then I think we’ve done a cracking job. Here today is just one of the starting points.

“We’ve already heard about the success of InterHigh. We are just going to keep growing bigger and better. Never ever, ever, I feel will we rest on our laurels because what we want to see is young people improve in every element. If they’re improving it means we have to improve. Our standards need to raise as theirs do. So, I’m very excited about what the future can bring for us all and today I guess this opening is just the beginning.”