Latest news with #perseverance
CTV News
13 hours ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Ted Nolan, first Indigenous head coach in the NHL, talks perseverance
Ted Nolan, former NHLer and the first Indigenous person to be an NHL head coach, spoke in Sudbury on Friday ahead of National Indigenous Peoples Day. On Friday at Laurentian University, there was an event to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day, which is being celebrated on Saturday. The keynote speaker was Ted Nolan, a former NHL player and the first Indigenous person to be an NHL head coach. Nolan, who is from the Garden River First Nation, shared stories about resilience and perseverance. Ted Nolan, Dominic Beaudry Ted Nolan, left, is seen Friday with Dominic Beaudry, LU's vice-president of Academic and Indigenous Programs. (Alana Everson/CTV News) The former NHL coach of the year shared a story about how his father, who died when he was just 16, taught him to 'work with what you got.' 'Hardships that I faced in growing up with a lack of materialistic things in order to play and then the lack of acceptance when you tried to play,' Nolan said. He shared stories about challenges he's faced, including racism, discrimination and battling multiple myeloma. His mother was killed by a drunk driver when he was 20 years old. Nolan said he hit a dark place in his life when his pro coaching career came to an abrupt end. Ted Nolan Ted Nolan, who is from the Garden River First Nation, shared stories about resilience and perseverance at a ceremony Friday at Laurentian University in Sudbury. (Alana Everson/CTV News) 'The rumours started percolating and a lot of them were derogatory statements about our people -- drinking and lazy and those types of things that probably hurt the most versus losing the job,' said Nolan. Key principles Through it all, he said he follows some key principles. 'Perseverance word always sticks with me,' Nolan said. 'We gotta' learn to fight through it and eventually you are gonna' find that one person and that's all you need sometimes. Just that one person who believes in you.' Laurentian University presented Nolan with an Anishnaabe medallion for his message about resilience. 'It's not always right to just share our trauma,' said Dominic Beaudry, LU's vice-president of Academic and Indigenous Programs. 'We also need to begin to share some of the success stories and some of the leaders in our community and I believe Ted Nolan is an exceptional leader and wanted to ensure his story was shared here.' Nolan said his coaching philosophy is that everyone deserves equal respect. It's a message he hopes resonates with people on National Indigenous Peoples Day -- and every day.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Class of 2025: Seniors at Manchester high schools reflect on graduation, their futures
High school graduation speeches often compel students to look to the right and then look to the left so they can mark the time, remember the faces and acknowledge all the work that got them there together. On this graduation day, no matter where families and friends look, they'll see seniors from Manchester West, Central, Memorial and the School of Technology with eager faces and countless stories of perseverance. Here are four such stories, one from each school, chosen by their principals as vanguards of what's possible. Their names are Nono Omol, Sophia Boisvert, Billy Sylvester and Josselyn Ascencio. What follows is a snapshot of their journeys. Nono Omol Manchester High School West Nono Omol, 19, is heading to Plymouth State University to play football and study marketing. Nono Omol, Manchester High School West Class of 2025 Nono Omol is a 19-year-old graduating senior from Manchester High School West. His goal is to dominate on the gridiron and then become a successful real estate agent. Born in Tennessee, Omol moved to Manchester with his family, but things began to fracture in recent years as his mother's personal struggles led to her losing custody of him and his younger brother. 'My mom was making bad decisions. It was very hard for me,' Omol said. 'So, I had to go house to house with friends and other family members.' During his junior year at West, he had to find a place to live and his brother was sent to live in Tennessee with Omol's stepfather. Omol lives with a foster family and his other 'brother' now — a family that provided stability and love, he said. 'I live with one of my friends. It's pretty nice. He's my brother now. We have a mother, father, little sister, little brother and brother. And a dog. It's a nice family. Nice household.' Omol said he might not be the best student, but he's at least average, and sports has given him an outlet to develop leadership skills. As a middle linebacker and defensive captain, Omol was as all-state football player who also excelled in track and field. 'We couldn't be prouder of him, and he's just an awesome kid, and he's come so far in just his maturity because he's kind of had to grow up on his own,' West Principal Richard Dichard said. 'No kid should have to grow up on their own without support systems at home due to some unforgiving circumstances.' Dichard said Omol was a little rough around the edges when he first came to West, but he's become one of his favorite students through hard work and determination. 'When kids are self-reflective of their own stuff, that's what makes all the difference,' he said. Nono Omol, Manchester High School West Class of 2025 Nono Omol is a 19-year-old graduating senior from Manchester High School West. He's heading to Plymouth State University to play football and study marketing. Here, he gets a pat on the head from West head coach Andrew Provencher during practice in August 2024. Many of Omol's strengths could be seen on the football field, Dichard said. 'He was great. I mean, he was a difference-maker and one of the reasons we made the postseason this year,' he said. 'But he's also been a great leader in setting up success for the future.' Sophia Boisvert Manchester High School Central Sophia Boisvert, 18, is heading to Dartmouth College in Hanover to study neuroscience. Sophia Boisvert, Manchester High School Central Class of 2025 Sophia Boisvert, Manchester Central High School's valedictorian, in the front yard of her Manchester home on June 5. Diagnosed with autism and ADHD early in her junior year, Boisvert has also suffered from anxiety since she was young. 'We didn't have all the pieces together until (her diagnosis),' said her mother, Kate. 'We were in crisis.' Autism goes undiagnosed in many girls and young women because they present symptoms differently than males, researchers say. 'My emotional dysregulation that can occur sometimes is the biggest obstacle for me,' she said. 'It's taken a lot of time, work and reflection to figure out how to check in with myself and figure out how I'm feeling and what I need. What does my body need in order to be able to function well for the rest of the day, for the rest of the week, for the rest of the month?' As is the case with many neurodivergent people, Boisvert's condition at times has been both an obstacle and a superpower of sorts. She excels in a wide variety of areas such as academics, competitive dance at the New Hampshire School of Ballet, music, and learning languages. She's been on the math team, participated in drama club, was selected for National Honor Society and National English Honor Society, and is the president of her school's Tri-M Music Honor Society, Oh, and she's also Central's valedictorian. Boisvert was a four-year all-state vocalist and plays the ukulele, guitar and bass. She wants to harness her musical chops while studying the relationship between music and neuroscience. Sophia Boisvert, Manchester High School Central Class of 2025 Sophia Boisvert, Manchester Central High School's valedictorian, in the front yard of her Manchester home on June 5. Her focus on achieving her goals is a driving force in her life, she said. High school valedictorian was on top of her list as early as middle school. 'I was like, 'Oh, there's a prize for being good at school? I want that,' she said. 'Having that goal, starting when I was younger, has helped me make strategic decisions as to what classes to take, how to manage my time, what skills to foster, what clubs to join. 'I wouldn't say that it's a burden. I would say sometimes I would put pressure on myself, but I don't feel like I gave myself unreasonable expectations. I would tell myself, 'You can do this, so try for it.'' Another goal she has is to collaborate with her 15-year-old sister, Violet. Both sisters have won Miss Greater Hooksett Teen competitions. 'My sister is an incredibly talented vocalist, and she wants to be a pop star. I would love to be the Finneas to her Billie Eilish. He helps her write her songs, he does her audio production, all kinds of stuff like that,' she said. 'I like to write songs. I also really enjoy recording and producing and mixing as well. So, the technological aspect of that is so fun for me. I would love to help Violet with those things.' Billy Sylvester Manchester Memorial High School Billy Sylvester, 18, is heading to Endicott College in Beverly, Mass., to study sport management. Billy Sylvester, Manchester Memorial High School Class of 2025 Billy Sylvester is an 18-year-old graduating senior from Manchester Memorial High. Some people love sports — and then there's Sylvester, who has built friendships and stokes school spirit at just about every turn at Memorial. Now, he'd like to make a career of it. 'I love everything about sports,' he said. 'That's why I'm going to Endicott for sports management. I realized I can do what I love there. I love watching sports. I love playing sports, whether it's on a team or with friends.' Sylvester played soccer, basketball and golf for the Crusaders; was on the student-athlete leadership team; and volunteered for sporting events at school. He's basically Mr. Crusader. He won the top fan award for the school and teachers awarded him with the George Demos Award for being a kind student who supports classmates and stands up to bullying. Sylvester was also a high-honors student and had a GPA of around 3.5. But with all the fun of sports and hard work of academics, high school had a low moment for him when his grandfather died in the winter of his junior year. Billy Sylvester, Manchester Memorial High School Class of 2025 Billy Sylvester is an 18-year-old graduating senior from Manchester Memorial High. 'I stepped out of school for about a week. When I came back, my teachers were very welcoming about it. They were there to comfort me and let me take the time to do my work and get caught up. It was a tough time. My mind was everywhere, but I had teachers, friends, family all there for me. So, that helped a lot.' His mother, Susan, said her father's death had a profound effect on Billy, who 'has a heart of gold.' 'It was more than just losing a grandfather in his life. They were very close,' she said. 'He lived in New London, but he would come to the events. He always loved to be there. He tried to be as present as he could.' Billy Sylvester's grandfather called him 'Big Guy,' and marveled at not just his stature, but his big smile and big heart. His parents said people gravitate toward his infectious enthusiasm and how he wears his heart on his sleeve. 'He has always stayed true to himself and he's always tried to do the right thing,' Susan Sylvester said. Josselyn Ascencio Manchester School of Technology Josselyn Ascencio, 18, is heading to Roger Williams University in Rhode Island to study architecture. Josselyn Ascencio, Manchester School of Technology Class of 2025 Josselyn Ascencio is an 18-year-old senior from the Manchester School of Technology. Ascencio was in the top 10% of her graduating class academically, was the class historian, part of the yearbook club, a tutor, and was a member of the National Honor Society. She also played volleyball for three years at Manchester West (MST doesn't have its own interscholastic sports teams). The oldest of three kids, Ascencio is bilingual, fluent in English and Spanish, and she's learning French. She has one brother who is a year younger and then a 5-year-old little brother, whom she helps take care of when her mother works the second shift. She participated in Breakthrough Manchester, a program that starts in middle school and helps kids from traditionally underserved communities on their path to college. 'I've been a Breakthrough student for seven years now, going into the college-bound program as well, and then I returned this school year to be a breakthrough teacher intern for middle school students. So I volunteered my time there up until April,' she said. Josselyn Ascencio, Manchester School of Technology Class of 2025 Josselyn Ascencio is an 18-year-old senior from the Manchester School of Technology. Through her church youth group, Ascencio also volunteered to bring food to homeless people in the city. She also served as a student representative on the Manchester school board for two years. Ascencio said MST not only gave her a great opportunity to develop the skills she needed to pursue her dream of becoming an architect, but the teachers were supportive and created an environment of trust. She singled out one teacher in particular: Jessica Weiss, who was her advisory and literature teacher and National Honor Society adviser. 'Whenever I have any concerns, questions, literally about anything even if it's just life, I go to her,' Ascencio said. 'She's kind of like a mom at the school.' At MST, she learned how to use coumputer-assisted design software and a three-dimensional printer for design. She's excited about an internship this summer when she can continue to learn to use Revit, a design software she got a head start on already during independent study time at school. She wanted to hit the ground running on her quest for a career she's yearned for since the fourth grade. 'I learned that we need more hospital clinics, and I could design spaces like that, or community centers, maybe even schools, or making sustainable places. So I guess that's my end goal, making more sustainable commercial spaces. Something that can inspire people, when they look at it, they're like, 'Wow.'' +++ All four graduates said they are gracious and humbled by the support they received along the way. More than 700 students will get their diplomas today at SNHU Arena. Every one of them has a story. As the ceremonies conclude, they'll look to their right, grab the tassels atop their caps and move them to the left. And commence. dpierce@
Forbes
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Perseverance: The Underdog's Superpower
Underdogs don't succeed because they are the biggest, the best, and the brightest, or even because they are the boldest. They succeed because they have perseverance. Rocky is the ultimate underdog story—at least, in fiction. With all the subsequent sequels, it's easy to forget that in the original, Rocky Balboa's goal wasn't to win against Apollo Creed. Rather, his goal was 'to go the distance' with Creed, to persevere through a full 15 rounds. In my upcoming book, Underdog Nation, I also share about Sylvester Stallone's own underdog story, and his perseverance to position himself as the movie's lead when the studio was set on hiring a 'big name.' In the end, his tenacity won out. But how do underdogs develop this superpower? Is it natural talent or something more? Throughout my own life, I've seen this over and over. My father showed perseverance when he chose to stay in Vietnam to keep fighting, even though he had no idea what would happen next. When I entered Officer Candidates School for the Marines, it required immense perseverance because I had no idea what I was about to face. As soon as we arrived at Quantico, the sergeants started drilling us and shouting at us to get our tails off the bus and in line. Within minutes, one sergeant was barking in my face—the only Asian face in the line—asking why I was even there and if I was 'a Viet Cong spy' (and no wonder since this was the same year the movie Platoon was released). The moment was so shocking and unanticipated that my eyes welled up with tears, and I nearly broke down and cried. I was totally unprepared for the moment. Suddenly, I was a little refugee boy again, facing an unknown and uncertain future, and ready to go back home with my mom. In retrospect, our recruiter did his best to prepare us for the experience by not warning us what OCS would be like. He wanted us to be in shock because perseverance requires the ability to operate in a new environment. In the face of the unknown, you have to develop mental toughness—mental stamina. Right off the bat, perseverance is more about mental stamina than it is physical, even when you're performing a physical activity. Ask anyone who's finished a marathon and you'll hear the same story repeated—the last 6.2 miles are finished through mental grit. Success means being able to finish the marathon—and it's not a matter of luck. There's a formula for finishing well. You have to be prepared for the unknown—the weather, how you'll feel that day, and any circumstances that might occur during the race, like a pulled muscle or a hole in your shoe that suddenly appears. All of that happens first in the mind. You don't build up mental stamina overnight, though. It's a process. The more situations where you have to be mentally tough, the more perseverance and stamina you develop. It's the same with amateur golf. You can't do the same stuff every time you go out on the course and expect different results. That's the insanity cycle. You have to build up the mental stamina. You have to learn how to adjust your mental approach to different types of weather and ground conditions. Practice doesn't make perfect—competing (and often losing or, as the saying goes in golf, choking) does create perseverance. And with enough perseverance, you make progress. When I entered sales, I learned just how much perseverance is the great differentiator. If you don't have the mental toughness to take a 'no,' you won't last long. According to reports from Marketing Donut, 80 percent of prospects say 'no' before they ever say 'yes,' yet 44 percent of salespeople give up after the first rejection. They simply don't have the mental stamina to push back for more information, or to follow up and hear 'no' again. When I failed to take our company public the first time, I changed our go-to-market approach and rewrote the entire prospectus. Underdogs don't succeed because they are the biggest, the best, and the brightest, or even because they are the boldest. They succeed because they have perseverance. Because they are willing to face the unknown with mental stamina. When you consider your own level of perseverance, which one of those two areas do you need to grow in?
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
MJ's Motivation: 'Failing forwards vs backwards'
Think about a recent setback you've gone through and ask yourself, 'How did I respond?'Chances are, one of two things happened: You either ran from it, trying to avoid the discomfort or you embraced it, recognizing there was something to is the difference between failing forward and failing others, repeating mistakes or giving up: That is failing taking responsibility, learning from mistakes or building a sense of perseverance: That is failing really comes down to how we respond, not the experience itself. For some, failure accelerates progress acting as fuel. For others it becomes a barrier. We will fail again. Every one of this point on, commit to doing whatever it takes to fail forward. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
National Post
05-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Johnny Gaudreau's widow surprises Blue Jackets' Sean Monahan with Masterton Trophy
Columbus Blue Jackets centre Sean Monahan has been awarded the 2024-25 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the NHL announced Thursday. Article content The award honours perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey, commemorating Bill Masterton, a Minnesota North Stars player who died from an on-ice injury in 1968, and is voted on annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Article content Monahan earned the trophy for his resilience and leadership after the tragic death of his close friend and teammate Johnny Gaudreau last August. He signed with Columbus last July to reunite with Gaudreau, with whom he played nine seasons in Calgary. Article content Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were struck and killed by a driver charged with impaired driving while they were cycling in New Jersey on Aug. 29, 2024. Article content As opposed to handing out some awards at a ceremony this year, the NHL has instead enlisted outside help to present winners with their honours — and it turned emotional for Monahan. Article content Article content Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, surprised Sean Monahan with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. 💙 Watch the #NHLAwards on June 12 at 6p ET on @NHL_On_TNT and @Sportsnet before Game 4 of the #StanleyCup Final. — NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2025 Article content The Columbus forward was presented the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by none other than Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny's widow. Article content 'When I was asked to be part of this surprise I was so honoured, so excited,' Meredith said in the clip shared by the NHL on X. 'Sean stood by my side for every tribute, every walkout. I dragged him out there to cry with me on national TV so many times. Article content 'But I'm excited about this one because this one celebrates Sean.' Article content Gaudreau went to Monahan's Toronto-area home to drop off the trophy – a clear surprise to Monahan who was seen checking through a window after Meredith rang the doorbell. Article content Gaudreau revealed that she enlisted the help of Sean's wife, Brittany, into helping him think they were doing family photos that day to distract him. Article content 'Oh my god, it's pretty special,' Monahan says while looking at the trophy. Article content
