TENISON Woods College students and teachers welcomed a visit from former St Kilda AFL player Nathan Burke this week as he shared inspiring and motivational talks with the school.
Invited to the college earlier this year by director of learning Scott Dickson, Mr Burke created a three-day program focusing on welfare, sport and leadership across all age groups.
Passionate about helping others to make the most of life, he discussed resilience, overcoming adversity, reducing stress, developing coping skills, attitude, gratitude and comfort zones, as well as programs on “how to be a good bloke”.
“One of the topics I talk to students about is choosing their own attitude and not letting outside influences, other people or incidents that happen change that attitude and to not give that power to other people,” he said.
“When you actually understand that concept it is pretty powerful.
“Some kids get it and some take a while to get it depending on their level of maturity, but at the end of the day it is their choice.”
A father of three daughters, Nathan said he has a bit of an understanding about what the students are going through and the pressures of sport, school and society.
“It’s a lot for them to go through, so if we give them a couple of strategies to help them cope that would be great,” he said.
“Then when they are faced with the inevitable ups and downs of life they can hopefully have a strategy they can use.”
Praising the school’s high performance sports program, Mr Burke said it was great that students had the opportunity to further embrace their love of sport.
“I would have loved to do it at high school myself – I’m spewing that these things weren’t around when I was younger,” he said.
