Are setbacks the best teacher? Freddie Flintoff came back from a horrific motor accident to present an inspiring TV series about how being in a cricket team can change your life.
The dreamer that defied disaster
Are setbacks the best teacher? Freddie Flintoff came back from a horrific motor accident to present an inspiring TV series about how being in a cricket team can change your life.
The speedometer hit 130mph. Suddenly the sports car flipped and slid along the track. Freddie Flintoff was badly injured.
The accident happened while the former England cricketer was filming an episode of the car show Top Gear. He was lucky to survive, but it would take him a long time to recover.
"I've got to look at the positives," said Flintoff after the crash. "I've got another chance, and I'm going to go at it."
At the time of the crash Flintoff had presented the first series of Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams. He was determinedSet on following through with a plan despite difficulties. that the second series would still go ahead.
The programme involved taking young people from his home town, PrestonA city in Lancashire in the north of England. , and making them into a cricket team. His aim was to show that belonging to a team can help people realise their potential in life.
In the series filmed after his crash, On Tour, Flintoff took his players to India. There they learned to cope with new surroundings and opened up about their problems - and so did Flintoff.
"The biggest win on this trip hasn't been cricket," he told his team. "It's been you guys."
Since the series, Finn, who has autismA condition characterised by difficulty in social interaction and communication. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 160 children has an autism disorder., has found the courage to apply to join the army. Ben, who was homeless in his teens, is training to become a teacher. And Adnan, an asylum seekerA person who has left their country due to danger and is seeking refuge elsewhere. , has won a place in Lancashire's under-18 cricket team.
Are setbacks the best teacher?
Yes! You will never learn anything if you find everything you do in life easy. Setbacks make you a more resilientTough or able to cope with difficulty. person, ready to take on ever-bigger challenges.
No! Many people are so disappointed by setbacks that they simply cannot move on. You will learn much better in a safe and stable environment.
Keywords
Determined - Set on following through with a plan despite difficulties.
Preston - A city in Lancashire in the north of England.
Autism - A condition characterised by difficulty in social interaction and communication. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 160 children has an autism disorder.
Asylum seeker - A person who has left their country due to danger and is seeking refuge elsewhere.
Resilient - Tough or able to cope with difficulty.
The dreamer that defied disaster
Glossary
Determined - Set on following through with a plan despite difficulties.
Preston - A city in Lancashire in the north of England.
Autism - A condition characterised by difficulty in social interaction and communication. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 160 children has an autism disorder.
Asylum seeker - A person who has left their country due to danger and is seeking refuge elsewhere.
Resilient - Tough or able to cope with difficulty.