Underdogs Through Perseverance
Ashleigh Dwyer
Underdogs- what are they?
What are some characteristics of an underdog?
Underdogs are people who show the most grit, perseverance and resilience. Even though people put them down, and dont expect anything from them, they still keep going and show people that they are strong. They don't let the things others say or do get in their way. They bounce back from hardships.
When are you considered an underdog?
People are considered and underdog when the person/team they are going against are bigger than them or have a better reputation. In a war if the ratio was 10 to , then the side with only 1 would be the underdog.... by far!
How do others see the underdog?
Many people see the underdog as the guaranteed loser. Many think that underdogs are by far the weakest. They think they are petty or, not important and not a challenge. Some people cheer for the underdogs just because all the odds are against them. This is why when the underdog does win it is so special
What are some examples of underdogs?
Some examples include Gabby Douglas, Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, J.K. Rowling, and Warren Buffet. Some of the most famous and successful people were once underdogs compared to the rest of the competition. This goes to show you any underdog can succeed if they persevere. If you put in the work you will triumph!
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Underdog vs. The All Star
Consider the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980. The Us and the Soviet Union were going head to head in the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey final. Coming into this game the Soviet Union has won 5 of the last 6 gold medals for hockey. The Soviet union had a team full of professional hockey players. As where, the US had a team full of amateurs and college players. Coming into the game the Soviet Union was favored to win. Kowing this the US team went in playing their hearts out. They persevered the whole game and didnt give up the the Soviet Union scored the first goal. The US team kept going and beat the Soviet Union by a score of 4 to 3.
Underdogs are definitely not expected to win. They are also usually unprofessional or weak. Underdogs are rarely win so its a big deal when they do. Perseverance is one thing the underdogs have over the favored team. The favored team usually comes in expecting to win so they don't try as hard. Underdogs always persevere. They always fight even when the odds are against them.
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Life as an Underdog
Gabby Douglas may not come to mind when thinking about underdogs. Gabby faced many adversities. Gabby was born December 31st 1995 in Virginia. Right away she loved gymnastics. She first learned to do gymnastics from her older sister at the age of 3. When she turned 14 she moved to Iowa to train with Liang Chow, Shawn Johnson's former coach. With Liang's help she trained vigorously, and place 4th all round at the Nastia Liukin Super Girl cup. She was then offered an opportunity to join the Olympics. Coming into the Olympics she was an underdog. The main focuses were Jourdyn Wieber and McKayla Maroney. She had to fight to prove her spot on the team while enduring racism. She was ambitious and ready to prove people wrong to show she was good enough.
Most people didn't accept her right away because of her skin color.They said she was inadequate because she was African American and she couldnt get he job done as well as the other girls. Gabby showed resilience in her work. She trained even harder because of the people that put her down. This was a big adversity for Gabby because she wanted people to like her, but this was one thing she couldn't control. Then in 2012 the US gymnastics team was presented the gold medal. Gabby contributed a lot to the team to help them win the medal. This shows how gabby went from an underdog to a champion.
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Why Aren't There as Many Underdog Victories?
One solution to this problem it that the underdogs need to learn to ignore the criticism. People these days are finding new ways to put down others and social media plays a big role in this. With all the new technology its getting easier to bully people. This is a part of why underdogs are stopping. By ignoring the criticism you are giving others the message that you wont be effected by their comments. Then you just have to keep going and show them how strong you are in the end.
In "The Running Dream" a girl named Jessica loses her leg in a car crash. This is devastating for Jessica because she is a runner. After her leg is healed she feels left out and little things people do to her bother her a lot. Jessica become depressed thinking about all the friends she's lost and the fact she wont be able to run again. Most people expect Jessica to give up and fail, or find a new hobby. Even Jessica tells herself this. Then one day at school Jessica meets a girl with CP named Rosa. Rosa helps Jessica get back into the running spirit and motivates her to keep going. Rosa inspired Jessica because she had a disorder but she still kept going, and that's what Jessica needed to do. Underdogs have to be able to persevere through the hard times and keep going even when others think that they can't do anything.
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What Happens When the Underdog fights back?
When an underdog fights back through hard times and fights back the effects are greatly seen. Underdogs are always combative and they are ready for fight for what they want. All it takes is one little falter and the underdogs are ready to stand up for themselves. When they fight back it takes others by surprise. Then once the rivals are weakened they fall. Underdogs fighting back cause them to succeed in any situation.
The districts weren't used to the capital or anything but they were brave enough to venture out there. Underdogs are some of the most noble people. They are brave and persevere through the hardest times. As long as they keep going they have the power to do anything!