Kinneret Wallach is an Israeli Paralympic tennis player. She is one of the best in the world to be precise. What we value the most about her is that she didn’t allow tough moments in her life to crush her will. As a matter of fact, she thrived in the hardest circumstances. So we took the opportunity to talk with Kinneret about motivation, determination, and of course, online schooling, and how much it can help someone who is in a wheelchair.
Life wasn’t easy for Kinneret. She had a difficult childhood, but it wasn’t the end of her troubles. In her 20’s she was in a car accident that left her in a wheelchair. And although these kinds of events can severely damage the quality of life for the majority of people, it didn’t break her spirit.
After the accident, Kinneret started playing tennis. And she was pretty good at it. In 1996 Wallach represented Israel in Paralympic Games in tennis singles and doubles, and later on, she was among top 50 disabled tennis players in the world. Today, Kinneret is a mother of three children and uses her story to inspire and motivate others to aim for their goals, regardless of how tough obstacles are on their way.
She is also a big supporter of supporter of Sport World School, our branch that offers online schooling for young athletes. We were very inspired by how strong-willed lady, so we did a short interview with her.
There were a lot of tough moments in your life, but you have never surrendered. You were always motivated to progress and to achieve goals. Can you tell us, where do you find strength, and what motivates you and inspires you in life?
The only motivation is life. Life gives you “presents,” and you decide what to do with them. There are only two choices, to choose black or white. And I prefer white.
How much being an athlete and developing a winning mentality has helped you cope with difficult moments in life?
Being an athlete means winning for yourself. Not for anyone else. There is something that drives you to be the best in anything you do. Playing sports is always an excellent way to cope with everything. It doesn’t matter what you do or what happened in life. Being an athlete means a way of life; you are always driven in the same way no matter what.
Through our online school, we are trying to make high-quality education available to kids who are in a wheelchair, and perhaps are unable to go to regular school. Have you ever used online educational platforms or online courses, and was that online learning useful for you? What do you think in general about this form of education?
I couldn’t finish school because of my accident. Thirty years ago, there was no online school. I wish I could learn like that back then. Before my accident I just wanted to do sport and school was a big problem. After the accident, when I couldn’t go to school, I had more time for sports. It’s amazing that online schooling allows you to be the best in what you do. You help young athletes to reach their goals while still being a good student.
As such a strong-minded woman, you are a true hero to many who can learn from your example. Do you have some advice, especially for kids and teenagers?
Always follow your heart, your beliefs, and your instinct. Always look for being the best person from inside. Don’t let anyone tell you that you are not good, just put a goal in your mind and get there. Doesn’t matter what happens in life, there is a reason for that. Everything that happens makes you stronger even if you can’t see it at that moment.
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Both Education World Wide and the Sport World School want to make education available for everyone. Through our online programs and unique learning methodology, we want to provide high-quality education for children who, for whatever reason, can’t attend the regular school.