Lionheart Alex Leapai inspires Sports Super Centre students

Now legendary Samoan-Australian boxer Alex Leapai left a lasting impression on 30 young local school captains at the Sports Super Centre this week.

Alex made headlines earlier this year when he became the first Australian to fight a heavy weight boxing world title. He narrowly went down to powerhouse defending champ, giant Russian Wladimir Klitschko but has started his campaign to give it another shot.

Leapai was the keynote speaker at the centre’s Runaway Bay Sport and Leadership Excellence Centre’s Be Proactive Power Habit Day. The students involved were school captains from Helensvale State High School, and Helensvale, Arundel and Oxenford state primary schools. Developed by Education Services Head Clint Curran, the day aims to empower kids with successful habits in order to take them from being ordinary to extraordinary leaders.

Leapai shared the story of his inspirational journey from Samoa to New Zealand and then Australia, where he got a contract to play rugby league with the North Queensland Cowboys. After a fight on field he was banned from rugby league for five years which effectively ended his career. He got in trouble with the law and ended up in jail where he made the decision to turn his life around.

Leapai’s main message to the kids was that they should chase their dreams and not let other people stray them from their path. He was then gracious enough to get in the ring and gave a few tips to the kids, while several media outlets watched on.

Also speaking on the day was wheelchair athlete Dan Trollope, who encouraged the kids to be proactive in their lives, no matter what obstacles may come their way.

See video of the last Be Proactive Habit Power Day here.

If you would like your child to attend one of our leadership days or camps here, be sure to forward this article to the relevant person at their school.